Portland Maine News

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today commended President Biden’s administration for providing $2.7 billion to support American farmers, students who participate in school meal programs, and emergency food operations. The announcement includes $3,400,000 for Maine’s Emergency Food Providers and $4,581,570 for Maine’s school meal programs.

“The combination of inflation, expiring pandemic benefits, supply chain vulnerabilities, and other factors has fostered a very difficult environment for working Americans who are struggling to put food on the table. Many supermarket prices remain stubbornly high. That’s why I applaud President Biden and his administration for acting decisively here. This infusion of support will feed Maine kids and improve countless lives. The contrast of priorities between our political parties could not be clearer than it is on the issue of food. While Republicans are laser-focused on cutting life-saving resources like SNAP and even school meals, Congressional Democrats and President Biden remain absolutely dedicated to ensuring no one in the wealthiest country on earth goes hungry,” said Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, a member of the House Agriculture Committee.

With funding made available through USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation, the Department announced today that it will invest nearly $1.3 billion in school meal programs nationwide and nearly $1 billion to support emergency food providers, including food banks and community kitchens, as they face high demand and supply chain disruptions. This investment is part of the Biden Administration’s broader efforts to make nutritious food grown by American producers more accessible.

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