More than 19,400 children face hunger in Vermont

SHELBURNE, VT — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, delivered remarks Monday at the School Nutrition Association of Vermont’s 2026 “Seeds of Change: Growing Vermont’s Future” conference. At the event, Senator Welch discussed his bipartisan efforts to protect and expand access to nutrition and farm to school programs.  

“What I so admire about what you do today, and every day, is you believe in nutrition for kids, and you believe in healthy nutrition for kids. That requires local farms. Just think of all of the people who engage in this process—from planting a seed, to putting food on the plate of a child so she can eat a healthy, nutritious meal right in her school. What you’re discussing today and what we see across Vermont is a local, community commitment. I’m fighting for more of that community commitment in the Farm Bill. Our Farm Bill should be focused on small, rural farmers and small, rural communities,” said Senator Welch. “We’re living in a country where we need to make the argument that it is important to feed kids. We should not need to argue about this—we know kids need healthy foods, and we know our farmers want to help feed them. I’m so thankful for your work to feed our kids and I’m committed to fighting for school nutrition in Washington.” 

Earlier this month, Senator Welch filed more than 40 amendments to Senate Republicans’ Farm Bill, including amendments to increase funding for the Farm to School nutrition program and support initiatives that deliver fresh, local foods to schools nationwide. He also led amendments to cut red tape for SNAP applicants. Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee rejected Democratic-led amendments and the bill stalled in Committee. 

Earlier this year, Senator Welch’s bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which allows schools participating in the National School Lunch Program to offer students whole milk, was signed into law. The Senator has led bipartisan and bicameral legislation to help more children and families access SNAP and improve nutrition, including theCOLAs Don’t Count Act, Farm to School Act, Keep SNAP Funded Act, Local School Foods Expansion Act, Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2025, School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act,and the FORK Act.  

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