BURLINGTON, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) delivered remarks at the Vermont Dairy Producers Conference on Monday. He discussed the path forward to protect Vermont’s dairy industry from harmful policies put forth by the Trump Administration, including the Administration’s actions on immigration and the Trump Tariffs, which will raise prices for farms, businesses and families.
“I’m fighting to strengthen Vermont’s dairy farms, but many of President Trump’s actions during his first month in office are hurting farms and rural communities. His policies—threatened and enacted through Executive Order—are already putting pressure on dairy farmers and the USDA. None of us want this to happen, and we have to resist,” said Senator Welch. “A strong dairy industry is a strong Vermont, and I’ll do everything I can to fight for Vermont’s dairy farmers in Washington.”
As Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, Senator Welch has led bipartisan efforts to support Vermont’s dairy farmers and strengthen the state’s dairy industry.
View photos from the event below:


In 2023, Vermont imported $76 million worth of livestock feed from Canada. New blanket tariffs proposed by the Trump Administration on Canada and Mexico would increase costs for dairy farmers by raising the cost of livestock feed and eventually reduce the size of their milk check. Additionally, President Trump’s actions on immigration risk limiting Vermont’s agricultural workforce, with farming communities across the state reporting increased presence from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, especially in Addison County.
The Trump Administration’s illegal freeze on programs across the federal government have caused serious harm to farmers and producers across Vermont. The unconstitutional funding freeze broke the government’s promise to reimburse farmers for projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, leaving farmers to foot the bill–sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Last Congress, Senator Welch introduced several bills to support Vermont’s dairy, organic, and specialty crop farmers; strengthen rural development and infrastructure; increase energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption; improve access to nutrition; strengthen our local food systems and expand markets; and make our communities more resilient to flooding—all of which were included in the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. Senator Welch plans to reintroduce many of these bills and policy provisions in the 119th Congress, including his bipartisan, bicameral Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would bring nutritious whole milk back into schools.
###