Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry

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Monday, May 3, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Introductions

Election of Officers
Review of Task Force Charge

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

9:30 AM

Department of Financial Regulation

Act 129 (2020) Report - Vermont Dairy Industry Price Regulation - Assessment and Recommendations

• Jill Rickard, Director of Policy, Department of Financial Regulation
  

10:00 AM

Committee Discussion and Planning

10:30 AM

Adjournment

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Monday, June 7, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Introductions

9:10 AM

Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

• Diane Bothfeld, Director of Administrative Services & Dairy Policy, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• E.B. Flory, Dairy Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Laura Ginsburg, Agricultural Development Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

10:15 AM

Break

10:30 AM

Agrimark

• Catherine DeRonde, Vice President, Agri-Mark
  

11:00 AM

Dairy Farmers of America

• Leon Berthiaume, Senior Advisor, Dairy Farmers of America
  
• Kiersten Bourgeois, Business Development and Communications Manager, Dairy Farmers of America
  

12:00 PM

Adjourn

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Monday, July 12, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Overview of Task Force work

• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair
  

9:10 AM

Milk Purchasers in Vermont

• Rolf Carlson, Commonwealth Dairy
  
• Catherine DeRonde, Vice President, Agri-Mark
  
• Tom Gates, Values Led Dairy Specialist, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream
  
• Cheryl Pinto, Values Led Sourcing Manager, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream
  

10:40 AM

Break

10:50 AM

Milk Purchasers in Vermont

• Mateo Kehler, Owner, Jasper Hill Farms
  
• Jon Rooney, Owner, Monument Farms Dairy
  

11:50 AM

Planning next meeting

12:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Small Farm Producers

• Andy Birch, Maple Grove Farm, Derby, VT
  
• Joanna Lidback, Wheeler Mountain Farm, Barton, VT
  
• Mary White, Fort Waite Holsteins LLC, Corinth, VT
  

9:55 AM

Medium Farm Producers

• Rebecca Manning, Manning Dairy Farm, St. Albans, VT
  
• Stephanie Pope, North Wind Acres Farm, Shoreham, VT
  
• Brett Urie, Shadagee Farmstead, Craftsbury Common, VT
  

11:00 AM

Large Farm Producers

• Clara Ayer, Fairmont Farms, East Montpelier, VT
  
• Reg Chaput, Chaput Family Farms, Troy, VT
  
• Will Gladstone, Newmont Farm, Bradford, VT
  

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Monday, September 13, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Secretary's Assessment of the Vermont Dairy Industry

Update on farmers shipping to Horizon Organic

• Diane Bothfeld, Director of Administrative Services & Dairy Policy, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• E.B. Flory, Dairy Section Chief, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

9:20 AM

Organic Farmers

• Abbie Corse, Owner, Corse Family Farm
  
• Leon Corse, Owner, Corse Family Farm
  
• Jennifer Lambert, Vice President, Orange County Farm Bureau
  
• Peter Miller, Organic Farmer
  

10:40 AM

Break

10:50 AM

Overview of Organic Farming in Vermont

• Nicole Dehne, NOFA - Vermont
  

11:10 AM

Organic Dairy Processors

• Travis Forgues, Executive Vice President of Membership, CROPP Cooperative
  

12:30 PM

Organic Standards

• Tom Berry, Policy Advisor on Agriculture, Conservation, Energy and Natural Resources, Office of Sen. Leahy
  
• Ed Maltby, Director, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance
  

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Monday, September 27, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

9:10 AM

In-State Analysis and Proposals For Change

• Stacy Cibula, Agriculture Director
  
• Steven Collier, General Counsel, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  
• Paul Costello, Executive Director, Vermont Council on Rural Development
  
• Liz Gleason, Director, VHCB Farm and Forest Viability Program
  
• Jennifer Hollar, Director of Policy and Special Projects, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
  
• Ellen Kahler, Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
  
• Gil Livingston, Former President, Vermont Land Trust
  
• Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

11:15 AM

Break

11:25 AM

Cooperative Initiatives

• Catherine DeRonde, Vice President, Agri-Mark
  
• Jim Mulhern, National Milk Producers Federation, Inc.
  

12:40 PM

Public Comment

1:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Milk Hauling Issues

• Barney McConnell, Director of Transportation, Dairy Farmers of America
  

10:15 AM

Status of under-utilized dairy capacity

10:30 AM

Dairy Statistics on VT Milk Shipments

• Brian Riordon, Chief Economist, Federal Milk Market Order #1
  

12:00 PM

Introduction to Maine Tier Payment Program

• Julie-Marie Bickford, Maine Dairy Industry
  
• Tim Drake, Executive Director, Maine Milk Commission
  

1:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

9:10 AM

New Market Opportunities and Consumer Choice

• Michael DeAngelis, Vice President of Integrated Communications, New England Dairy
  
• Rene Thibault, Public Relations and Communications Specialist, New England Dairy
  

10:00 AM

Break

10:25 AM

New Market Opportunities and Consumer Choice

• Adeline Druart, President, Vermont Creamery
  

11:15 AM

New Market Opportunities and Consumer Choice

• Rick Smith, CEO and President, Dairy Farmers of America
  

11:55 AM

Regulatory Environment

• Abbie Corse, Member, Vermont Climate Council
  
• Billy Coster, Director of Planning and Policy, Agency of Natural Resources
  
• Ryan Patch, Deputy Director, Water Quality Division, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

