Farm bill gets mixed reviews in Maine
The $956 billion farm bill signed by President Obama Friday could potentially benefit the growth of organic farming and community-supported agriculture in Maine, but also might reduce food stamp benefits for up to 10,000 households.
The Bangor Daily News reported Walt Whitcomb, commissioner of Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, gave the bill a mixed review for its impact on the state and said his staff is still reviewing the more than 900-page document. He told the paper he found the bill’s cuts to entitlement and natural resource programs troubling and that he was disappointed about the rejection of an amendment from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins that would have started a process to reform the federal milk pricing system.
The paper reported potato and blueberry producers lauded the bill for increasing investments in specialty crops, including funding for research and promotion of U.S. specialty crops abroad.
The Portland Press Herald reported the provisions expected to help Maine farmers include $30 million, up from $10 million, in funding to improve or expand farmers markets and other direct-to-consumer programs. It also allows organic farmers with crop insurance to recoup their losses based on retail or wholesale prices of organic products rather than prices of conventional products and provides $13 million, up from $5 million, to help farmers cover costs of certifying crops as organic. The measure also allows more food stamp recipients to use electronic benefit cards at farmers markets and through community-supported agriculture programs.
The paper reported that the $8 billion cut to food stamps over 10 years now leaves the state to decide whether to spend an estimated $200,000, up from $10,000, to keep about 10,000 households in a program that provides extra benefits to those receiving small amounts of aid through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
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