Agriculture
Preserving Family Farms and Protecting Open Spaces
Protecting our working farmland is critical to preserving Rhode Island's heritage and maintaining a diverse economy. Our state's rich soil allows Rhode Island farmers to produce some of the best tasting apples, potatoes, and sweet corn in the nation.
Senator Reed has worked hard to ensure the federal government does its part to help Rhode Island family farmers remain competitive and productive.
As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Reed recently helped secure $3.5 million in federal funding to protect Rhode Island's local farms through the Farm and Ranchland Preservation Program.
When natural disasters have struck, Reed has been there to make sure the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides federal assistance to Rhode Island farmers. He has also secured funding for agriculture conservation programs to help promote farming practices that are environmentally responsible.
Reed has been a strong advocate for reforming our farm policy, which provides enormous subsidies to large agribusinesses, but doesn't do enough to help the kind of family farmers we have in our state. Reed voted against the 2008 farm bill because it continues to subsidize growers who don't need government assistance while making it harder for Rhode Island to receive aid for key environmental initiatives like the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program.
Reed is a key supporter of the FRESH Act, a pro-farmer, pro-consumer, pro-nutrition bill that would help protect Rhode Island's open spaces and save taxpayers money by replacing out-dated federal farm subsidies with a reformed insurance program for all American farmers.
Reed has also led the effort to bolster Rhode Island's shellfish aquaculture industry and preserve our coastal resources. He secured $1.5 million to initiate the Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative which has increased the breadth and depth of the Ocean State's aquaculture industry, helped create jobs, and promoted ecologically sustainable development. As a result, Rhode Island's aquaculture has almost doubled production.
Recent News:
Reed Gets NOAA Clam and Quahog Study Back on Track
Reed Supports FRESH Act to Protect Farmers and Benefit Consumers
National Marine Fisheries Service Takes Action to Prevent Overfishing of Scallops
New England Lobster Research Initiative Awards $2.3 Million in Research and Monitoring Grants
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