Concord, N.H. — Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) announced her House Agriculture Subcommittee assignments and took part in a seven-hour virtual House Agriculture Committee markup, the Committee’s first of the 117th Congress. Rep. Kuster will serve on the House Agriculture Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, the Nutrition and Oversight Subcommittee, and the Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit Subcommittee.
During the proceedings, the Committee considered and adopted the rules for the 117th Congress, as well as the Kuster-backed Agriculture and Nutrition Title reconciliation package. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people in NH who are food insecure has grown by 69 percent, with approximately one in seven Granite Staters struggling with hunger. The Agriculture and Nutrition Title reconciliation package passed by the House Agriculture Committee provides targeted and meaningful relief to growers, as well as urgent support needed to strengthen SNAP, food banks, and other food assistance programs.
During the markup, Rep. Kuster spoke in support of the budget reconciliation proposal and advocated for more essential assistance for growers and producers, as well as families struggling with hunger to boost rural health responses to the pandemic, and support disadvantaged farmers who have been systematically discriminated against long before COVID.
“Our Granite State farmers, producers, and eaters have shown incredible strength and resilience throughout this crisis, and I’m thrilled to be a member of the House Agriculture Committee to bring their voices, concerns, and experience to Congress,” said Rep. Kuster. “Serving on the Conservation Forestry, Nutrition and Oversight, and Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit Subcommittees, I will be well-positioned to advocate for the priorities of our New Hampshire agriculture industry and support them as we continue to build back from this pandemic.”
Rep. Kuster continued, “Our Granite State farmers and producers are the backbone of NH’s $850 million agriculture economy and serve as a key part of our state’s economic engine. But, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis, they are suffering and need support in order to weather the storm. This is our opportunity to build back better, and I’m thrilled the House Agriculture Committee passed this proactive, forward-looking reconciliation package to get us to the other side of this pandemic. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this Committee, Secretary-Designate Vilsack, and the Biden-Harris administration to ensure relief gets delivered quickly and fairly, and that our farmers, producers, and consumers have the resources and support they need to succeed.”
Rep. Kuster has been a consistent advocate for New Hampshire’s farmers and producers, bringing the voices of Granite Staters to Congress. In the 117th Congress, Kuster was reappointed to the House Agriculture Committee, which she served on for her first three terms in Congress. On the Committee, Kuster helped advance critical legislation to bolster the Northern Border Regional Commission, strengthen the dairy safety net, support veteran farming, and small organic farms, boost rural development, and protect nutrition assistance. Earlier this week, Kuster held a virtual meeting with New Hampshire food producers and distributors to discuss the challenges and opportunities in developing a sustainable, resilient local food system, and how Congress can support their work during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The full Agriculture Committee reconciliation package can be viewed here.
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