In a catastrophic event, Vermont’s agricultural sector faced unprecedented destruction as a historic storm unloaded nearly nine inches of rain, ravaging more than 1.2 million acres of farmland crucial to the state’s food and agriculture. The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) reported alarming impacts from the storm, with 89 farms experiencing severe flooding, leading to widespread losses and, in some cases, complete farm destruction.

Grace Oedel, the Executive Director of NOFA-VT, conveyed the extent of the devastation to Food Tank, emphasizing the profound impact on affected farmers. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed the rarity of such an event, which had less than a 1 percent chance of occurrence in that region, leading Governor Phil Scott to declare a State of Emergency amidst escalating localized flooding, road closures, and washouts.

Vermont’s food and agriculture sectors, contributing a significant US$19.3 Billion to the state’s economy, now face immense economic losses at both local and state levels. Oedel highlighted the multi-layered impacts yet to be fully addressed, including immediate loss of income and employment, repercussions on food access programs, land contamination, and future rebuilding challenges.

Farmers are slowly assessing the extensive damage, with some still awaiting drainage of their properties. Oedel projected it would take weeks to comprehend the full scale of the disaster. Despite this, there is a glimmer of hope in the resilience shown by Vermont’s farming community, which finds strength in diversity and communal support.

The turbulent weather patterns preceding the flood, including early hot temperatures, a frost in May, and poor air quality due to Canadian wildfires, had already set the stage for a challenging year. The recent catastrophic flooding has intensified concerns about a looming climate crisis within Vermont’s agricultural community.

In response, state authorities, local organizations, and volunteers are mobilizing towards recovery efforts. The state agriculture department released a comprehensive disaster response and recovery resource list, while community organizations, including NOFA-VT, Intervale Center, The Vermont Community Foundation, and the Center for Agricultural Economy, spearhead relief funding initiatives for farmers.

President Biden’s approval of emergency relief aid has prompted FEMA to begin assessing the hardest-hit areas to determine eligibility for individual assistance. However, Oedel anticipates that most federal funding will prioritize municipal infrastructure rebuilding, possibly bypassing direct aid to the farming community.

Oedel appeals to Vermonters to rally in support of their local farmers through donations and volunteering. The closure of emergency shelters has shifted the focus of volunteer efforts towards providing essential food and water and aiding in infrastructure repair.

Oedel’s message to Food Tank resonates with the collective responsibility and interconnectedness of the situation: “It’s affecting farmers, but all of us are eaters and all of us need food and clean water. So we stand with our farmers in solidarity, because in part, our own nourishment is bound up in all of this.”