By Elodie Reed
The Legislature has removed a $9.2 million appropriation in emergency aid for organic dairy farmers from legislation updating this year's budget.
But lawmakers, the Agency of Agriculture and Northeast Organic Farmers Association of Vermont all say that they're working to get help to farmers.
Farmers and their advocates requested the funds earlier this winter. They testified before House and Senate lawmakers that because of inflation, drought, the war in Ukraine and supply chain issues, the cost of producing organic milk is much higher than what they are being paid.
They said without financial relief soon, they could lose their livelihoods.
More from Vermont Public: Vermont organic dairy farmers make passionate appeal to lawmakers, ask for $9.2 million to stay afloat
The House approved the Budget Adjustment Act (BAA) with that appropriation, directing the Agency of Agriculture to set up a disbursement plan based on the amount of milk organic dairy farmers produced in 2022.
But once the BAA reached the Senate, the Scott administration told lawmakers that the Agency of Agriculture and other market players — like conventional dairy farmers — hadn't had a chance to weigh in on the issue.
The administration suggested moving the conversation to the 2024 budget process.
The version of the BAA approved by the Senate no longer includes the help for organic dairy farmers.
But in a recent committee hearing between House and Senate lawmakers, Diane Lanpher, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said help for organic dairy farmers would be taken up during this legislative session.
"We understand that there is a great deal of agreement to continue to have this conversation in [20]24 as to whether or not there is a way forward, and a plan that I believe is in the works," Lanpher said.
That plan, according to Senate Agriculture committee Chair Bobby Starr, is currently to move a separate bill through the Legislature with funds available to organic dairy farmers as early as this spring.
"And have it take effect upon passage, so that our farmers, you know, they they're gonna need some money when spring time comes around, you know, get ready to till the soil and buy the fuel and, and seeds to do their work with," Starr said.
He noted that lawmakers are also examining longer-term solutions to the crisis, including investigating why companies and cooperatives can't pay more to organic dairy farmers for their milk, and how a federal risk management program currently designed for conventional dairy farmers could also meet the needs of organic dairy farmers.
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