Berlin, N.H. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) and USDA-Rural Development State Director Sarah Waring toured North Country Growers, a greenhouse facility focused on expanding access to local-grown produce in the Northeast. During the tour, Kuster met with USDA leaders and local officials to discuss the importance of local agriculture and the impact facilities like North Country Growers will have on the region and the economy.

“Thank you to the farmers and local leaders who met with me today to discuss the importance of locally sourced food for our state and our communities,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Local agriculture supports our economy and increases access to sustainably sourced food — a win-win. North Country Growers is a great example that this model is possible here in New Hampshire, and I look forward to bringing the conversations we had today back to Congress as we consider the Farm Bill!”

“We are incredibly proud to partner with North Country Growers in Berlin to create new and better food markets in New Hampshire,” said Sarah Waring, State Director for USDA Rural Development. “Through the Business & Industry Loan Guarantee Program, the USDA recently invested $19.9 million in the company, reflecting our confidence in its innovative approach to climate-smart agriculture, and its pioneering efforts to help shape and support New Hampshire’s food supply chain of the future. Today’s visit with Congresswoman Kuster to see and learn more about the operation is both an honor and unique opportunity to experience how our combined support helps rural businesses and communities thrive.”

“We are well on our way to completion of the first 10 acres of greenhouses and intend to build more over time,” said Marguerite Piret, North Country Growers LLC. “We offer year-round employment with good compensation and benefits in a very pleasant and safe environment. It was wonderful to welcome Congresswoman Kuster and USDA Rural Development to our site today and we look forward to what’s to come.”

Kuster, a former Member of the House Committee on Agriculture and a fierce advocate for New Hampshire farmers and producers, has introduced or co-sponsored the following bills:

1. 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;
2. The Biomass Thermal Utilization Act would create a 30% renewable energy tax credit for biomass thermal units in residential and commercial properties;
3. 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;
4. 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
5. 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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