Senator Baldwin Leads Bipartisan Support for Wisconsin Cranberry Growers

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a strong supporter of Wisconsin’s agriculture economy and co-chair of the Congressional Cranberry Caucus, this week led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, advocating for Wisconsin cranberry growers.

“Wisconsin produces more cranberries than any other state. In a state that depends on agriculture to support hundreds of thousands of jobs and communities small and large, it’s essential that we provide our growers with the tools and resources they need to continue to succeed,” said Baldwin. “And that means supporting them when the markets are tough. I will continue to advocate for efforts that strengthen Wisconsin’s agriculture industry and grow our rural economies.”

The letter asks USDA to consider a purchase of cranberries to mitigate the impact of a cranberry oversupply on growers at no cost to the taxpayer. The program is funded through customs receipts and the products purchased are provided to food pantries, which distribute the products to families in need. In addition, the cranberry industry has also worked with agency staff the Foreign Agriculture Service to expand export markets for cranberries and at the Food and Nutrition Service to expand the availability of cranberry products in school food programs through the addition of sweetened, dried cranberries to the Foods Available List.

The letter can be found online here.