WASHINGTON, D.C. — A contingent of Maine potato growers and industry leaders congregated on Capitol Hill recently to advocate for their most pressing federal policy priorities.
The 2015 Potato D.C. Fly-In, hosted by the National Potato Council (NPC), was held Feb. 23-26. More than 150 U.S. potato growers and industry partners came to Washington, D.C. where they met with 136 U.S. Senate and House offices representing 22 states and met with federal regulators at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
During their Hill visits, growers urged Congress to address key industry issues including funding for the Potato Research Special Grant, pollinator health, truck weight reform, and voluntary GMO labeling.
“If we — the industry — have an issue that we need to discuss with the Congressional delegation, we don’t wait until this time of year to go do it,” explained Tim Hobbs, director of development/grower relations for the Maine Potato Board. “We are in constant communication with them on any of the issues that may affect our industry. We don’t use this as the only opportunity we have to reach out and have conversations with our delegation.
“The Potato D.C. Fly-In is more of a coordinated event on issues that have national repercussions. The NPC organizes it so we can all be there at the same time — up on the Hill — talking to our members about issues that are important to the industry on a national basis,” he said, noting that his daughter, Rachel, attended the Fly-In with him. “Our delegation is in some very key positions to influence legislation and policy, so we go to participate in that because we feel it’s important to speak with one voice. That’s probably the main reason that we go.”
Hobbs said during the Fly-In the USDA and EPA conducted presentations for the group on various topics ranging from APHIS to pesticide issues to trade and phytosanitary concerns.
“We get to meet those people and become familiar with them, and develop relationships with them, so in the future, if I have an issue and it’s with the EPA, I have a contact there that I can touch base with,” he said. “The NPC helps create those contacts by bringing those people into the Fly-In. To me, developing those relationships is as important as the efforts on the Hill because we already have our relationships established with our delegation.”
This was the 14th year Hobbs has attended the Fly-In.
“It’s worth going year after year,” he said. “It’s important to keep going just to keep those relationships.”
Joining Hobbs in Washington, D.C. was Brent Buck of Chapman, who not only operates Buck Farms with his brothers, but is a member of the Maine Potato Board and a director for the NPC.
“The benefits of me — as a grower — going is that it creates some continuity so that staff in our delegation’s offices see faces beyond the ‘hired guns’ [Hobbs and Don Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato Board],” said Buck. “It makes it more real by having the people who are affected by these legislative decisions — the potato growers — standing in front of you. It’s a good experience and there’s a lot of positives to it.”
Buck has made the trip for several years, and said it’s like “old home week.”
“There’s always some new faces,” he said, “but there’s always some familiar ones. I’ve been blessed to be part of this organization, and I’ve created friends all across the U.S.”
While some years, Buck said, the potato growers have a strong message that needs to be sent to the politicians, other years their visit is more for “maintenance” purposes.
“Some years you don’t have that hot-button issue, but you go to talk and shake hands and get reacquainted,” he said. “That was more the case this year.”
Buck has nothing but praise for Maine’s Congressional delegation.
“I can honestly say that we have some of the best people representing our industry. We have people who truly care about our industry; they and their staff are very accessible,” he said. “We’re really blessed to have the people that we have down there who care about Aroostook County, and the state of Maine.”
The 2015 Fly-In featured presentations by a number of lawmakers, many of whom were influential in reversing the ban on fresh white potatoes in the WIC program. Fly-In attendees heard from Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Angus King (I-Maine) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), who all applauded the recent WIC victory. Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kans.) joined the group to address GMO labeling, DelBene briefed the group on immigration reform, and Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) discussed the pollinator health issue.
The common theme among members of Congress was the importance of participants willing to make the trip and share their story.
“We’re here to help and can communicate your concerns much more effectively to our colleagues and regulators if we know what is on your mind,” said King.
Fly-In attendees also heard from a number of renowned political strategists and commentators.
Among those from Maine also attending the Fly-In were Steve Crane of Exeter, Robbie Irving of Caribou, Keith Doyen of Mapleton, and Dominic LaJoie and Jay LaJoie, both from Van Buren.
The 2016 Fly-In will be held Feb. 23-26.
