(D-Maine)
I don’t need to tell any Mainer that rural areas of our country have been hit especially hard by this economic crisis. Times are tough, and making ends meet is difficult. Because of this, it is important to make sure that rural America is not left behind in our national recovery efforts.
I was pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives recently demonstrated its support for rural communities by passing a strong agricultural appropriations bill. The bill invests in rural communities, encourages business growth, supports new infrastructure and will help bring new jobs to Maine communities.
The bill robustly funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development program. Whether it is helping snowmobile clubs expand, establishing revolving loan funds for small business development, or providing funding for the conversion of local facilities to renewable biomass energy, USDA’s Rural Development program is a great source of help for Maine.
But beyond funding national programs, the bill also included important funding that will specifically benefit important sectors of our state. I was pleased that the Congress voted to fund projects that I fought hard to secure for the state of Maine, including $280,000 for a potato integrated pest management program and $173,000 for research on the sustainable production and processing of Maine lowbush blueberries. I also worked with a coalition of Members of Congress from across the country to secure $4,545,000 for wood utilization research, which is conducted at the University of Maine.
Maine’s potato growers will directly benefit from the research funding approved in this bill. Potatoes are Maine’s largest agricultural commodity, and potato growers and processors contribute greatly to the economy of Northern Maine. The research funding, which will go to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will promote agricultural economic development by helping scientists track potential pest outbreaks and provide growers with current information on specific and timely treatments in order to minimize the number of pesticide applications. Ultimately, this will improve profit margins for Maine families and businesses by maximizing the annual potato yield.
And just as Maine’s potato industry benefits from robust research, so too does our state’s blueberry industry. The funding approved in the bill for research at the University of Maine will help Maine’s blueberry growers remain competitive with other fruits and produce on a global scale. It will explore new methods of sustainable crop management and help this crucial Maine industry succeed.
In addition to blueberry and potato research, the agriculture appropriations bill contained important funding for the Wood Utilization Research (WUR) program. The University of Maine is one of thirteen universities that participate in this program. The research will center on exploring new methods of economic development and environmental protections for Maine’s forestry industry. A key focus of the research will be to determine the best way to balance environmental concerns with the economic success of wood harvesting. While the University of Maine research will be a part of a nationwide effort to develop these technologies, the work conducted in Maine will focus specifically on the Maine forestry industry.
Forest products, wild blueberries, and potatoes provide our state with thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in economic activity. This funding will support the success of these industries that are so crucial to our economy in Maine.
Overall, the agricultural appropriations bill represents a significant investment in rural America. I urge the Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible so that we can deliver its benefits to our state.
