WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate and House prepare to reconcile the differences between their two versions of the Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Angus King yesterday sent a letter to Senators Debbie Stabenow and Thad Cochran, Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, respectively, outlining several farming and food issues of particular importance to Maine, including funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), protections for dairy farmers, and the implementation of the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA).

“Farming is a pillar of our state economy and the final provisions of this year’s Farm Bill will have a substantial impact on thousands of Mainers for years to come,” Senator King said. “I recognize that reconciling the differences between the two bills will be challenging and that compromises will be necessary, but I hope that the conference committee will consider my recommendations for the benefit of Maine.”

The complete letter can be viewed by clicking here, and bullet-points of Senator King’s recommendations are below:

• Resist the level of SNAP cuts proposed in the House bill
• Make changes to the Food Safety Modernization Act to ensure that the legislation doesn’t unduly harm small and midsized farmers
• Maintain strong support for programs such as the Farmers Market Promotion Program and the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
• Protect dairy farmers as we move towards a new dairy program
• Preserve strong conservation programs
• Continue to fund beginning farmers and ranchers
• Sustain funding for research and extension, including pest management
• Add at least two regional pilot projects for Memoranda of Understandings (MOUs) between states to allow state inspected meat sales
• Allow white potatoes to be included in WIC
• Allow veterinarians to transport medical drugs to farms so that they can adequately care for livestock and other animals.

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