Act 59 was passed in 2023 with a goal to conserve 30% of Vermont’s total area by 2030 and 50% by 2050.
In early 2024, Rural Vermont was invited to sit on the Agriculture Working Group of the Vermont Conservation Strategy Initiative (VCSI). Legislative Director, Caroline Gordon, represented alongside Rural Vermont Board Member Stephen Leslie, who represented the Vermont Healthy Soils Coalition in the discourse around how agriculture fits into the conservation vision and future plan for Vermont. The VCSI was tasked to find recommendations for land use in Vermont through conservation planning by the end of 2025. Unfortunately, Rural Vermont, with guidance and direction from its Board, decided to step away from VCSI’s non-transparent process in 2025.
The History of Vermont Agriculture 1840 - 2024 (“Act 250 - Critical Resource Areas” found on Slide 25)