FOOD SECURITY ROADMAP POLICIES UPDATE FROM FY26 STATE BUDGET

The Food Security Roadmap Coalition policy slate met with success in the State House during the session. We are grateful to the many legislators who worked hard to advance us on the road to food security by championing policies and funding.

Many of the requests named in the Food Security Roadmap to 2035 Policy Slate for 2025 were included in this year’s budget bill, which was signed into law.

• Full funding for 211 to remain a 24/7 resource (meets full request)
• $450k in one-time funding for Crop Cash and Farm Share, two programs administered by NOFA-VT. Crop Cash provides a 1:1 match for SNAP/3SquaresVT dollars at farmers markets and farm stands, Farm Share allows lower income folks to receive subsidized CSA shares ($500k in base funding requested)
• $1.5 million in one-time funding for Vermont Foodbank and their partners' work, including $500k for Vermonters Feeding Vermonters program and $1 million to support the work of the network across the state. ($5 million requested). Relatedly, the bill establishing a Vermonters Feeding Vermonters Grant program (H.167) was signed into law.
• $1.6 million in base funding for the Land Access and Opportunity Board to continue their work
• Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit expansion is not a budget appropriation, but these tax credits for low-income households have budget impacts because tax credits have a net budget loss. These changes passed both as part of the budget and S.51, the policy bill expanding tax credits.

Requests that were NOT funded but were requested this year:

• S.60 Farm Security Fund to create a fund for farms impacted by emergencies like floods is stalled in the House, and did not receive any funding in the budget ($20 million requested to start this fund). This bill could be picked up next year in the 2nd session of the biennium.
• SNAP Restaurant Meals Program stalled in the House and Senate and received no money in the budget ($125k requested). These bills could move next year in the 2nd year of the biennium.