Senate Committee on Agriculture

AGENDA

April 6, 2021 - April 9, 2021

Last Updated 4/9/2021 9:18 AM

Meetings are livestreamed here unless otherwise noted

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

15 minutes after Floor adjourns                   Bills in Committee

Committee discussion

11:00 AM                   Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

2022 Budget

Diane Bothfeld, Director of Administrative Services & Dairy Policy, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Amy Mercier, Financial Director, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Jackie Folsom, Lobbyist, Vermont Fairs and Field Days Association

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

9:00 AM                   H. 218 - An act relating to the sale of unpasteurized raw milk

Charles Gray, Owner, 4 Corners Farm (9:15 AM)

Rich Larson, Owner, Larson Farm and Creamery

Dr. Andrea Etter, Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Food Services Department, UVM

Lee Dowgiewicz, President and CEO, Cooperative Insurance Companies (9:45 AM)

Corie Pierce, Co-owner, Bread and Butter Farm, Board member, Rural Vermont

Ashlyn Bristle, Owner, Rebop Farm

Mollie Wills, Rural Vermont

10:15 AM                   H. 88 - An act relating to certification of agricultural use for purposes of the use value appraisal program

-                                   S. 61 - An act relating to the definition of agricultural land for the purposes of use value appraisals

Jill Remick, Director of Property Valuation and Review, Department of Taxes

Abby Shepard, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel (10:30 AM)

10:45 AM                   Break

11:00 AM                   H. 434 - An act relating to establishing the Agricultural Innovation Board

Margaret Laggis, Lobbyist, Biotechnology Innovation Org, National Animal Supplement Council, Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance

Amanda St. Pierre, Executive Director, Vermont Dairy Producers Alliance

Nat Shambaugh , Retired Chemist, Pesticides Expert

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

Thursday, April 8, 2021

9:00 AM                   Vermont Technical College

Revisioned Agriculture and Food Systems Program

Joint hearing with House Agriculture and Forestry Committee. Livestream here

       Pat Moulton , President, Vermont Technical College

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Regina Beidler, Program Specialist Organic Valley, Beidler Family Farm

Louise Calderwood, Owner, Echo Hill Farm Maple Products

10:00 AM                   Break

10:20 AM                   S. 67 - An act relating to creating a right to repair agricultural equipment

Ward Butler, Service Manager, Milton Cat

Glenn Scott, General Sales Manager, Milton Cat

Michael McKenna, Director of Aftermarket, United Ag and Turf Northeast

Gay Gordon-Byrne, Executive Director, The Repair Association

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

Friday, April 9, 2021

9:00 AM                   S. 61 - An act relating to the definition of agricultural land for the purposes of use value appraisals

-                                   H. 88 - An act relating to certification of agricultural use for purposes of the use value appraisal program

Abby Shepard, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

10:00 AM                   S. 100 - An act relating to universal school breakfast and lunch for all public school students and to creating incentives for schools to purchase locally produced foods

11:15 AM                   Committee Adjourns

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

ATTENTION WITNESSES

Please email handouts to the committee assistant at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting time. With few exceptions, any documents you send to a committee assistant, are open to the public and may be posted to the committee’s web page.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Linda Leehman at lleehman@leg.state.vt.us