Food and Agriculture

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said a spending bill that won initial approval by a House committee today contains a big win for contractchicken farmers who have been punished by big chicken processors like Tyson and Perdue for speaking out. Contract farmers raise chickens for big companies, but it's actually the companies who own the birds and the farmers only get a small fee for each chicken they raise. Read more »

"There are few people who are more knowledgeable or who have made a greater impact on the growing success of organic farming in America than Eliot Coleman. He not only understands the science and techniques of organic farming better than anyone I know, he's also put that knowledge to work and proved that an organic farm on a small piece of land can thrive and be economically viable. ..." Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree took to the House floor today to speak out against an effort to repeal a law requiring imported meat to be labeled with its country of origin. Read more »

The vast majority of antibiotics are not used on people, but are fed to healthy animals to make them grow faster. This "non-therapeutic use" has been linked to an increase in antibiotic-resistant illnesses in humans. Read more »

Says DARK Act threatens to overturn GMO law in Maine and other states Read more »

Consumer demand for organics outpacing supply; new assistance will help more farmers get certified Read more »

Says Trans Pacific Partnership could jeopardize food safety in United States Read more »

Companies want to keep consumers in dark about GMO foods Read more »

Tomorrow, February 7, will mark one year since President Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill. Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree celebrated the many ways the bill has expanded opportunities for Maine farmers over the last year, thanks to several reforms she introduced that were incorporated into the final bill. “For all the years of hard work it took to reauthorize the Farm Bill,… Read more »

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said this morning that Portland-based Cultivating Community will be getting a $750,000 federal grant to give new immigrants the agricultural skills they need to start their ownfarm businesses. "Farming in Maine is growing," Pingree said. "More young people and women are taking up farming and new immigrants are adding diversity to our agricultural… Read more »