A committee reviewed a bill that transfers hemp regulation to the Cannabis Control Board, adopts new federal measurement rules (including a 0.4 mg per‑container cap), expands enforcement and testing powers, and establishes new fees — producers $50, processors $500, and a $75 product registration fee.

The Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry Committee reviewed Senate amendments to H942 — adding a convenience‑store exception to unit‑pricing rules, converting an equine‑farming buildings change into a study, and expanding READ priority projects — and straw‑polled 8–0 to concur with the Senate package.

Witnesses from NOFA and seed experts told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry committee that proposed changes — notably replacing 'sell' with a broader 'distribute' definition and allowing adoption of Recommended Uniform State Seed Law terms — could impose labeling and registration burdens on non‑commercial seed sharing; lawmakers said they will revise language and gather more testimony.

Members discussed adding a "right to grow plants" to H.941 and sparred over whether the statute should explicitly allow rabbits on small parcels, with some members citing cultural practices and others warning of regulatory and ecological risks.

Bill Shurer of Champlain Orchards told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry panel that paraquat (Gramoxone) is a targeted tool used on non‑bearing nursery trees to prevent grass competition and pest damage during establishment; he said drought cut his harvest about 30% and urged the committee to consider growers’ operational constraints when debating a ban.

Chris, interim director of UVM Extension, told the committee that flat capacity funding, rising costs and shifting federal priorities threaten core programming; UVM Extension will lead a Vermont‑wide needs and assets assessment that will pair a large language model analysis with traditional literature review and local advisory committees.

A legislative committee reviewed changes to a bill that would generally preempt municipal bylaws on farming while allowing towns to regulate construction of farm structures in designated tier 1a areas; members debated a grandfather clause for existing structures, whether household gardening should be protected, and how livestock and land-base rules would be implemented.

A Rural Vermont policy director told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry Committee that longstanding legislative intent exempting farms from municipal zoning should be clarified in Title 24 statutes rather than by reopening Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), citing risk of broader rulemaking fights and distinguishing hemp from adult‑use cannabis.

Commissioner Fitsco seeks to publish long-standing forestry rules after administrative oversight.

New bill H 401 seeks to enhance food resiliency and reduce fees for small food producers.

New England aims for 30% food resiliency by 2030 amid climate change challenges and farmer needs.