House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Agenda

House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry

AGENDA

Room 49 and Zoom

February 14, 2023 - February 17, 2023

Last Updated 2/17/2023 11:12 AM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-agriculture-food-resiliency-and-forestry.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

10:00 AM House Floor

- Caucuses and Lunch

1:00 PM Farm to School

Helen Rortvedt, Farm to School and Local Food Access Director and VT FEED Program, NOFA VT

1:45 PM H. 165 - An act relating to school food programs and universal school meals

Rosie Krueger, State Director of Child Nutrition Programs, Agency of Education

2:30 PM H. 165 - An act relating to school food programs and universal school meals

Michael Leichliter, Superintendent, Harwood Unified Union School District

3:00 PM Act 67

Walk-through

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

- Adjourn

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

9:00 AM H. 205 - An act relating to establishing the Small Farm Diversification and Transition Program

Rep. Heather Surprenant, Bill Sponsor, House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry

Rep. Rodney Graham, Bill Sponsor, House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry

9:20 AM 23-0761 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Jackie Folsom, Lobbyist, Vermont Fairs and Field Days Association

10:00 AM Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on Lake Champlain's Future

2023 Lake Champlain Action Plan

Mark Naud, Chair, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain

Bob Fischer, Water Facility Operator, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain

Denise Smith, Community Health Manager, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain

Wayne Elliott, Engineer, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain

Hilary Solomon, District Manager, Poultney-Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District

Lori Fisher, Executive Director, Vermont Citizens Advisory Committee on the Future of Lake Champlain

10:50 AM Break

11:00 AM Working Lands Enterprise Initiative

FY22 Impacts

Alyson Eastman, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Elizabeth Sipple, Program Lead, Working Lands Enterprise Initiative

Charlie Hancock, Consulting Forester, Northwoods Forestry

Danielle Fitzko, Interim Commissioner, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

Tayt Brooks, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Commerce and Community Development

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Sarah Isham, Director of Agricultural Lending, Vermont Economic Development Authority

Brian Leach, Owner, Haystack Farmstead

Ethan Gevry, Owner, Gevry Firewood

Levi Irish, Director of Business Development, Vermont Natural Forest Products

12:30 PM Lunch

1:30 PM Rights and Democracy Vermont (RADVT) Lobby Day

Michael Weiss, Statewide Environmental Justice Organizer, Rights and Democracy Vermont

Ana Mejia, Vermont Organizing Director, Rights and Democracy Vermont

Alex Lintner, Field Organizer, Rights and Democracy Vermont

Jessica Laporte, Member, Rights and Democracy Vermont

3:00 PM House Floor

Thursday, February 16, 2023

9:00 AM SNAP Awareness Day

Carrie Stahler, Government and Public Affairs Officer, Vermont Foodbank

Johanna Doren, Local Food Access Coordintor, NOFA-VT

Ariana Matthews-Salzman, 3Squares Specialist, Vermont Foodbank

Joie Lehouillier, Owner, Foote Brook Farm

9:40 AM Farm to School

Mark Boyden, Owner, Boyden Farm

10:00 AM Committee Discussion

Next Steps

10:30 AM Joint Assembly

Election of the Sergeant at Arms

Election of Trustees for the University of Vermont and Vermont State Agricultural College

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM H. 205 - An act relating to establishing the Small Farm Diversification and Transition Program

Walk-through

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

1:30 PM H. 165 - An act relating to school food programs and universal school meals

Mark-up

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:00 PM Payment for Ecosystem Services

Working Group Report

Ryan Patch, Agriculture Climate and Land Use Policy Manager, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Alyson Eastman, Deputy Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

3:00 PM House Floor

Friday, February 17, 2023

9:00 AM H. 165 - An act relating to school food programs and universal school meals

Committee Discussion

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

9:30 AM House Floor

15 mins after floor Vermont Housing and Conservation Coalition Day

Abby White, Vice President of Engagement, Vermont Land Trust

Mark Lourie, Rupert Valley Holsteins

Gabrielle Tuite, Owner, Old Road Farm

Julie Curtin, Director of Home Ownership, Champlain Housing Trust

Allen Karnatz, Champlain Valley Project Director, Vermont Land Trust

11:15 AM H. 165 - An act relating to school food programs and universal school meals

Discussion continued

Beth St. James, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM Salvation Farms

Theresa Snow, Director, Salvation Farms

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

Alaura Rich at arich@leg.state.vt.us