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Food and Agriculture

Pingree Welcomes Federal Funds to Support Renewable Energy for Rural Maine Businesses

| Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) welcomed over $65,000 in USDA Rural Development funds to help farms and other rural businesses in Bowdoinham, Cumberland and Freeport cuts costs through renewable power systems. During recent debate on the House’s failed Farm Bill, Pingree had advocated for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) that provides the grants—the legislation…

House Farm Bill Fails to Pass

| Posted in Press Releases

“I’m glad this partisan legislation did not pass. It would have taken food assistance away from millions of Americans, weakened environmental stewardship of the nation’s farmlands, and left Maine farmers and rural communities ill-prepared for the challenges and the opportunities of the next five years. ..."

Pingree Joins Secretary of Agriculture Perdue for Roundtable on Food Waste Reduction

| Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) today joined U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, as well as her colleague Congressman David Young (R-IA) and stakeholders, for a roundtable discussion on the issue of food waste.   “I applaud Secretary Perdue for exploring what USDA can do to help reduce the massive amount of food that goes to waste in the United…

Reps. Pingree, Young Launch Bipartisan Food Waste Caucus

| Posted in Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Congressman David Young (R-IA) launched a bipartisan House Food Waste Caucus to explore opportunities to reduce food waste.   Last Friday was “Stop Food Waste Day,” an international day of action to address food waste.  It is estimated that 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. goes to waste.  A recent U.S.…

Pingree Questions FDA Commissioner on Maple Syrup Labeling

| Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) questioned today the Commissioner of the Food of Drug Administration, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, on nutrition facts labels on single-ingredient products, such as maple syrup and honey, during a hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies.    “The…

Pingree Statement on Republican Farm Bill Draft

| Posted in Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, released the following statement on the draft Farm Bill released by House Republicans today.  The draft Farm Bill released today leaves much to be desired, to say the least. Written behind closed doors with little to no input from Democrats, it is the product of a frustratingly…

Agriculture Victories in FY2018 Omnibus

| Posted in Blog Posts

I'm happy to report that many rural, nutrition, and agriculture programs important to Maine saw funding increases in the FY2018 Omnibus Appropriations legislation that was signed on March 23 and funds the federal government through September 30, 2018. Since President Trump suggested severely cutting or even eliminating funding for many of these programs in his budget proposal, it's very…

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