Senate Committee on Agriculture

 

AGENDA

 

Room 28 and Zoom

January 27, 2026 - January 30, 2026

Last Updated 1/30/2026 10:08 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

15 minutes after the Floor                   UVM Extension

Update

Heather Darby, Associate Professor, UVM Extension

 

10:55 AM                   Break

 

11:00 AM                   26-0553 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Bradley Showman, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Kirby Keeton, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel (11:30 AM)

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel (11:45 AM)

 

12:00 PM                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

9:00 AM                   Food is Medicine

overview of group's work

Tina Zuk, Government Relations Director, American Heart Association

Grace Woroch, Manager of Produce Prescription, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

Maureen Boardman, Clinician, Little River Health Care - Zoom

Danielle Allen, Farmer, Root 5 Farm, Fairlee, VT - Zoom

Stephanie Pinard, Community Resource Director, People's Health & Wellness Clinic

Susan Smiley, Addison County ACORN

Christine Hadekel, Food and Farm Program Director, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps

Mary Kate Mohlman, Director of Public Policy, Bi-State Primary Care Association

 

9:45 AM                   26-0553 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

vote on committee bill

 

9:55 AM                   Break

 

10:00 AM                   Champlain Valley Farmers Coalition

Brian Kemp, Organic Beef Farmer

Tim Kayhart, Vice President, Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, Kayhart Brothers Farm

Kate Longfield, Executive Director, Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition

 

10:45 AM                   Break

 

10:55 AM                   Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

2027 Budget

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

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

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

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, January 29, 2026

9:00 AM                   Center For an Agricultural Economy

update

Jon Ramsay, Executive Director, Center for an Agricultural Economy

 

9:55 AM                   Break

 

10:00 AM                   26-0553 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

 Section 1

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

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

 

11:15 AM                   26-0553 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Committee discussion of sections

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Friday, January 30, 2026

9:00 AM                   Vermont Housing and Conservation Board

Gus Seelig, Executive Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Stacy Cibula, Associate Conservation Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

Liz Gleason, Farm and Forest Viability Program Director, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board

 

10:05 AM                   Break

 

10:10 AM                   S. 60 - An act relating to establishing the Farm Security Special Fund to provide grants for farm losses due to weather conditions

Walk-through with Sen. Plunkett

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

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.

 

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

 

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, please contact

 Linda Leehman at Linda.Leehman@vtleg.gov