Advocates urge Vermont to remove farmworker wage exemptions, citing widespread low pay, unsafe housing and injuries

Organizers from Migrant Justice told a legislative committee that H.403 — a bill to eliminate wage and overtime exemptions for agricultural workers and to require a housing survey — is needed to address long‑standing labor and housing problems faced by immigrant dairy workers in Vermont.

Aveli Lubenda, an organizer with Migrant Justice, described workers routinely putting in 60–80 hours a week without overtime, living in crowded, pest‑infested housing with broken appliances and, in some cases, no hot water. She said workers often fear retaliation and urged that any legislative fix include enforcement mechanisms and direct inclusion of workers in inspections and surveys.

Will Lambeth, testifying for Migrant Justice, summarized results of a 2024 participatory survey (conducted with the University of Massachusetts Amherst Labor Center). He said the survey found 87% of respondents reported wages below the state minimum, a median wage of $11.67/hour (about $2/hour below the then‑applicable minimum), frequent wage withholding (one in five), missing pay stubs (one in three), long hours (half reported 12+ hour days) and widespread housing problems (82% reported employer‑provided housing issues including pests, mold and inadequate heat or privacy). Lambeth said more than three quarters reported a work‑related illness or injury.

Lambeth described the Milk with Dignity program — a worker‑driven supply‑chain initiative with third‑party audits that has enrolled 53 farms (roughly 20% of Vermont dairy production by volume) — as an example of one model that has improved conditions on participating farms. He said the program’s improvements demonstrate what worker‑driven enforcement can achieve but that the program’s reach is limited.

Committee members asked about inspection authority (fire marshal vs. municipal inspectors), program scale and the differences between organic and conventional farms; witnesses said organic certification does not include labor standards and that state housing repair and replacement funds (VHCB programs) have improved conditions on a small subset of farms but have not produced industry‑wide change.

The committee paused testimony for lunch and said it plans additional sessions and may return to H.403 for markup and potential action before the legislative break.