2009 VTFB Legislative Priorities:

Each year the Vermont Farm Bureau Board of Directors sets legislative priorities based on policies adopted by the Voting Delegates of the fourteen County Farm Bureaus of Vermont. The priorities are listed in no specific order and are the issues most important to the organization for this legislative year. 2009 Vermont Farm Bureau Policy priorities were discussed and determined as follows:

Vermont Farm Bureau Supports
• Recognizes that the Agency of Agriculture supports
the largest industry in this state and requires the necessary resources to maintain its leadership and regulatory oversight. Under state fiscal contraints, we urge the administration to maintain at least the current levels of funding for the Agency of Agriculture.

• The Maintenance of the 25 foot buffer requirement on waterways with year round running water if not currently exempted as agriculture.

• Full & equal status with in agriculture for Vermont’s equine owners.

• Legislative efforts to address the crisis in health care and to make health insurance available and affordable to all Vermonters.

Vermont Farm Bureau Opposes
• Legislation that creates an unreasonable hardship on a farm that has to use an existing rail-road involving a railroad crossing be grandfathered as of 1/1/2009.

Vermont Farm Bureau Urges

• The Vermont Department of Education to develop and introduce a comprehensive curriculum at all levels for agriculture and forestry, based on sound science. We also support maintenance of the UVM and VTC dairy herds and barns for hands on learning as well as research.               

2008 VTFB Legislative Priorities:
• Increased Funding for Agricultural Programs We support increased funding for agricultural programs at VTC, including the 2+2 program offered in cooperation with UVM.

• Farm Apprenticeship Program We support a farm apprenticeship program to be administered and funded through the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.

• Workers Compensation Reform Initiatives We continue to support workers compensation reform initiatives, including but not limited to removal of housing value as covered compensation in payroll.

• Maintain a Strong Transportation Infrastructure We support the allocation of sufficient resources to maintain a strong transportation infrastructure for Vermont.

• Wetlands We support the current definition of wetlands in Vermont State Law Title 10, Chapter 37, Section 902(5), which excludes areas that grow food or crops in connection with farming activities.

• Education Finance Reform Plan We support an education finance reform plan that incorporates the following:

A. Less reliance on property taxes
B. Education spending controls
C. Fair distribution of resources and tax burdens throughout
D. Support for the current use program or use value appraisal