Montpelier, VT – Two days in September brought legislators out to the dairy farm, to learn more about dairy, farming challenges and regulatory concerns that farmers experience as they
provide food for our state. This was the culmination of an idea pitched by dairy farmers earlier in the year.
At the Northern Tier Dairy Summit in April, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) facilitated a discussion between dairy farmers, dairy officials, industry experts and legislative leaders to determine what areas of information were most critical to the ongoing success and survival of dairy in Vermont. Many thoughtful discussions took place over the two-day event with a number of important ideas surfacing for future consideration. One of the more talked-about ideas was the need for legislators to have direct exposure to the farms that they legislate. It was felt by some in the dairy community that legislation was being considered without the knowledge base or experience necessary to formulate informed decisions.
In the wake of this outcome at the Dairy Summit, officials at the Agency constructed a set of dairy farm tours which took place September 18th in Addison County and September 19th in Windsor and Orange Counties. VAAFM Agriculture Development Section Chief Laura Ginsburg organized the tour of 6 dairy-farms to provide context for important dairy issues such as water quality, Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), crop and soil management, innovative systems used on farms, and to highlight the diversity of Vermont dairy farms.
Each farm involved in the tour focused on a different set of issues, from manure storage and permitting to value-added production and grazing, to provide first-hand knowledge and information to assist them as they move into the 2020 legislative session. Of course, while these issues and challenges were all part of the tour, so was each farmer’s love of their animals, land and life. Governor Phil Scott and Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman also joined to learn alongside the legislators.
Day 1 was hosted by:
- Blue Spruce Farm,
- Scholten Family Farm,
- Kayhart Brothers, LLC
Day 2 brought the tour to:
- Spring Brook Farm and Creamery
- Jericho Hill Farm
- Sprague Ranch, LL