{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pingree-announces-over-1-million-federal-grants-maine-farmer-training", "Pingree Announces Over $1 million in Federal Grants for Maine Farmer Training and Support", "2018-10-03", "2018", "2018-10", "Democrat", "House", "ME", "Chellie Pingree", "P000597", "pingree.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Portland, MaineCongresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) announced today that Maine organizations will receive more than $1 million in funding from the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to recruit and train beginning farmers as well as assist farmers with chronic health issues and disabilities. Grants will go to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Somali Bantu Community Association of Lewiston Maine, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension.\nTo continue the great success we've had with Maine's agricultural revitalization, it's critical that we recruit new people into farming and help them succeed. These funded programs will ensure that a wide range of Maine farmers have access to training and support, which is why I remain a strong advocate for them in Congress, Pingree said. As the first person to go through MOFGA's apprenticeship program, I can personally speak to how important that experience was in my early days of farmingI'm excited for how this grant will strengthen and expand those efforts at the organization. Funds for the Somali Bantu Community Association will help New Mainers transplant their agricultural roots into Maine soil, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will receive support to bring adaptive technologies and strategies to Maine farmers who deal with disabilities and chronic disease. My congratulations and thanks to all three organizations on using this funding to support Maine farming.\nOn the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Pingree has been a strong advocate for USDA NIFA programs.\nGrant details contained in links.\nMaine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association  \n\tGrant Amount: $599,913  \n\tUSDA NIFA Program: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program  \n\tProject title: Cultivating Resilience: Expanding Comprehensive Training, Support And Networking For Beginner And Advanced-Beginner Farmers In Maine  \n\tMore information: https://cris.nifa.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=R=80460&format=WEBFMT6NT\nSomali Bantu Community Association of Lewiston Maine  \n\tGrant amount: $299,400  \n\tUSDA NIFA Program: Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program  \n\tProject Title: Somali Bantu Community Farming Project In Maine  \n\tMore information:https://cris.nifa.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=R=80462&format=WEBFMT6NT\nUniversity of Maine Cooperative Extension  \n\tGrant amount: $180,000  \n\tUSDA NIFA Program: Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities  \n\tProject title: Maine AgrAbility  \n\tMore information: https://cris.nifa.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=fastlink1.txt&id=anon&pass=&search=R=81072&format=WEBFMT6NT", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://pingree.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/pingree-announces-over-1-million-federal-grants-maine-farmer-training"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6534500755369663, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}