Chellie Pingree: “All over this country, small, independent farmers are making a living by farming in a way our parents or grandparents…”

“All over this country, small, independent farmers are making a living by farming in a way our parents or grandparents would recognize--raising high quality food and selling it close to home. The USDA recognizes the importance of this growing economy and has developed programs like ``Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food'' and research focused on local food systems. These programs are critically important. Later today, we will take up a bill that is accompanied by a report that will cripple these efforts with unnecessary bureaucratic requirements and by prohibiting research on local and regional food systems. That's right, the committee report actually urges USDA to stop doing research on the benefits of local and regional food systems. Mr. Speaker, more and more American families want to know where their food is coming from and want to buy it locally. Now is not the time to make it harder for small farmers to give consumers what they want. ____________________”