October 20, 2026
"I have a small farm in Bethel...The time for fighting for what Vermonters need and deserve is upon us. Please vote NO on this Farm Bill. When legislation leaves out half of us, we all lose." - Martha Leibbrandt, NOFA-VT member of Three Ravines Farm, in an August letter to Senator Welch
When the Senate reconvenes in November, it may vote on the Farm Bill. We need to get a message to Senator Welch: Please hold the line, vote NO on the Farm Bill.
So far, the Farm Bill has failed to pass. It needs–and has lacked–bipartisan support. Current negotiations are pointed toward extending the timeline for shifting SNAP administration costs to states. (Republicans are offering a one-year delay, Democrats want a two-year delay.) This timeline shift doesn’t change the substance of the Farm Bill.
But at a recent panel discussion with Center for American Progress, Senator Welch said that he’d vote for Farm Bill if the current negotiations go through.
Even with a two-year delay to a cost shift, the Farm Bill falls short. It still fails to make meaningful investments in food security, climate resilience, and local food systems, and it still fails to make meaningful investments in supporting organic farms and businesses, organic production, and protecting the integrity of the organic label. It still leaves local USDA offices understaffed, and it will still leave people hungry.
We need Senator Welch to hold the line. Advancing a Farm Bill that doesn’t address these needs is a disservice to Vermont farmers and eaters. Please send a letter to Senator Welch asking him to continue to hold the line by voting NO on the Farm Bill that still leaves too many of us behind.
Email Peter Welch to ask him to hold the line, vote NO on the Farm Bill. This is a suggestion; feel free to take what’s useful!
As your constituent, I urge you to hold the line: Vote NO on the Farm Bill on the Senate floor, or in any other legislative vehicle.
I appreciate the work that you've put into the Farm Bill on the Senate Ag Committee. Thank you for voting NO in the Senate Ag Committee when it was clear that the Farm Bill would fall short of what Vermonters need it to be.
On a recent Center for America Progress panel, you said that you'd vote for the Farm Bill if the current negotiations result in the two-year delay in shifting the costs of administering SNAP to states.
Please hold the line, and vote NO on this Farm Bill. The negotiated bill will still fail to make meaningful investments in food security, climate resilience, and local food systems, and still fail to make meaningful investments in supporting organic farms and businesses, organic production, and in protecting the integrity of the organic label. It will still leave our local USDA offices understaffed, and it will still leave people hungry.
Advancing a Farm Bill that doesn’t address these needs does a disservice to Vermont farmers and eaters. We need a Farm Bill that invests in food security, climate resilience, and local food systems. This falls far short, and I urge you to vote no.
(You may also call Senator Welch's Burlington office to share your thoughts with him at 802-863-2525.)
Please let us know if you’re able to contact Peter Welch to ask him to vote NO on the Farm Bill by emailing [email protected]. Thank you for taking action to support our farmers, eaters, and a just and equitable farm and food system!