Senate Committee on Agriculture

AGENDA

Room 28 and Zoom

January 24, 2023 - January 27, 2023

Last Updated 1/27/2023 11:15 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-agriculture.

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

15 minutes after Senate adjourns                   UVM College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, UVM Extension

Introductions and program

Leslie Parise, Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Vermont

Fitzroy Beckford, Associate Dean and Director, UVM Extension

11:00 AM                   Vermont Land Trust

Update

Abby White, Vice President of Engagement, Vermont Land Trust

Allen Karnatz, Champlain Valley Project Director, Vermont Land Trust

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

9:00 AM                   Universal School Meals Campaign

Introductions

Scott Fay, Director of Child Nutrition, Essex Westford School District

Gretchen Czaja, School Nutrition Director, Windsor Central Unified School District

Erika Dolan, Harwood Unified Union School District, Vice President, School Nutrition Association of Vermont

9:45 AM                   Security Briefing by Capitol Police

Matthew S. Romei, Chief of Police, Capitol Police Department

10:15 AM                   Break

10:30 AM                   Food Hubs

Jon Ramsey, Executive  Director, Center for an Agricultural Economy

Emma Hileman, Program Director, Vermont Farmers Food Center

Richard Berkfield, Executive Director, Food Connects

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

Thursday, January 26, 2023

9:00 AM                   Farm to Plate Report

Joint hearing with House Agriculture, Food Resilience, and Forestry Committee

Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Kevin Channell, Farm and Forest Services

Marc Brisson, Daona Farm

Elaine Brisson, Daona Farm

Chris Wagner, Green Dream Farm

Travis Whitcomb, Rhomanwai Farm

Roger Osinchuk

Natasha Duarte, Director, Composting Association of Vermont

Chuck Wooster,  , Sunrise Farm

Becka Warren, Food Security Plan Project Manager, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Kelly Dolan,  , Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

10:30 AM                   Break

10:45 AM                   Organic Dairy Farm Crisis

Joint Hearing with House Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Committee.  Livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1eOZHCQZ8Rle7h2apvghFg/featured

Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA VT

Jen Miller, Farmer Services Director, NOFA-VT

Mike Thresher, Member, Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance, Board member, NOFA-VT

Amanda Ellis-Thurber, Owner, Lilac Ridge Farm

Ross Thurber, Owner, Lilac Ridge Farm

Calvin Gould, Future owner, Lilac Hill Farm

Shaun Riordan, Grateful Morning Farm

Marcy Guillette, Organic Dairy Farmer

Peter Miller,  , Miller Farm

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

Friday, January 27, 2023

9:00 AM                   Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Stacy Cibula, Agriculture Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Liz Gleason, Director, VHCB Farm and Forest Viability Program

10:10 AM                   Break

10:15 AM                   23-0138 - An act relating to protection from nuisance suits for agricultural activities

Laura DiPietro, Water Quality Division Director, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Steven Collier, General Counsel, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

11:15 AM                   Committee Adjourns

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