Bill > H0167

This bill establishes the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters Grant Program at the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to support food security and local agriculture in Vermont. The bill recognizes that food insecurity has increased recently and that purchasing local food not only improves health outcomes but also provides economic benefits by generating additional local economic activity. Under the program, Vermont Foodbank will receive grants to purchase local food directly from Vermont farms and distribute it through its network, with the ability to offer subgrants to partners focused on buying from local farms, including those emphasizing culturally preferred foods. The program aims to support farms of all sizes and create a sustainable mechanism for connecting local agricultural producers with food distribution networks. Vermont Foodbank will be required to submit an annual report to legislative committees detailing the total food purchased, number of farms involved, distribution sites, and farm shares, while protecting the privacy of individual recipients. The implementation of the grant program is contingent on receiving a specific General Fund appropriation in fiscal year 2026, and the act will take effect on July 1, 2025. By creating this program, the state intends to continue and formalize the successful Vermonters Feeding Vermonters Program, which has already injected $9.5 million into the state's agricultural economy and supported 299 farms as of 2024.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.167