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United States Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition & Forestry

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  • 113th Congress (2013-2014)

    Chairwoman Stabenow: Our Generation Has the Urgent Responsibility to Conserve, Protect Fresh Water

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said that farmers and ranchers need to take advantage of public-private partnerships and programs meant to improve water quality in our lakes, rivers, and streams. Stabenow said the agriculture industry has already become a part of the solution when it comes to solving the crisis surrounding water quality. Farmers and ranchers have the ability to take steps to improve their management practice...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Applauds New $5 Million Investment to Bring Local Food to School Cafeterias

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded USDA’s announcement to invest $5 million in a variety of farm to school programs across the country. This funding comes through USDA’s Farm to School Program, which helps schools source healthy school foods like fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy. The Farm to School Program also educates students about how food grows through school garden programs and farm visits. Sen. St...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow: Less than Two Weeks Left to Enroll in New Farm Bill Dairy Program

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, encouraged dairy farmers to register by Dec. 5 for the new dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP) that gives farmers the certainty and tools they need to continue reliably supplying milk products to consumers. This program, which was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers participating farmers assistance if milk prices fall below profitable ...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Statement on RFS Inaction

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the following statement regarding EPA’s decision to delay acting on the 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard rule until 2015:“Today’s announcement shows how deeply flawed the EPA’s original RFS rule was,” said Stabenow. “The EPA needs to work toward a new rule in 2015 that will provide long-term certainty needed for the advanced biofuels industry ...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Statement on Senate Confirmation of USDA Chief Financial Officer and Under Secretary for Rural Development

    Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the below statement following Senate confirmation of Jon Holladay as U.S. Department of Agriculture Chief Financial Officer and Lisa Mensah as U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development. Both will play a critical role in helping to lead the efforts to secure the future of agriculture.“I’m proud that my colleagues in the Senate gave the...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Statement on Trade Enforcement Decision Regarding Country of Origin Labeling

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, issued the following statement today regarding the World Trade Organization (WTO) decision on USDA’s 2013 proposed modifications to the U.S. Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) law: “The World Trade Organization has once again ruled that consumers have a right to know where their food comes from,” said Stabenow. “We can spend decades litigating this issue at the WT...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Applauds Trade Enforcement Decision to Lift Ban on U.S. Agriculture Products

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded the World Trade Organization (WTO) decision affirming that India’s import restrictions on U.S. poultry products are discriminatory and not substantiated in science. India began blocking America’s poultry exports in 2007, citing unsubstantiated concerns over low pathogenic avian influenza. These restrictions remain in place despite a decade without a single out...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Announces Major Investment to Strengthen Markets for Fruits and Vegetables

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest more than $119 million in grants to help strengthen markets for fruits and vegetables in all 50 states, DC and the territories. The grants will be provided through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, both authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. Specialty crops – which includ...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Applauds New Programs to Help Low-Income Americans Purchase Healthy Fruits and Vegetables, Support Family Farmers, Locally Grown and Organic Products

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded the announcement of a series of national programs, authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill, that will help provide families with greater access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables, while also supporting family farmers by creating new opportunities to sell locally grown and organic products. Over $52 million in grants will be awarded as a result of Farm Bill programs. The ...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Announces Major Investment in Farm Energy Programs, Boost to Rural Economy and Jobs

    Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be investing $68 million in 540 renewable energy and energy efficient projects across the country, helping to spur domestic energy production while also growing the rural economy and helping to create jobs. The investment, part of the Rural Energy for America Program, aids farmers and landowners in developing homegrown, ren...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Calls for Legislation to Protect American Interests in Foreign Acquisitions

    Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, continued this weekend to raise concerns about Chinese acquisitions of American food companies and the implications that could have on national and economic security – as well as broader American interests. Stabenow’s comments came during a special PBS NewsHour investigation about the recent acquisition of Virginia-based Smithfield Foods by Chinese food company Shuanghui Intl. &nd...;

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Receives McGovern-Dole Leadership Award for Efforts in Fighting Global Hunger

    Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today received the World Food Program USA’s prestigious McGovern-Dole Leadership Award for her efforts and achievements in fighting global hunger. The award, presented to Stabenow by Vice President Joe Biden, specifically honors Stabenow’s work in bringing Democrats and Republicans together to pass the 2014 Farm Bill, which makes significant contributions to alleviate worldwide hu...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow: New Farm Bill Dairy Program Coming Next Week to Help Farmers Manage Risk, Keep Prices Stable for Consumers

    U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said a new dairy risk management program, included in the 2014 Farm Bill  and starting up next week, will give farmers the certainty and tools they need to continue  a reliable supply of milk products at the grocery store for consumers. Enrollment for the new dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP) will begin Sept. 2 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and offers particip...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow: Farm Bill Conservation Initiative Generating Tremendous Support, Will Have Lasting Impact on Health of Nation’s Land, Water, Air

    Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said nearly 600 projects, representing the work of nearly 5,000 organizations across the country, are being considered for the initial round of funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program – a new, innovative conservation initiative created in the 2014 Farm Bill. Chairwoman Stabenow and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited Michigan in May to laun...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Asks Agencies for More Clarity on US Waters Rule, to Provide Certainty for Conservation Efforts Used by Farmers and Ranchers

    Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today urged the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide farmers and ranchers with more certainty as the agencies move forward with clarifying which waters can be regulated under the Clean Water Act. In a letter, also signed by 12 other Senators, Stabenow said stakeholders across the country have raised concerns with t...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Applauds Appointment of Members to New Ag Research Foundation Board

    Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today issued the below statement regarding the appointment of board members to the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research – a new non-profit foundation created by the 2014 Farm Bill, which will leverage private and public funding to advance agricultural research. The 15-member board of directors was officially announced today and is meant to represent the many diverse agricultura...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow: We Must Work Together to Address Challenges in Providing Healthy Meals in Schools; Reversing Course Is Not an Option

    Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said that school personnel, parents, community leaders and other stakeholders must work together to address challenges in providing healthy meals to children in schools. Stabenow, whose comments came during a Committee hearing as part of a larger effort to update child nutrition laws, said reversing course is not an option because the health of our children is directly linked to ...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Announces Relief for Fruit Growers Devastated by Weather Disasters

    Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced that many fruit growers across the country whose farms were devastated by extreme weather conditions in 2012 will now be able to apply for disaster relief from the USDA. The new buy-up provisions in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), authored by Chairwoman Stabenow as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, will extend relief to growers who suffered from disaste...

  • Chairwoman Stabenow Statement on House Passage of CFTC Reauthorization Bill

    Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the below statement following the House vote to advance a bill to reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “I’m pleased to see the House bill includes measures related to customer protections as well as important considerations for end users like farmers, ranchers and small businesses who rely on the markets to hedge risk. These are areas where we ca...

  • In Case You Missed It: Op-Ed: Detroit News: Chairwoman Stabenow’s ‘non-partisan tone’ should endure in child nutrition efforts

    Op-Ed by Betti Wiggins of Detroit Public Schools emphasizes now is “not the time to waver from our national pursuit of improved nutrition in public schools” Improved eating habits in children “have direct implications for our national defense. By some estimates, 75% of 18-24 year olds are ineligible for military service.” Feeding children more fruits and vegetables generates economic growth as “each month local farmers deliver fresh fruits and vegeta...