*Kuster was briefed on catastrophic crop loss due to severe May frost**

**Kuster discussed USDA and NRCS programs and the impact these resources have had on operations**

Hollis, N.H. — Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) toured Brookdale Fruit Farm and met with the owners to discuss their operations and funding made available through the United States Department of Agriculture. Kuster has advocated for strengthening technical assistance programs for farmers, streamlining nutrition assistance enrollment, and increasing access to locally grown food in this year’s Farm Bill. Kuster was briefed on the impacts of a severe May frost event on fruit production in New Hampshire and regionally. 

“Family-owned farms and producers like Brookdale Fruit Farm are vital contributors to our regional economy and food supply chains,” said Kuster. “USDA and NRCS programs play critical roles in supporting our local agriculture industry, from delivering for producers and investing in rural communities to strengthening food systems in New Hampshire and across the country. I’ll continue to advocate for Granite State farmers and producers in Congress to ensure they have the resources and support they need for long-term success.” 

“For farms like ours, USDA grant programs play a critical role in mitigating risk, allowing us to continue our operations and serve our customers,” said Trevor Hardy of Brookdale Fruit Farm. “We appreciate having Congresswoman Kuster tour our farm today and discuss how Congress can strengthen USDA programs to deliver for farmers in New Hampshire, from working on improving H-2A agricultural labor programs to improving crop insurance and disaster programs to helping protect farms from extreme weather events like this past May’s frost to further helping with the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act. Success with these programs helps ensure thriving agriculture in New Hampshire and the nation.”

Brookdale Fruit Farm is the largest and most diverse fruit farm in New Hampshire and has been in operation for over 170 years. The farm is a leader in the New Hampshire agricultural and conservation communities and actively works with the USDA Cooperative Extension System at the county and state levels. Kuster, a former Member of the House Committee on Agriculture, is a dedicated advocate for New Hampshire’s agriculture and farming communities. Specifically, Kuster has introduced or co-sponsored the following bills:

• The Veteran and Beginning Farmers Assistance Act would reauthorize the Applied Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA) program in the next Farm Bill. This reauthorization would specifically empower ATTRA to provide technical assistance to farmers regarding strategies to address climate change and extreme weather;
• The Biomass Thermal Utilization Act would create a 30% renewable energy tax credit for biomass thermal units in residential and commercial properties;
• The American Food Supply Chain Resiliency Act would establish Food Supply Chain Resiliency Centers that would provide technical assistance to small and medium-sized producers with supply chain issues;
• The Farm Worker Modernization Act would make meaningful reforms to the H-2A agricultural guestworker program and creates a first-of-its-kind, merit-based visa program specifically designed for the nation’s agricultural sector;
• And the Streamlining Nutrition Assistance Paperwork Act, which would make permanent flexibility set up by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the pandemic, helping reduce a layer of bureaucracy surrounding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) applications.

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