New Clean Water Rules Mean Small Farm Inspections in Vermont

Vermont’s small farms have always been subject to state clean water standards, but now the state’s near 7,000 small farms are facing a new reality: farm inspections.

 

For the first time small farms will have to certify with the state and undergo routine farm inspections to make sure they're doing everything they can to keep pollutants out of the water.

For small dairy farmer Frank Hutchins, this means big changes -- and big costs. Hutchins’ farm has about 70 milker cows, and he grows crops to feed them on a couple of hundred hilly acres on his farm.

Like a lot of farmers in Vermont, Hutchins is trying to get out in front of new rules and regulations. He’s addressing problems with things like runoff from manure and cattle feed, and farming too close to waterways.