The public commenting period opened April 19, 2024 and will remain open through June 23, 2024.
The Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (the Agency) is noticing the revision of the Medium Farm Operation (MFO) General Permit (GP). The public commenting period opened April 19, 2024 and will remain open through June 23, 2024. Two public hearings will be held in person with a hybrid option through Microsoft Teams. The first will occur on May 21, 2024 in St. Albans, VT and the second on May 23, 2024 in Middlebury, VT.
This MFO GP revision is statutorily required of the Agency every five years. The current MFO GP was issued in 2018 and is therefore due for updating. This permit will span from 2024-2029, as the MFO GP must be revised every five years, pursuant to the Medium and Small Farm Operation Rules for Issuance of General and Individual Permits.
Many of the revisions for the updated MFO GP are clarifications and removal of redundancy of things already covered under the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), the MFO Rule and VT statute. For a summary of changes within the MFO GP, please visit: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/mfo
The public comment period for the draft MFO GP began on April 19, 2024 until June 23, 2024, and will be accompanied by two public hearings for the MFO GP. The first public hearing will be held at the St. Albans City Hall in St. Albans, VT on May 21, 2024 from 3:00pm-6:00pm, and the second hearing will be held at the Isle Public Library in Middlebury, VT on May 23, 2024 from 3:00pm-6:00pm. A virtual meeting and a call-in option will be available for each Public Hearing. The virtual meeting link and phone call information will be posted prior to the hearings at the website listed in this posting.
Following the closure of the public comment period on June 23, 2024, the Agency will respond to all comments at the time the MFO GP is issued.
The Agency encourages all to review the changes made to the draft GP and submit any comments electronically to: AGR.wqpermits@vermont.gov or in writing to:
Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
Attention: Water Quality Program
116 State St.
Montpelier, VT 05620
- For more information about the MFO GP revision process, to read the GP in full, or to read a detailed summary please visit: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/mfo