The budget conference committee proposed $300,000 for Crop Cash and Farm Share, provided a $7,000 increase for CACFP to reach roughly 17 additional family child-care sites, and reduced the provider stabilization fund by $215,000, leaving approximately $1.215 million for that fund.

At a meeting on House Bill 951, committee members recommended moving higher-ability funds into the opioid settlement fund and debated revised allocations for primary care, food programs and Jenna's Promise reentry services; DOC told the committee that covering Jenna's Promise would require roughly $75,000 in new money.

Providers, farmers and program coordinators told a legislative committee on Jan. 28 that Vermont’s "Food Is Medicine" initiatives improve diet-related health outcomes, create reliable markets for farms and save money — but are held back by patchwork funding. Advocates urged development of lasting reimbursement mechanisms.