WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wednesday evening, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, delivered remarks on the Senate Floor urging Congress to work together to advance the Senate’s recently-unveiled Farm Bill, the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. Senator Welch emphasized the Farm Bill’s benefits to farmers, rural communities, and local and regional food systems, and highlighted how the bill will improve the quality of life for families in Vermont and across the country.

“America will not thrive if our rural communities are not thriving. That’s a commitment all of us have to make, and it’s why as the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, I’m urging my colleagues to support and work with us to improve the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. It helps our farmers keep farming. It keeps our families fed—something very important to our farmers. And it keeps rural communities strong,” said Senator Welch.  

“We’re working to support and deliver for some of those small-scale farmers that we have in Vermont, and I’ll mention a few whose farms I’ve visited….the Corse Farm Dairy—their family has been farming in Whitingham, Vermont, for over 155 years. We want to keep them going for another century. The Choiniere Family Farm…Bear Roots Farm and Roots Farm Market…Burnt Rock Farm. They’re doing a lot for us in Vermont and for those communities,” Senator Welch continued. “For the sake of communities from Vermont to California, we must pass this five-year Farm Bill and help America’s farms and rural communities.” 

Watch the Senator’s remarks below: 

Read a transcript of his remarks.

As Chair of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy, Senator Welch has introduced several bills this Congress to support Vermont’s dairy, organic, and specialty crop farmers; strengthen rural 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. Many of these bills and policy provisions from Sen. Welch were bipartisan.     

Read more about how the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act would strengthen rural development and expand rural clean energy production and infrastructure.   

Read more about how the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act would help promote Vermont’s local food markets and systems, help Vermont farmers transition to organics, and support Vermont’s dairy farmers.  

Read more about how the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act would help improve access to nutrition for Vermont families.  

Read more about how the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act would provide disaster relief and resiliency for Vermont farmers and communities.  

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