Sen. King Supports Passage of the Farm Bill

Press Release

"Following extensive negotiations, I am pleased the Senate passed the 2013 Farm Bill, which defines our nation's agricultural policy over the next five years. Agriculture is, as it always has been, a cornerstone of Maine's economy, and while this final piece of legislation is far from perfect, it significantly reforms current policy to support many of the diverse needs and priorities of farming, conservation, and forestry industries within Maine and across America.

"Farmers across Maine -- including our apple, blueberry, and potato growers -- will benefit from the increased funding for specialty crop block grants while additional funding for the Farmers Market Promotion Program will support local farmers as they strive to provide healthy, locally grown foods through the thriving farmers' market movement in Maine. Additionally, by reauthorizing the Cooperative Extension Program and including language from Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2013, which I cosponsored, the bill makes critical strides in helping young farmers and ranchers enter the market. This is particularly important in Maine where our expanding local food movement is being driven in part by a growing number of young farmers. The bill also requires economic and scientific impact analyses of rules proposed under the Food Safety Modernization Act, which will help ensure that small and mid-sized farmers across Maine are not unduly burdened by federal regulations.

"As with any compromise legislation, though, the bill is not perfect. I am disappointed that funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has been cut by $8 billion, which is double of what was proposed in the Senate bill I supported last year. However, I do appreciate that the level of cuts were far less than the unacceptable $40 billion proposed in the House bill. I am also particularly frustrated that the final bill does not include Senator Collins' provision to initiate a process to restructure the outdated milk-pricing system, which continues to negatively impact Maine's small dairy farmers. I will continue to work with my colleagues to see that USDA hears the concerns of Maine's dairy farmers moving forward.

"Providing our food producers with a sense of certainty and our most vulnerable members of society with a sense of food security is essential to this nation's future economic stability. I am confident that this five-year Farm Bill accomplishes a great deal towards that goal and marks a positive step forward."

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