12:40 PM

Risk Management

• Jeremy Forrett, Senior Vice President, Crop Growers/Farm Credit East
  

1:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

9:10 AM

Overview of Task Force work

Co-Chairs report

9:35 AM

Task Force Members' Proposals

10:35 AM

Break

10:45 AM

Roundtable Discussion

• Michael O'Grady, Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
  
• Amy Richardson, Richardson Family Farm, Hartland, VT
  

12:00 PM

Adjourn

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Monday, December 20, 2021

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Introductions

9:10 AM

Presentation of Report

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

9:30 AM

Task Force Discussion

10:30 AM

Break

10:45 AM

Task Force Discussion

11:30 AM

Submit Report and Draft Legislation

12:00 PM

Adjourn

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Monday, August 29, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Overview

Task Force Charge and Task Force recommendations from 2022 report

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

9:45 AM

Overview

Status of Vermont Dairy Farming by Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

• Diane Bothfeld, Director of Administrative Services & Dairy Policy, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

10:45 AM

Break

11:00 AM

Continue Testimony

• Diane Bothfeld, Director of Administrative Services & Dairy Policy, Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
  

11:30 AM

Future Meeting Plan

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Monday, September 12, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

• Dan Smith, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  
• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  

9:15 AM

Overview of Regulated Producer Pricing

• Christopher Wolf, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
  

10:30 AM

Break

10:45 AM

Overview of Regulated Producer Pricing

(continued)

11:45 AM

Concluding Comments

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Monday, September 26, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

• Dan Smith, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  
• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  

9:15 AM

Milk Production and Processing in Vermont

Vermont dairy industry structure and how this market structure might conceptually support a state order-order milk price regulation, and a handler fee/tier payment system.

• Dan Smith, Former Founding Executive Director, Northeast Dairy Compact Commission
  

10:15 AM

Break

10:30 AM

Milk Production and Processing in Vermont

Continued

11:15 AM

Legality of State Pricing

Presentation of Report by Brandon Denning on the legality of a Vermont state order-order milk price regulation, and a handler fee/tier payment system

• Brandon P. Denning, Starnes Professor of Law, Samford Law School (Birmingham AL)
  

11:45 AM

Concluding Comments

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Comments

POSTPONED to 10/24/22

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

• Dan Smith, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  
• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  

9:15 AM

Pricing Milk for State Milk Market Regulation

• Dan Smith, Former Founding Executive Director, Northeast Dairy Compact Commission
  

10:50 AM

Break

11:00 AM

Environmental Requirements and Costs of Dairy Farming in Vermont

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

11:45 AM

Concluding Comments

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Monday, October 24, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

• Dan Smith, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  
• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  

9:15 AM

Pricing Milk for State Milk Market Regulation

• Dan Smith, Former Founding Executive Director, Northeast Dairy Compact Commission
  

10:50 AM

Break

11:00 AM

Environmental Requirements and Costs of Dairy Farming in Vermont

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

11:45 AM

Concluding Comments

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Monday, November 14, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

9:05 AM

Economic Issues on Vermont Farms

Small Farms

• Andy Birch, Maple Grove Farm, Derby, VT
  
• Abbie Corse, Corse Dairy Farm, Whitingham, VT
  
• Joanna Lidback, Wheeler Mountain Farm, Barton, VT
  
• Mary White, Fort Waite Holsteins LLC, Corinth, VT
  

10:10 AM

Economic Issues on Vermont Farms

Medium Farms

• Stephanie Pope, North Wind Acres Farm, Shoreham, VT
  
• Brett Urie, Shadagee Farmstead, Craftsbury Common, VT
  

10:30 AM

Economic Issues on Vermont Farms

Large Farms

• Kylie Quesnel Chittenden
  
• Will Gladstone, Newmont Farm, Bradford, VT
  
• Steve Kayhart, Kayhart Brothers, Vergennes, VT
  
• Amanda St. Pierre, Pleasant Valley Farm, Richford, VT
  

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Monday, December 5, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Welcome and Introductions

9:10 AM

Milk Pricing Alternatives for Vermont

Administrative regulatory procedures the State could use for a state pricing program

• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  

9:30 AM

Milk Pricing Alternatives for Vermont

Input on a state over-order pricing program for Vermont milk

• Catherine DeRonde, Vice President, Economics and Legislative Affairs , Agrimark
  
• Travis Forgues, Executive Vice President of Membership, Organic Valley
  
• Mateo Kehler, Owner, Jasper Hill Farms
  
• Jon Rooney, Monument Farms Dairy
  

11:15 AM

Break

11:25 AM

Milk Pricing Alternatives for Vermont

Input on a state over-order pricing program for Vermont milk

• Rolf Carlson, procurement, Stonyfield
  

11:45 AM

Concluding Comments

Committee Discussion

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Meeting Record

9:00 AM

Introductions and Comments

• Daniel Smith, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  
• Sen. Robert Starr, Co-Chair, Task Force to Revitalize the Vermont Dairy Industry
  

9:15 AM

Increased Funding for Dairy Margin Coverage Program (DMC)

Task Force discussion

9:30 AM

Recommended Legislative Draft Pricing Legislation

Task Force discussion

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

10:45 AM

Break

11:00 AM

Recommended Legislative Draft Pricing Legislation

Continuation of Task Force discussion

12:00 PM

Adjournment

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