The proposed bill S.118, known as "The Food Security Act," aims to bolster economic development in the agricultural sector through various amendments to existing laws. Key provisions include exemptions from the seasonal manure application ban for liquid manure applied via direct soil injection and from the three-acre stormwater permit for farms that follow required agricultural practices. The bill also seeks to enhance the right-to-farm law by providing additional protections against nuisance and trespass claims, clarifying that farm structures and employee housing are exempt from municipal regulations, and modifying eligibility criteria for accessory on-farm businesses and agricultural land under the Use Value Appraisal Program. Additionally, it proposes exemptions from property transfer tax for certain property transfers related to farming operations and from Vermont income tax for specific net income derived from farming activities.

The bill introduces new legal language that defines farm employee housing and establishes regulatory requirements for it, while also amending definitions and protections related to agricultural activities. Notably, it requires mediation before any legal action based on nuisance or trespass claims against agricultural activities, shifting the burden of proof to the plaintiff to show non-compliance with generally accepted agricultural practices. Other amendments include allowing farmers to notify municipalities of intended farm structure construction without needing a permit, enabling farm employers to rent unused employee housing as short-term rentals, and clarifying that no permits are needed for certain on-farm business improvements if specific sales thresholds are met. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with some provisions retroactive to January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 6-4816, 12-195, 24-4413(d), 24-4413, 10-6081(t), 10-6081, 32-3752(1), 32-3752, 32-5811(21), 32-5811, 32-9603