Lawmakers looking to expand on help for dairy farmers
US - Having reached agreement on an aid package for the state's dairy farms, Vermont lawmakers now want to address some of the root causes of the boom-and-bust cycle that plagues their industry.
8 February 2007
1 minute read
They're looking at freeing dairy farmers from having to pay for transporting their milk from their farms to processors.
They're exploring ways to help farmers reduce their energy costs or capitalize on the emerging trend toward renewable energy.
They're hoping to encourage people and businesses to buy more of their food locally, to promote more education about farms and for farmers, and to help find farm labor.
"The goal is a vibrant, viable agricultural sector in Vermont," said House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Zuckerman, P-Burlington.
A great deal of attention has been paid for the past week to a bill advanced by Zuckerman's committee. It would give $3 million in emergency aid to farmers as they struggle to pay their bills and contemplate whether to order seed to plant their spring crops or sell out.
There was disagreement between lawmakers and the Douglas administration over that because it initially was to be funded by a temporary increase in a property sales tax on nonresidential property.
That's been settled now that some money was scraped together from a variety of sources in state government.
Source: The Boston Globe
