Vermont Business Magazine This afternoon, Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) spoke on the House floor in support of a five-year compromise farm bill hammered out by House and Senate negotiators over the last several weeks. Welch touted the overall benefits of the bill for Vermont, including provisions that benefit the dairy, maple, organic and hemp industries. He also applauded the jettisoning of draconian cuts to nutrition programs for children and low income Vermonters.
The agreement was overwhelmingly approved by the House 369-47 and by the Senate yesterday on a vote of 87-13. President Trump is expected to sign the $867 billion measure.
“It’s absolutely no secret that farming communities from Franklin and Addison County in Vermont to the plains of Kansas and Iowa are facing a crisis. This bill contains a number of positive changes that will help in Vermont. While no one got everything they wanted, and many of the urgent reforms that are needed on the commodity side are not part of this, this will be a positive contribution to Vermont agriculture.”
Source: Welch 12.12.2018