Senate Committee on Agriculture

 

AGENDA

 

Room 28 and Zoom

February 24, 2026 - February 27, 2026

Last Updated 2/27/2026 10:01 AM

 

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are livestreamed at

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

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

9:30 AM                   Senate Floor

 

10:00 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Sections 1-3

Sen. John Morley, Member

 

10:30 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Section 10

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

Ben Walsh, Climate & Energy Program Director, Vermont Public Interest Research Group

Dan Kinney, Lone Oak Farm, Royalton, VT

Jesse McDougall, Regenerative Farmer, Studio Hill Farm - Zoom

Rep. Gregory "Greg" Burtt, House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry

Annette Smith, Executive  Director, Vermonters for a Clean Environment

Alison Despathy, Vermonters for a Clean Environment

Adam Necrason, Lobbyist, Renewable Energy Vermont

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

9:00 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Section 6 Accessory On-Farm Structure Permit

Joseph Morel, Feast and Field, Barnard - Zoom

Brooke Dingledine, Board Member, Land Use Review Board

Jenny Ronis, General Counsel, Land Use Review Board - Zoom

Emma Shouldice, Lobbyist, Vermont Dairy Producers Alliance

 

9:40 AM                   Break

 

9:50 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Section 10 Solar siting.

Annette Smith, Executive  Director, Vermonters for a Clean Environment

Alison Despathy, Co-Director, Vermonters for a Clean Environment

 

10:15 AM                   Break

 

10:30 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Committee discussion

 

10:45 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Section Accessory On Farm Structure Permits

Becky Castle, Owner, Sisters of Anarchy Ice Cream

 

11:00 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Hemp

Gabriel Gilman, General Counsel, Cannabis Control Board

Amy Lems, Board of Directors Member and Grant Administrator, Vermont Growers Association - Zoom

Sam Bellavance, Chief Executive Officer, Sunset Lake Cannabis - Zoom

Graham Unangst-Rufenacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

Jesse Harper, Owner, Gram Central

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

1:00 PM                   Senate Floor

 

Thursday, February 26, 2026

9:00 AM                   Rural Vermont Annual Small Farm Action Day

Caroline Sherman-Gordon, Legislative Director, Rural Vermont

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

Seren Dias, Farmer and Owner, Giant Journey Farm

Kirsten Tyler, Farmer, Rocky Hill Farm

Henry Harris, Grassroots Farm, Marshfield, VT

Graham Unangst-Rufenacht, Policy Director, Rural Vermont

Mary Linehan, Resident, Strafford

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

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

 

10:00 AM                   Break

 

10:05 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Bradley Showman, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

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

 

-                                   Adjourn

 

Friday, February 27, 2026

9:00 AM                   Vermont Equine Industry Advocacy Group

Update

Alyssa Price, Member, Vermont Equine Industry Advocacy Group - Zoom

Mindy Hinsdale, Member, Vermont Equine Industry Advocacy Group - Zoom

Catie Hill Waterman, Member, Vermont Equine Industry Advocacy Group - Zoom

 

9:30 AM                   S. 323 - An act relating to miscellaneous agricultural subjects

Bradley Showman, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel

Emma Shouldice, Lobbyist, Vermont Dairy Producers Alliance

 

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

possible vote

 

-                                   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