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Helping Farmers Thrive

"Vermont’s agrarian way of life has been central to the state’s identity since our founding. As family farmers face unprecedented challenges, it is vital to our economy, our landscape, and our culture that we help them succeed. I will continue to fight for struggling dairy farmers, nutrition programs that keep children healthy, local food production, and renewable energy innovations that bring new revenue to farms."

 

Spotlight on Farms

As a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus, Rep. Welch has worked hard to help Vermont’s dairy farmers cope with wild swings in milk prices. Working with Senators Leahy and Sanders, he added a new dairy insurance program to the 2014 Farm Bill.  He has also fought to ensure dairy farmers get a fair shake in new trade agreements. And, he is leading a bipartisan effort in the House to reform the Renewable Fuel Standard which drives up feed prices.

Rep. Welch also secured provisions in the Farm Bill to boost other important segments of Vermont’s agricultural sector, including the maple industry, crop insurance for small farmers, and a program to encourage schools to serve local fresh fruits and vegetables.  

Click here for my agricultural resources page.

 

More on Helping Farmers Thrive

December 16, 2016 Press Release
Continuing his advocacy to protect Vermont’s dairy farmers as well as the consumers’ right to know, Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), joined by Mike Simpson (R-ID) and 23 other members of Congress, today urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exercise its legal authority to investigate and take action against the manufacturers of products they falsely claim to be milk.
December 16, 2016 In The News
Rep. Peter Welch is mounting a new campaign against the words soy milk, almond milk and rice milk. Impostors, he says.
April 13, 2016 In The News
Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., is seeking to change the dairy margin protection program to reflect the variation in feed prices across the country. The margin protection program insures the margin between what farmers pay for feed and the price they receive for their milk.
April 12, 2016 Press Release
Congressmen Chris Gibson (NY-19) and Joe Courtney (CT-2) introduced bipartisan legislation with original co-sponsor Congressman Peter Welch (VT-AL) to bring fairness to the federal system used to determine the price dairy farmers are paid for their milk.
March 10, 2016 Press Release
Continuing efforts to protect Vermont maple sugar producers and consumers’ right to know what is in their food, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vt.), joined by 28 members of Congress, Thursday urged U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf to exercise his legal authority to investigate and take action against products that falsely claim to contain maple syrup.
November 30, 2015 Press Release
Following the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of the final rules for the 2014-2016 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Steve Womack (R-Ar.), and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) released the following statement.
November 14, 2015 Press Release
Representative Peter Welch today released the following statement in response to a misleading television attack ad being aired in Vermont this weekend by the corn ethanol industry. The ad attacks Welch for his leadership of a broad, bipartisan House coalition fighting to reform the federal mandate to blend corn ethanol into the gasoline used to fuel cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles, as well as the small engines that power boats, chainsaws and lawnmowers. The mandate is known as the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Previously, Welch and his colleagues worked to successfully repeal two federal subsidies to the corn ethanol industry.
March 24, 2015 In The News

WCAX

 

A move is underway again to reform a federal requirement on biofuels. Specifically the practice of blending corn ethanol with gasoline.

Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, was checking out the rides at Frank's Motorcycle Sales and Service in Essex. He wasn't there to buy a bike, but rather to drive home a point. Blending corn ethanol into gasoline is a bad idea.