Executive Order No. 6-4

(No. 05-18) Vermont Agriculture Innovation Center

WHEREAS, the federal Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-171) (the "Act") directed the federal Secretary of Agriculture to establish an Agriculture Innovation Center Demonstration Program under which agricultural producers are provided:

(1) Technical assistance, consisting of engineering services, applied research, scale production, and similar services, to enable the agricultural producers to establish businesses to produce value-added agricultural commodities or products;

(2) Assistance in marketing, market development, and business planning; and

(3) Organizational, outreach, and development assistance to increase the viability, growth, and sustainability of businesses that produce value-added agricultural commodities or products; and

WHEREAS, although Vermont once had a statutorily created agriculture innovation center for purposes of this Program, that law was repealed effective March 31, 2013 and Vermont no longer has an entity that meets the requirements of the Act; and

WHEREAS, Vermont now has the opportunity to obtain federal funding under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141) to establish an agriculture innovation center that meets the requirements of the Act for work on providing technical and business development assistance to agricultural producers seeking to enter into ventures that add value to commodities or products they produce.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that I, Philip B. Scott, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor, do hereby create the Vermont Agriculture Innovation Center (AIC), as follows:

1. Composition and Appointments

The AIC shall have a board of directors composed of, at a minimum, the following seven representatives:

(A) The Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets (the Secretary), who will serve as chair.

(B) One representative from each of the four highest grossing commodities produced in Vermont, determined on the basis of annual gross cash sales. These commodity groups presently are the dairy, maple, livestock, and apple industries. The Secretary will appoint these four representatives with the approval of the Governor.

(C) One representative from each of the two general agricultural organizations with the greatest number of members in Vermont, as selected by each organization.

All board member representatives, except for the Secretary, shall be appointed for terms of three years and shall serve no more than two consecutive three-year terms.

2. Meetings

The Secretary shall call the first meeting of the Board to occur on or before December 1, 2018, contingent upon receipt of the federal funding. After the first meeting, the Board shall meet on an as needed basis, as determined by the Secretary. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. No action of the Board shall be considered valid unless the action is supported by a majority of the quorum.

3. Powers and Duties

The AIC will fund Vermont-based initiatives that provide technical assistance, including assistance as necessary with permitting, organization development, and research and marketing services to support value-added agricultural businesses. The AIC may also provide grants to individual businesses to assist in the production and marketing of value-added products.

4. Assistance

The Board shall have the administrative, technical, and legal assistance of the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Other departments and agencies of State government will cooperate with the AIC and will provide information and data upon request on an as-needed basis to assist the AIC in carrying out its duties.

5. Expense Reimbursement

I hereby authorize per diem compensation and reasonable and necessary expense reimbursement for travel and food for members who are not full time State employees pursuant to 32 V.S.A. § 1010(e).

6. Effective Date

This Executive Order shall take effect upon execution.

Dated July 26, 2018.