Vermont H 423: An act relating to prohibiting the sale of in-sink garbage disposals

Bill Text

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VT LEG #379340 v.1
H.423 1
Introduced by Representative Cina of Burlington 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Agriculture; economic development; Vermont Agriculture and Food 5
System Strategic Plan; project implementation 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to appropriate 7
funds to the Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Board to prioritize and fund 8
implementation of projects identified or proposed in the Vermont Agriculture 9
and Food System Strategic Plan in order to foster food security and resilience 10
and to develop, promote, and maintain healthy communities and ecosystems in 11
the State. 12
An act relating to implementing the Vermont Agriculture and Food System 13
Strategic Plan 14
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 15
Sec. 1. VERMONT AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGIC 16
PLAN; IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS 17
(a) Findings. The General Assembly finds that: 18

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VT LEG #379340 v.1
(1) The General Assembly directed the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund 1
in 10 V.S.A. § 330 to establish and administer the Vermont Farm-to-Plate 2
Investment Program to: 3
(A) increase sustainable economic development and create jobs in 4
Vermont’s food and farm sector; 5
(B) improve soils, water, and resiliency of the working landscape in 6
the face of climate change; and 7
(C) improve access to healthy local foods for all Vermonters. 8
(2) As part of the charge of the Vermont Farm-to-Plate Investment 9
Program, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund was tasked with creating a 10
strategic plan for agricultural and food system development. 11
(3) The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund issued the Vermont Agriculture 12
and Food System Strategic Plan 2021 to 2030 (Strategic Plan) in 2020 to, 13
among other charges, stabilize and revitalize Vermont’s agricultural industry 14
and increase Vermont farm and food system resilience and security. 15
(4) With the information gathered from development of the Strategic 16
Plan, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund is required to identify methods and 17
the funding necessary to strengthen the links among producers, processors, and 18
markets, including: 19
(A) supporting the work of the Working Lands Enterprise Board to 20
strategically invest in farm and food businesses; 21

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VT LEG #379340 v.1
(B) collaborating with the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets 1
and the Department of Buildings and General Services to increase procurement 2
of local foods in accordance with 6 V.S.A. § 4601; 3
(C) collaborating with the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets 4
to increase procurement of local foods by businesses and institutions; and 5
(D) supporting initiatives that improve the marketing of foods from 6
Vermont producers to consumers inside the State and outside of the State. 7
(5) To achieve its goals and carry out its tasks, the Vermont Sustainable 8
Job Fund was authorized to: 9
(A) create an advisory panel with representatives from the 10
agricultural and business communities; and 11
(B) seek and accept funds from private and public entities. 12
(6) The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund has done exemplary work in the 13
development of the Strategic Plan and the identification and implementation of 14
projects under that Plan, but additional investment in the Strategic Plan is 15
needed to foster food security and resilience in the State in order to develop, 16
promote, and maintain healthy communities and ecosystems. 17
(b)(1) In addition to any other funds appropriated to the Agency of 18
Agriculture, Food and Markets in fiscal year 2026 for the Vermont Working 19
Lands Enterprise Board, $1,000,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund 20
to the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets so that the Vermont Working 21

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Lands Enterprise Fund may issue grants to fund projects identified or proposed 1
in the Strategic Plan in order to foster food security and resilience and to 2
develop, promote, and maintain healthy communities and ecosystems. 3
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 4
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 5