Maine Congresswoman Unveils Bill to Support Small Farms, Local Food Production

October 25th, 2011

Via: U.S. House of Representatives, Chellie Pingree:

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today she will introduce a bill later this week that includes provisions that would significantly change the nation’s food policy. The Local Farm, Food, and Jobs Act would expand opportunities for local and regional farmers and make it easier for consumers to have access to healthy foods.

“This is about healthy local food and a healthy local economy. When consumers can buy affordable food grown locally, everyone wins,” Pingree said. “It creates jobs on local farms and bolsters economic growth in rural communities.”

Pingree’s bill is a package of reforms and new programs that will encourage production of local food–not only by helping local farmers and ranchers become more profitable and productive, but also by helping consumers buy locally through improved distribution systems.

Pingree says farmers markets and other local food outlets are growing rapidly and creating jobs all over the country.

“We’ve seen explosive growth in sales of local food here in Maine and all across the country. This bill breaks down barriers the federal government has put up for local food producers and really just makes it easier for people to do what they’ve already been doing,” Pingree said.

Recent reports found the number of farmers markets in the U. S. has grown 150% over the last decade, and supporting new farmers markets is expected to create thousands of new jobs.

Research Credit: R

Posted in Economy, Environment, Food, Health, Resistance | Top Of Page

One Response to “Maine Congresswoman Unveils Bill to Support Small Farms, Local Food Production”

  1. Miraculix says:
    October 25, 2011 at 11:50 pm

    Genuine legislation from the Congressperson from Maine.

    She is either a naive reformer new to the system or just the best candidate to present the facade of reform for the press before the bill disappears into committee, never to return… (poof)

    Still, it gladdens my heart just a little to read that such a glorious charade is still possible in the USSA. Yes, it’s most likely a fool’s errand, but I’m still not allergic to the taint of hope.

    Make me eat my hat Washington. Enact this bill.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.