Section 4603 - Legislative findingsThe General Assembly finds:
(1) The report issued by the Council on the Future of Vermont indicates that over 97 percent of Vermonters polled endorsed the value of the "working landscape" as key to our future.(2) Vermont's unique agricultural and forest assets-its working landscape-are crucial to the State's economy, communities, character, and culture. These assets provide jobs, food and fiber, energy, security, tourism and recreational opportunities, and a sense of well-being. They contribute to Vermont's reputation for quality, resilience, and self-reliance.(3) Human activity involving Vermont's agricultural and forestland has been integral to the development of Vermont's economy, culture, and image. Sustainable land use will need to balance economic development demands with the other services the land provides, many of which have economic benefits beyond the agriculture and forest product sectors. Some of these benefits include clean air and water, recreational opportunities, ecosystem restoration, scenic vistas, and wildlife habitat.(4) The agriculture and forest product sectors are similar and share many of the same challenges. There are potential benefits to be realized by the joining of these sectors in development planning and coordination, making policy decisions, and leveraging economic opportunities.(5) The agriculture and forest product sectors provide renewable and harvestable products that form the basis of Vermont's land-based economy. The conversion of these raw commodities into value-added products within our borders represents further economic and employment opportunities.(6) Vermont is in the midst of an agricultural renaissance and is at the forefront of the local foods movement. Success has been due to the efforts of skilled and dedicated farmers, creative entrepreneurs, and the strategic investment of private and public funds.(7) State investment in a given industry or economic sector is often essential to stimulate and attract additional private and philanthropic investment. The combination of public, private, and foundation support can create enterprise opportunities that any one of them alone cannot. Grants issued as a result of 2011 Acts and Resolves, No. 52 helped create jobs and economic activity in the agricultural sector. They also leveraged private and foundation investments.(8) Vermont's land-based economy has proven to be a driver for Vermont's ongoing economic recovery.(9) Value-added and specialty Vermont products are a growing source of revenue for Vermont's agricultural producers, many of whom have benefited from the existing infrastructure requirements of commodity producers. Both export and instate markets are necessary options for the agriculture and forest product sectors' economic development.(10) The Vermont brand is highly regarded both nationally and internationally. Forest management is seen as crop management by those active in the forest product industry. An actively managed forest is a healthy and productive one.(11) Vermont's agriculture and forest product sectors have not been perceived or treated as businesses by the traditional business and lending communities. They often lack available capital and financial package options that match their stage of development.(12) Financial service and workforce development programs need to be customized to meet the unique needs of Vermont's agriculture and forest product sectors. Landowner education and labor skills training are also important for future productive management of forestlands.(13) Scale is an important determining factor for the successful development of businesses that utilize Vermont's agriculture and forest products. Other limiting factors include labor and transportation costs, support services, resource base, and the regulatory environment.(14) Workers' compensation, health care, energy costs, and regulatory requirements are a major concern to the agriculture and forest product sectors. For example, workers' compensation premiums for loggers may run as high as 48 percent of each dollar of wages.(15) The amount of land in Vermont is finite, and part of its community and economic value is tied to the way it is used. Farmland and forestland that are developed for other uses affect the future viability of remaining farms and forest enterprises.(16) A forestland owner is often not the person actively engaged in the business of land management, such as planning, harvesting, or marketing the raw product, whereas in agricultural operations, the farmer often owns both the land and the business. Many farm operations have woodlots that have traditionally been used for syrup, timber, and firewood production.(17) Vermonters' perception of and support for local wood and forest products are not at the same level as they are for local food. Public outreach and education efforts need to be created to address the public's perception of actively managed working lands and the people who perpetuate them. Over the last decade, consumers of wood products have become more interested in production and management methods, certification programs, and the source of the raw materials.(18) Vermont's forest products industry has been in decline for many years, in part due to rising costs, a poor housing market, and a lack of manufacturing. The total value of the forest product industry has dropped from $1.8 billion to $1.3 billion since 2007. If wood chips were priced at the equivalent BTU replacement value of oil, they would command a higher price. The number of active sawmills has also declined to fewer than 20 today.(19) The average age of Vermont's farmers and loggers is over 55 years of age and the average age of forestland owners is over 65. Attention needs to be brought to efforts that will ensure intergenerational succession and lower those averages. Economically viable farm- and forest-based operations are critical to that goal. "Legacy" skills such as farming and logging are disappearing, as the children of those making a living from those skills often aspire to different employment opportunities.(20) Access to land is a challenge for many, especially younger, people who want the opportunity to make a living from productive use of the land. Farm and forestland ownership is often out of reach for young people who do not have some sort of assistance.(21) The Vermont forest product sector contains approximately 7,000 jobs, and approximately 57,000 jobs are in Vermont's food system.(22) Rules for forest product enterprises need to reflect a balance between economic development and responsible land use practices. There is a need to assess rules involving the primary processing and transportation elements of the forest product sector.(23) Seventy-six percent of Vermont's 4.5 million acres is forested, 84 percent of which is privately owned. Sustainable management of State-owned forestlands represents an opportunity for private sector forest businesses.(24) Forest product sector representatives have identified needs for their industry, including market development, additional secondary processing facilities, lower energy and transportation costs, and capital for growth enterprises as well as research and development for new and improved value-added products that make use of Vermont's forest resources. Factors such as health care, labor, and energy policies in Canada contribute to the northward flow of Vermont logs. Research is needed in order to develop strategies that will help keep Vermont's forest product sector competitive.(25) Vermont's Use Value Appraisal (Current Use) Program is critically important to every component of Vermont's agriculture and forest product sectors. It also helps keep Vermont forestland productive and healthy through the requirement of active forest management plans.(26) Dairy enterprises remain Vermont's leading source of agricultural revenues, with an estimated annual economic impact of over $2 billion or approximately 75 percent of total gross agricultural output.(27) Recent grants and educational programs have started to address the lack of slaughter and meat-processing facilities in the State; however, there continues to be a strong need to further these efforts.Amended by 2022, No. 105,§ 144, eff. 7/1/2022.Added 2011, No. 142 (Adj. Sess.) , § 1, eff. 5/15/2012.