Majority News
Senator Stabenow Applauds New USDA Initiative to Help Farmers, Ranchers, and Foresters Address Threat of Climate Change
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded an announcement by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and Senior White House Advisor Brian Deese to help America's farmers, ranchers, and foresters address the threat of climate change. The announcement was made on the campus of Michigan State University where President Obama signed Stabenow's 2014 Farm Bill into law. "Cli… Continue Reading
04.21.15
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing Examining Opportunities, Challenges for Agriculture Trade with Cuba
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at today's hearing entitled "Opportunities and Challenges for Agriculture Trade with Cuba." In February 2015, Stabenow joined a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introducing legislation that would lift the more than 50-year-long Cuban trade embargo. The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act, would allow… Continue Reading
04.16.15
Ranking Member Stabenow Named to Budget Conference Committee
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, was appointed to the joint Senate-House conference committee to finalize the Budget Resolution. Stabenow is a senior member of the Senate Committee on the Budget. "With American agriculture supporting nearly 16 million jobs, it's imperative that this budget not undermine the economic certainty that a five year Farm Bill provides farmers and families across the c… Continue Reading
03.24.15
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing on Waters of the United States Proposed Rule
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at today's hearing entitled "Waters of the United States: Stakeholder Perspectives on the Impacts of EPA's Proposed Rule." Stabenow's remarks, as prepared for delivery, follow. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For more than 40 years, the Clean Water Act has been a vital tool in promoting the health a… Continue Reading
03.09.15
Ranking Member Stabenow Applauds Senate Confirmation of Farm Credit Administration Nominees
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded Senate confirmation of Dallas Tonsager and Jeffrey Hall to the board of the Farm Credit Administration (FCA). The nominees were confirmed by voice vote. "The Farm Credit System supports rural communities in all corners of the country," said Stabenow. "I look forward to working with both Mr. Tonsager and Mr. Hall - and the entire Farm Credit System … Continue Reading
02.25.15
Ranking Member Stabenow Applauds Proposal to Expand Federal Crop Insurance to Fruit and Vegetable Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for proposing new rules that expand risk management tools to specialty crop and underserved producers currently unable to find or afford insurance coverage. Today's announcement builds on efforts in Stabenow's 2014 Farm Bill that reforms USDA's process for developing new crop insurance policies to ensure fru… Continue Reading
02.24.15
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing on 2014 Farm Bill Implementation with USDA Secretary Vilsack
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at today's hearing entitled "The Agricultural Act of 2014 - Implementation after One Year and Farm Credit Administration Nominees." The hearing featured three panels, including testimony from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Michael DeRuiter, a third-generation fruit grower from Hart, Michigan. S… Continue Reading
02.12.15
Agriculture Ranking Member Stabenow Announces Bipartisan Legislation Lifting Cuban Trade Embargo
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced her sponsorship of bipartisan legislation that would lift the more than 50-year-long Cuban trade embargo. In January, Stabenow went to Cuba as part of a congressional delegation seeking to normalize trade relations between the countries. That visit marked Stabenow's second visit to the nation. "Lifting the Cuban trade embargo represents a tremendou… Continue Reading
02.06.15
Senator Stabenow Statement on Passing of Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement on the passing of Toledo, Ohio Mayor D. Michael Collins. "I am saddened to hear about the passing of Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins. Mayor Collins was a champion for the City of Toledo and his leadership will be missed. I had the pleasure of seeing Mayor Collins in December when he testified before the Senate Agriculture Com… Continue Reading
02.06.15
Senator Stabenow’s Statement on One-Year Anniversary of the Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement in advance of the one-year anniversary of the 2014 Farm Bill signing. On February 4, 2014, the Senate passed the bipartisan bill 68-32, sending the legislation to President Obama for his signature. On February 7, 2014, President Obama signed the Farm Bill into law at Michigan State University. "One year ago this week Presiden… Continue Reading
01.16.15
Senator Stabenow: Historic Investment Marks the Start of a New Era in Water Conservation
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry joined U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Krysta Harden, along with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, to highlight a historic $17.5 million Lake Erie investment made possible by the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is a new, innovative conservation in… Continue Reading
01.14.15
Senator Stabenow Announces $370 Million Farm Bill Investment to Preserve Water Quality, Environment
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced that over 100 projects will receive a historic $370 million through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program - a new, innovative conservation initiative in the 2014 Farm Bill. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program uses diverse public-private partnerships to achieve conservation goals at local and community levels. Sen. Stabenow joined U.S. Secretary of Agricult… Continue Reading
12.10.14
Chairwoman Stabenow: CFTC Must Have Resources Necessary to Enforce Wall Street Reform
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) must have the resources needed to effectively regulate derivatives and keep our markets stable and secure. Stabenow pointed to the omnibus bill announced last night and said that funding for the Commission remains insufficent and now comes with new restrictions at a time when the Commission is being asked to do more with les… Continue Reading
12.03.14
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… Continue Reading
12.02.14
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. Stabenow led t… Continue Reading
11.26.14
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 … Continue Reading
11.21.14
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 to give real competition to Big Oil … Continue Reading
11.20.14
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 their support t… Continue Reading
10.20.14
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 WTO, or we can work togeth… Continue Reading
10.14.14
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 outbreak in the… Continue Reading
