BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) is urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take steps to support Maine’s potato and wild blueberry industries, which are experiencing significant shifts in market demand in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic. In letters to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senator King highlights the economic and cultural importance of these industries to Maine communities, and urges USDA to tailor economic relief programs for each specific industry – including expanding the definition of “fresh products” to include Maine’s fresh-frozen wild blueberries so the product may qualify for inclusion in commodity boxes under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, and considering loss of product sales in direct relief calculations for Maine’s potato farmers.

“Generations of Maine people have made their livings by producing potatoes and wild blueberries, and we need to make sure this legacy can continue once the coronavirus pandemic has passed,” said Senator King. “These farmers are economic drivers who feed our communities fresh, nutritious food and are ingrained in the fabric of our state, and their business models have been turned upside down through no fault of their own. The USDA can help these agricultural producers get through this challenging time and continue to play major roles in our state’s economy and traditions, and I will keep pushing to offer these Maine people every possible opportunity to succeed.”

Senator King has regularly advocated for Maine’s agricultural producers to be supported by the USDA during this crisis, which has shuttered restaurants nationwide. He has advocated for the USDA to include Maine potatoes in its nutrition program, called for direct relief for aquaculture farmers, urged support for New England dairy farmers, and joined a bipartisan group to ensure temporary flexibilities on farm loans announced by the Farm Service Agency are made permanent for the duration of the pandemic and economic recovery.

Senator King’s letter to the USDA on potatoes can be found HERE, and his letter on wild blueberries can be found HERE.