Press Releases
Feds respond quickly to Pingree's request to free up funding for farmers market vouchers for seniors
Washington, DC,
March 18, 2014
Tags:
Food and Agriculture
Over 17,000 seniors take advantage of program in Maine; uncertainty had threatened this season's benefits
Just hours after Congresswoman Chellie Pingree on Friday asked a top Obama Administration official about funding for a program to pay for vouchers that seniors in Maine and around the country can use to buy fresh food fromfarmers and farmers markets, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) informed state officials that the funding would be released in time for this year's growing season. At issue was the Maine Senior FarmShare program, which provides vouchers of up to $50 to use at local farmers markets. Because of a delay in passing the Farm Bill in Congress, state officials didn't know how much funding for the FarmShare program would be available, when it would become available and what sort of documentation the state would have to provide. |