Vermont Governor Says U.S. Department Of Agriculture Should Let States Buy Local Produce For Nutrition Programs

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin has called for revisions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food commodity programs to allow states to purchase local agricultural produce for local school feeding programs and other nutrition programs. Shumlin proposed a voucher system that would allow states to use federal funds on food produced by local farmers. In 2010, U.S. Representative Peter Welch proposed legislation with similar objectives, but it failed to get traction in Congress. However, Shumlin believes states can bypass Congress and deal directly with the Agriculture Department.