Vermont § 4801 - Purpose

§ 4801. Purpose

• ; State policy It is the purpose of this chapter to ensure that agricultural animal wastes do not
  enter the waters of this State. Therefore, it is State policy that: (1) All farms meet certain standards in the handling and disposal of animal wastes, as
  provided by this chapter, and the cost of meeting these standards shall not be borne
  by farmers only but rather by all members of society, who are in fact the beneficiaries.
  Accordingly, State and federal funds shall be made available to farms, regardless
  of size, to defray the major cost of complying with the requirements of this chapter.
  State and federal conservation programs to assist farmers should be directed to those
  farms that need to improve their infrastructure to prohibit direct discharges or bring
  existing water pollution control structures into compliance with U.S. Department of
  Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) Natural Resources Conservation Service standards. Additional
  resources should be directed to education and technical assistance for farmers to
  improve the management of agricultural wastes and protect water quality. (2) Officials who administer the provisions of this chapter: (A) shall educate farmers and other affected citizens on requirements of this chapter
  through an outreach collaboration with farm associations and other community groups; (B) shall, in the process of rendering official decisions, afford farmers and other affected
  citizens an opportunity to be heard and give consideration to all interests expressed;
  and (C) may provide grants from a program established under this chapter to eligible Vermont
  municipalities, local or regional governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations,
  and citizen groups in order to provide direct financial assistance to farms in implementing
  conservation practices. (Added 2003, No. 149 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. June 3, 2004; amended 2013, No. 83, § 10, eff. June 10, 2013.)