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Food and Agriculture

Pingree Successfully Advocates for FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations Bill to Invest in Climate Research, Protect USDA’s Research Staff

| Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today announced that the full House Appropriations Committee has approved a FY2020 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill that reverses the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to a range of USDA programs—including several tackling climate change and the unnecessary relocation of key research…

Representatives Pingree and Massie Introduce Bipartisan PRIME Act to Empower Local Cattle Farmers, Meet Consumer Demand

| Posted in Press Releases

Today, two cattle-raising lawmakers, Representative Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) re-introduced the PRIME (Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption) Act to make it easier for small farms and ranches to serve consumers. The PRIME Act (H.R. 2859/S. 1620) would give individual states freedom to permit intrastate distribution of custom-slaughtered…

Pingree to Sec. Perdue: USDA’s Origin of Livestock Rulemaking Overdue, Synthetic Chemicals Found in Organic Operations Threaten Integrity of Organic Certification

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) recently sent Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue two letters advocating for the protection of organic integrity in food and livestock.  “As an organic farmer, I know there can be absolutely no ambiguity when it comes to strong organic standards,” Pingree said of the urgency behind her correspondence to Secretary Perdue. “If…

How Farmers Are Fighting Climate Change

| Posted in Press Releases

How Farmers Are Fighting Climate Change Farming has always been a risky business. These are especially tough times for farmers—they’re operating on thin margins, trade wars are jeopardizing export markets, a serious mental health and substance abuse crisis is ravaging rural communities, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. Farmers are acutely feeling the economic effect…

2017 Agriculture Census Results for Maine

| Posted in Blog Posts

Maine – 2017 Agriculture Census   Total farms: 7,600 (2017), 8,173 (2012)   Land in farms: 1,307,613 (2017), 1,454,104 (2012)   Average size of farm: 172 (2017), 178 (2012)   Certified organic farms: 535 (2017), 457 (2012) Acres transitioning into certified organic production: 56 (2017), 65 (2012)   Milk cows (number of farms): 450 (2017), 581…

In Letter, Pingree Cautions USDA Secretary Against SNAP Work Requirements, Says Policy Caused Maine’s Food insecurity to Spike to 15.8 percent

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today wrote to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and expressed her opposition to a USDA proposed rule that would institute work requirements for individuals who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)  benefits. In her letter, Pingree noted that when the state of Maine imposed a similar policy during the…

Pingree, Newhouse, Co-Chairs of Bipartisan Congressional Food Recovery Caucus, Applaud Presidential Message Promoting Food Waste Reduction in April

| Posted in Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Dan Newhouse (R-Washington), the co-chairs of Bipartisan Congressional Food Recovery Caucus, welcomed President Trump’s announcement that his administration will focus on food waste reduction throughout April. The president’s official message states that food waste “undermines environmental stewardship and the…

Pingree, DeLauro to HHS Inspector General: Investigate Coca-Colas Lobbying of CDC

| Posted in Press Releases

Today, Congresswomen Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Connectitut) wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General and requested an investigation into reports that Coca-Cola inappropriately influenced public health policy through relationships with high-level Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials, including by pushing…

Agriculture Appropriator & Longtime Farmer Pingree to Rejoin House Agriculture Committee

| Posted in Press Releases

Today Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME)—a longtime organic farmer and member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture—announced that she will regain her seat on the House Committee on Agriculture.  In Congress, Pingree has distinguished herself as a successful advocate for reforming food policies to help consumers access healthier food and to support…

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