House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry Agenda

House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry

AGENDA

Room 49 and Zoom

February 23, 2026 - February 27, 2026

Last Updated 3/20/2026 1:26 PM

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/streaming/house-agriculture-food-resiliency-and-forestry.

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

10:00 AM House Floor and Caucuses

12:00 PM Lunch & Learn

Tara Sad, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Policy Consultant, Council of State Governments East

1:00 PM H. 739 - An act relating to prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat

James Boyd MD, Neurologist

1:30 PM H. 739 - An act relating to prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat

Bill mark-up

Bradley Showman, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:00 PM 26-0772 - An act relating to municipal regulation of agriculture

Municipal regulation of agriculture bill mark-up

Bradley Showman, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:30 PM H. 537 - An act relating to the right to grow vegetable gardens

Cher Feitelberg, Resident of South Burlington, Chittenden County

3:00 PM 26-0787 - An act relating to the regulation of forestry under Act 250

Wood products manufacturers

Billy Coster, Director of Policy and Planning, Agency of Natural Resources

Oliver Pierson, State Forester and Director of the Forests Division, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

3:45 PM FY2027 Budget

Committee discussion and vote

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

9:30 AM 26-0787 - An act relating to the regulation of forestry under Act 250

Wood products manufacturers

10:00 AM H. 758 - An act relating to banning the use of rodenticides

Steve Dwinell, Director, Plant Industry Division, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

10:40 AM H. 758 - An act relating to banning the use of rodenticides

Katie Nolan, Wild Animal Campaign Specialist, In Defense of Animals

11:05 AM Break

11:15 AM H. 758 - An act relating to banning the use of rodenticides

Jeremy Little, Policy and Outreach Associate, Vermont Chamber of Commerce

11:40 AM H. 758 - An act relating to banning the use of rodenticides

Laura Kiesel, Founder, Save Massachusetts Wildlife

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM H. 537 - An act relating to the right to grow vegetable gardens

Angela Zaikowski, Director, Vermont Landlord Association - Zoom

1:30 PM H. 758 - An act relating to banning the use of rodenticides

Julianna Parker, Wildlife Rehabber, Otter Creek Wildlife Rescue

2:00 PM Break

2:10 PM 26-0787 - An act relating to the regulation of forestry under Act 250

Wood products manufacturers

Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:00 PM H. 536 - An act relating to toxic heavy metals in baby food products

Bill mark-up

Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

3:30 PM House Floor

Thursday, February 26, 2026

9:40 AM H. 739 - An act relating to prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat

Richie Hourihan, Owner and Operator, Cabot Smith Farm

10:00 AM H. 403 - An act relating to fair labor standards and housing standards for agricultural workers

Amber Perry, Policy Director, Vermont Farm Bureau

10:30 AM Small Farm Action Day

Caroline Sherman-Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont

Michael Fernandez, Farmer, Regional Commissioner for Conservation, Bennington County Conservation District Manager - Zoom

Earnest A. (Buster) Caswell, Farmworker, Champlain Orchards - Zoom

Marya Merriam, Chair, Rural Vermont Board of Directors / Farmer Wood Frog Flowers

Mary Linehan, Strafford resident

Seren Dias, Farmer and Owner, Giant Journey Farm

Kirsten Tyler, Farmer, Rocky Hill Farm

11:30 AM Break

11:40 AM H. 536 - An act relating to toxic heavy metals in baby food products

Justin Kolber, Chief of Environmental and Public Protection Division, Attorney General's Office

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM H. 403 - An act relating to fair labor standards and housing standards for agricultural workers

Testimony of Department of Labor and Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets

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

Rowan Hawthorne, Policy and Legislative Affairs Director, Vermont Department of Labor

1:45 PM 26-0772 - An act relating to municipal regulation of agriculture

Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

2:40 PM Break

3:00 PM H. 403 - An act relating to fair labor standards and housing standards for agricultural workers

Buster Earnest A. Caswell, Farmworker, Champlain Orchards - Zoom

3:30 PM House Floor

Friday, February 27, 2026

9:30 AM House Floor

11:30 AM H. 868 - An act relating to prohibiting the use of ultra-processed foods in school food programs

Bradley Showman, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

12:00 PM Lunch

1:00 PM H. 739 - An act relating to prohibiting the use and sale of the herbicide paraquat

Manojit Basu, Vice President of Science Policy, CropLife America - Zoom

1:30 PM 26-0787 - An act relating to the regulation of forestry under Act 250

Ellen Czajkowski, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

1:50 PM 26-0787 - An act relating to the regulation of forestry under Act 250

Kirsten Sultan, Board Member, Land Use Review Board - Zoom

Brooke Dingledine, Board Member, Land Use Review Board

Jenny Ronis, General Counsel, Land Use Review Board

3:00 PM Adjourn

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

Patricia Ruddy at Patricia.Ruddy@vtleg.gov