The Vermont House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry will meet at the State House Friday, November 14, for an out-of-session meeting to examine how recent federal actions and extreme weather have affected Vermont’s farms, forests, and food systems.

At least three committee members are farmers: Greg Burtt (R-Cabot), John O’Brien (D-Tunbridge), and Richard Nelson (R-Derby). A fourth, independent Jed Lipsky, is a forester. 

The hearing will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Room 49 of the Vermont State House. It will also be livestreamed.

Committee members plan to hear testimony from farmers, farmworkers, grocers, loggers, advocates, and state and federal officials. Among those scheduled to participate are representatives from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, NOFA-VT, the Vermont Farm Bureau, Migrant Justice, the Vermont Foodbank, and the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast.

Discussions will focus on the effects of federal measures such as H.R.1, the recent rescission package, new tariffs, and the recently concluded government shutdown. Lawmakers will also review the impacts of this summer’s drought and other severe weather events on local farms, forests, and food supply chains.