WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King and a bipartisan group of his colleagues have introduced the American Grown Act. The legislation requires the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense, and the Department of State to only procure cut flowers and cut greens grown in the United States.

“When the U.S. government spends taxpayers’ dollars, it should prioritize American products in order to reinject these funds back into the national economy,” said Senator King. “We have an opportunity to meet this responsibility by buying American-grown flowers – but under the current system, the vast majority of flowers purchased by the government are foreign-grown, meaning that money is sent to stimulate foreign economies. This is a simple fix that will benefit our flower-growing industry and overall economy.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, America’s wholesale flower industry was thrown into unprecedented financial uncertainty; as the industry re-emerges in the 2021 recovery, legislation like the American Grown Act can help it stabilize more swiftly – and also provide a smoother supply chain than imported flowers and cut greens. In addition to Senator King, the American Grown Act is supported by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Congressman Don Young (R-Alaska) has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

Click here for a copy of the proposed legislation.