Congressman Mike Michaud

FEATURES

Expanding Maine’s Agricultural Economy

Agriculture is an important component of Maine’s economic, social and environmental prosperity.  Farmers in Maine are stewards of nearly 1.25 million acres of land, maintaining pristine landscapes and producing a diverse basket of goods.  Maine is the largest producer of brown eggs and wild blueberries in the world.  We are also eighth in the country in potato production and second for maple syrup.  In total, agriculture has a $1.2 billion impact on the Maine economy.

I strongly support efforts to strengthen the bonds between local farmers and their communities.  Recently, Maine celebrated Maine Farmer’s Market Week.  It was a showcase of the diverse and high quality agriculture our state has to offer and helped to raise awareness of how important it is to support local farmers. 

I also believe that programs like Future Farmers of America that encourage young people to become involved in their communities through agriculture and school nutrition programs like the ones supported by the Maine Diary and Nutrition Council develop an understanding of the importance of local agriculture and should be supported.  

Congress has a role to play in supporting these programs.  In the House of Representatives, we recently passed H.R. 5384, the 2007 Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Act.  It now awaits action by the Senate.  This legislation includes funding for programs that would assist Maine farmers and the wider community. 

For example, the legislation includes funding for special milk and fresh fruit and vegetable programs that enhance children’s health and support local farmers.  The bill includes $183,275,000 in Hatch Act funding for agriculture research and $22,668,000 for Cooperative Forestry Research.  Both of these programs are critical to the University of Maine and to supporting forestry and agriculture in the state. 

This bill also allocates $920 million for conservation programs and $15,600,000 for the specialty crop program — a vital program in Maine.  Maine farmers have embraced the value and importance of conservation programs as part of sustainable and responsible farming practices.  The specialty crop program is intended to help states promote their goods to a wider market.

One example of an opportunity to expand a unique Maine commodity into a wider market is the wild blueberry.  Maine wild blueberries are one of the most sought-after agricultural products on the market today because of their tremendous health benefits.  Blueberries provide fiber, vitamin C, and potassium — in fact, blueberries have been found to have more antioxidant capacity than 40 other fruits and vegetables tested, which means they may help fight cancer and aging.

H.R.5384 included $246,000 for blueberry research and the specialty crop funding for product promotion, which are good steps toward exploiting the potential of this crop.  However, significant challenges remain.  For example, rising transportation costs are compounding the difficulty of getting these goods to a wider market. 

I am particularly concerned that the high prices of gas are especially difficult on rural areas and our farmers. I have been working for policies to help lower the price of gasoline both in the short term and in the future as well.   I have cosponsored bills to punish price gougers and repeal unfair subsidies for big oil companies.  I have also sponsored legislation to create a tax credit for working families of up to $500 per household in years when gas prices increase rapidly, like this year.  This would help offset some of the high costs that are hurting farmers’ bottom line.

We must help our farmers to overcome these kinds of challenges if we are going to truly expand the market access of Maine’s agricultural goods.

Mainers’ have long known that our state produces some of the highest quality agricultural goods available.  We can all continue to show our support for our farmers by buying locally as much as we can.  As a state, we must also look for ways to decrease cost and expand access to broader markets to sell our goods. 

On the federal level, I will continue to support programs in Congress that decrease the financial burden on farmers while increasing the quality, environmental stewardship and diversity of our goods. 

9/5/2006 4:39:14 PM