The Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Sen. Collins is the chair, has begun meeting this summer to discuss the agricultural policies that will be funded in 2026. Due to the passage of the Reconciliation Bill in June, there is not likely to be a Farm Bill in 2025, and if there is one, it will be very limited in scope because so many of the issues that are normally dealt with in the Farm Bill were legislated through the Reconciliation Bill. For this reason, the appropriations process is one of our limited means to advocate for increased funding for the programs that were cut or left unfunded in the Reconciliation Bill.
Issues that are important to our Maine farmers that could be dealt with in the appropriations bill:
- Fully fund the Organic Cost Share Program to support organic farmers overburdened by certification costs.
- Fully fund the Organic Transition Initiative to support farmers transitioning to organic.
- Support the Organic Research and Extension Initiative so organic farmers are on the cutting edge.
- Fully fund conservation programs through the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Tell your representatives to advocate for these critical issues in the appropriations bill!
