News Regulations State
Vermont farmers can seek exemption to winter spreading ban

Vermont is one of several states in which all manure spreading in the winter is banned.

While this year’s ban remains in effect, Vermont governor Phil Scott signed an executive order instruction the state’s agricultural and natural resources agencies to outline appropriate best management practices that will allow farmers to spread manure while still protecting the environment.

In a Dec. 15 statement, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) issued a statement confirming the ban, but clarifying that farmers may apply for an exemption “for emergency situations occurring because of the historic wet weather Vermont experienced in 2023.”

A flash flooding event that occurred on July 10 and 11 caused more than two weeks of damages across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic resulting in 13 fatalities and $2.1 billion in damage.

For farmers, this meant severe limitations when they were able to complete various planting, harvesting and post-harvesting activities. Many farmers were forced to spread manure over a longer period of time,

“Years like this one, with natural disasters and severe weather conditions, can upend our standard restrictions and create the need for emergency exemptions,” the agency’s news alert read.