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Food and Agriculture

Pingree, Fortenberry Introduce Legislation to Expand & Strengthen Local Meat Processing Capabilities

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) today introduced legislation to support small meat and poultry processors. The Strengthening Local Processing Act will expand options for local producers and assist smaller facilities as they adapt to the coronavirus pandemic and expand to meet demand. “Maine has almost 3,400 diversified…

Pingree Leads 23 House Members in Demanding Investigation of Mail-Order Chick Deaths

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today joined by 23 House colleagues wrote to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to demand an investigation into the recent deaths of thousands of mail-order chicks and to urge immediate action to rectify this issue. The members noted the importance of USPS to rural…

Maine Delegation Urges USDA to Act on Pres. Trump’s Lobster Order Before Monday’s Deadline

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Washington, D.C. — With the 60-day deadline fast approaching, today Maine’s Congressional Delegation wrote to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue urging him to immediately act on President Trump’s June 24th memorandum to provide relief funds to the lobster industry.  President Trump’s memo stated “the Secretary of Agriculture shall, within 60…

Pingree Co-Sponsors Legislation to Promote Carbon Sequestration Markets for Farmers

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today released the following statement on her co-sponsorship of H.R. XX, the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2020, legislation to promote climate-friendly agricultural practices by increasing farmers’ access to carbon markets: “Farming has always been a risky business, but this moment is an especially tough one for farmers: climate…

Pingree, DeLauro, McGovern, Lee, Fudge, Hayes, Haaland, Pocan Introduce Emergency Food Security Bill Amid Growing Coronavirus Outbreak

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Today, US Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Marcia Fudge (OH-11),  Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Deb Haaland (NM-01), and  Mark Pocan (WI-02) introduced the Ensuring Emergency Food Security Act, new legislation to combat the economic impacts of the coronavirus by: Temporarily…

Following Pingree’s Advocacy, USDA Approves Maine DOE’s Request to Allow Flexibility for School Meal Service Program Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

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Following Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine)’s questioning of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue about how his agency would provide states with flexibility to alter how school meals are provided amid the coronavirus outbreak, the USDA has approved the Maine Department of Education’s (DOE) emergency school meals program waiver. “For the one in five…

In Committee Hearing, Secretary Perdue, Rep. Pingree Emphasize Soil Sequestration as ‘Win-Win’ to Reduce Nation’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Boost Farmers’ Profits

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In a House Agriculture Committee hearing, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) questioned United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue about the USDA’s new Agriculture Innovation Agenda, which sets the goal of increasing U.S. agricultural production by 40 percent while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. Pingree—who…

Congresswoman Pingree Introduces the Agriculture Resilience Act to Promote Farmer-Driven Climate Solutions

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), comprehensive legislation that sets a bold vision of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in U.S. agriculture by the year 2040. “Farming has always been a risky business, but unpredictable, extreme weather patterns are creating immense challenges that threaten our nation’s food production…

Rep. Pingree Applauds USDA’s Plan to Curb U.S. Agriculture’s Environmental Impact

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement of a forward-thinking plan to cut U.S. agriculture’s environmental footprint in half by 2050. Pingree said of USDA’s new Agriculture Innovation Agenda: “It’s encouraging that the USDA has set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector. Extreme weather…

Pingree Announces $260,449 USDA Grant to UMaine Cooperative Extension

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Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced a grant award of $260,449 to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The grant comes from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP), funded through the 2018 Farm Bill. The grant…

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