Political Quotes

“I rise to commend Agriculture Committee Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow for their leadership in crafting a bipartisan farm bill that will help support our Nation's farmers and growers, provide funding for critical agriculture research programs, and make important investments in nutrition and food security programs. It is an exciting time for agriculture in Maine. In fact, according to a recent study, Maine ranks first in the Nation for farming outlook, which considers factors such as farmer age, percentage of beginning farmers, and number of farms per 100 residents. According to the most recent Census data, the share of Maine farms owned and operated by farmers under the age of 45 is steadily growing. These factors show that Maine farms are poised for continued growth and long-term success. The bill we have just passed includes a number of provisions from the Next Generation in Agriculture Act, which I introduced with Senator Heitkamp, including a reauthorization of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Grant Program at a higher funding level. Since this program was established nearly a decade ago, it has supported more than 60,000 beginning farmers across every region of the country. In Maine, these grants have helped to build the capacity and skills of beginning farmers, as well as implement a dairy farmer apprenticeship program. Maine's agricultural resurgence has also been bolstered by a rapidly expanding organic sector.…”