10 V.S.A. § 1354: Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Permit Program Working Group

(a) Creation. The Secretary of Natural Resources, in coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets, shall convene a working group of interested parties to provide advice and recommendations on the implementation of and transition to the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) permit required under section 1353 of this title.

(b) Membership. The working group shall be composed of the following:

(1) five livestock farmers who are in good standing, appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows:

(A) one representative of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition;

(B) one representative of the Franklin and Grand Isle Farmers Watershed Alliance;

(C) one representative of the Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance;

(D) one representative of the Vermont Dairy Producers Alliance; and

(E) one representative of farmers from the Northeast Kingdom;

(2) three agricultural technical service providers, appointed by the Governor;

(3) three representatives from the environmental advocate community, appointed by the Committee on Committees; and

(4) the executive director or designee from the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts.

(c) Assistance. The Agency of Natural Resources and the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets shall participate in the working group in an advisory and administrative capacity but shall not have appointed members on the working group and shall not be required to submit reports to the General Assembly. The working group shall have the administrative, technical, and legal assistance of the Agency of Natural Resources.

(d) Meetings.

(1) The Secretary of Natural Resources shall call the first meeting of the working group to occur on or before November 1, 2026.

(2) The working group shall select co-chairs from among its members at the first meeting. One of the co-chairs shall represent livestock farmers, and one co-chair shall represent the environmental advocate community.

(3) A majority of the membership of the working group shall constitute a quorum.

(4) The working group shall meet at least quarterly, or more frequently at the request of the co-chairs or at the request of the Secretary of Natural Resources.

(5) The working group’s meetings shall be open to the public in accordance with 1 V.S.A. chapter 5, subchapter 2. Notwithstanding 1 V.S.A. § 313, the working group may go into executive session in order to discuss a circumstance or an event regarding a specific farm or regarding a possible CAFO permit violation by a specific farm.

(e) Report. The working group annually shall report to the House Committees on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry and on Environment and the Senate Committees on Agriculture and on Natural Resources and Energy. The report may take the form of testimony to committees from members of the working group.

(f) Definition. As used in this section, “good standing” means a farmer subject to the requirements of this subchapter or to the requirements of 6 V.S.A. chapter 215 and who:

(1) does not have an active enforcement violation that has reached a final order with the Secretary of Natural Resources or the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets; and

(2) is in compliance with the terms of any current grant agreement or contract with the Agency of Natural Resources or the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.