Senate Committee on Agriculture

 

AGENDA

 

Room 28 and Zoom

January 14, 2025 - January 17, 2025

Last Updated 1/16/2025 11:45 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/senate-agriculture.

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

10:00 AM                   Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Senate Chambers

 

11:00 AM                   Break

 

11:15 AM                   Introductions and Discussion

NOFA-VT

Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA-VT

Johanna Doren, Direct Markets and Local Food Access Program Director, NOFA-VT

 

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

 

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

9:00 AM                   Introductions and Discussion

Legislative Counsel Staff

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

 

9:30 AM                   Vermont Fairs and Field Days Association

Jackie Folsom, Lobbyist, Vermont Fairs and Field Days Association

 

10:00 AM                   Introductions

Vermont Food Bank

John Sayles, CEO, Vermont Foodbank

Carrie Stahler, Government and Public Affairs Officer, Vermont Foodbank

Sarah Keblin,  , Vermont Foodbank - Zoom

 

11:00 AM                   Break

 

11:15 AM                   Introductions and Discussion

Vermont Farm Bureau

Jackie Folsom, President, Vermont Farm Bureau

Mary White, Fort Waite Holsteins LLC, Vermont Farm Bureau - Zoom

Arthur Whitman, Vermont Seed Dealers Association, member, Vermont Farm Bureau

Eliza Schraver, Southern Field Representative, Vermont Farm Bureau

Jeannette Cole, President, Vermont Horse Council

Heidi Krantz, Member, Vermont Horse Council

 

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

 

Thursday, January 16, 2025

9:00 AM                   Introductions and Discussion

Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Steve Dwinell, Director, Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

E.B. Flory, Director, Food Safety and Consumer Protection, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Abbey Willard, Director, Agricultural Development Division Director, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Nicole Dubuque, Chief Operations Officer, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

Cheryl Achilles, Director, Vermont Agriculture and Environmental Laboratory, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

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

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

 

10:30 AM                   Break

 

10:45 AM                   Introductions and Discussion

Food Security Roadmap to 2035

Becka Warren, Food Security Roadmap Coalition Manager, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Carrie Stahler, Government and Public Affairs Officer, Vermont Foodbank

Autumn Moen, Legislative Policy Lead, Hunger Free Vermont

Maddie Kempner, Policy Director, NOFA-VT

 

12:00 PM                   Committee Adjourns

 

Friday, January 17, 2025

9:00 AM                   Vermont Economic Development Authority

 Introductions

Cassie Polhemus, Chief Executive Officer, Vermont Economic Development Authority

 

9:45 AM                   Committee Legislative Review

Discussion of last year's Senate Agriculture Committee work

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

 

10:30 AM                   Agency of Agriculture Introductions

Water Quality Division

Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

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

 

11:15 AM                   Committee Adjourns

 

11:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

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

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.

 

Should you require accessibility services, please click here and note that requests should be made 48 hours in advance of testimony.