ORWELL, VT — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined Vermont farmers, state officials, and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) at Lazy Dog Farm in Orwell to hear from farmers impacted by one of Vermont’s harshest droughts. Senator Welch heard from farmers about how the historic drought has impacted soil, crop yields, farmers’ livelihoods, and efforts to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather.
As the growing season in Vermont ends, farms across the state are facing the driest August on record, with nearly 94% of the state experiencing a severe drought. The most recent National Integrated Drought Information System map shows almost 24% of Vermont is experiencing extreme drought, and nearly 70% of the state is experiencing severe drought.
“No one works harder than our farmers, and their work is made more challenging as a result of extreme weather. After this brutal drought, farms like Lazy Dog are finding new solutions to keep farming day in and day out. Vermont farmers should be able to depend on the federal government to lend a hand when extreme weather hits, and while a disaster declaration from USDA won’t solve all of farmers’ problems, it will go a long way toward helping them recover,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll keep pushing for vital disaster aid to repair lives and livelihoods in Orwell and across Vermont.”
View photos from the tour below:
Senator Welch recently joined the Vermont Congressional Delegation in calling on the Trump Administration to help drought-impacted Vermont farmers access urgently-needed disaster assistance. The Delegation recently called on USDA to issue a Secretarial Disaster Designation for the entire State of Vermont due to the mounting impacts of the pervasive and severe drought that has struck the state in recent weeks.
The disaster declaration would help farmers across the state access much-needed emergency programs and financial support. The Delegation’s letter comes after Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets asked USDA to approve a Secretarial Disaster Designation for every county in Vermont to help drought-impacted farmers access vital recovery resources.
Senator Welch has championed efforts to support disaster aid funding, including after Vermont’s brutal back-to-back floods, and strengthen the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the Senate. This summer, Senator Welch introduced the Disaster Assistance Improvement and Decentralization (AID) Act. Senator Welch’s bill will cut red tape and empower state and local governments to access recovery assistance when it is needed. The bill will also support hazard mitigation efforts, make the delivery of disaster aid more efficient and effective, provide technical assistance to small towns and communities impacted by natural disasters, and block the White House from withholding funding for disaster response.
Senator Welch has also called for the resignation of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing Secretary Noem’s mishandling of FEMA and record of undermining FEMA’s work.
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