Vermont § 4701 - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

§ 4701. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

• (a) The purpose of this section is to promote research and education that will encourage
  the development and use of economically and ecologically sound sustainable agriculture
  practices, such as organic methods, biological control, integrated pest management,
  soil improvement, cultivation, harvesting and irrigation techniques, and transportation
  and marketing innovations, through: (1) the control of pests and diseases of agricultural importance through alternatives
  that reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and petrochemicals; (2) the production, processing, and distribution of food and fiber in ways that consider
  the interactions among soils, plants, water, air, animals, tillage, machinery, labor,
  energy, and transportation to enhance the viability of agricultural soils, public
  health, and resource conservation; (3) the expansion of marketing opportunities and promotion of products produced through
  the practice of sustainable agriculture that will encourage the purchase of Vermont
  grown foods and promote regional food security; and (4) the coordination of research and education activities on sustainable agriculture among
  private and public agencies and individuals within Vermont. (b) [Repealed.] (c) The Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets is authorized to apply for, accept,
  and make use of grants from public and private sources to achieve the objectives of
  this section, in accordance with the provisions of 32 V.S.A. § 5. In awarding grants, preference shall be given to individuals, especially farmers,
  conducting on-farm research. (d) [Repealed.] (Added 1989, No. 228 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2009, No. 33, § 16; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 249, 302, eff. Feb. 14, 2014; 2019, No. 61, § 16.)