Produce industry leaders are praising the contributions of retiring U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow to the specialty crop industry.
After serving 24 years, Stabenow, D-Mich., is leaving the Senate at the end of December.
“It’s hard to put into words the positive impact Chairwoman Stabenow has made on the fresh produce community throughout her Congressional career,” said Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association. “A consistent champion for fresh produce, she established the Specialty Crop Title in the 2008 farm bill and has led nutrition policies ranging from nationwide expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, incorporating the first-ever fruit and vegetable incentives in the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program and championing fruits and vegetables in nutrition standards for school meals.
“Because of Chairwoman Stabenow, high school seniors who graduated in 2024 have always known school meals that include a fruit and vegetable,” she continued. “That is lasting impact, which is why we honored her in June during The Washington Conference with the inaugural IFPA Fresh Impact Lifetime Achievement Award. We will miss her leadership and partnership as an incredible friend of, and force for, our community.”
Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee, said the retirement of Stabenow will be a big loss for the agricultural community.
‘We will miss her greatly,” Smith said. “She is affectionately known as the ‘Specialty Crop Queen’ for her tremendous support of agriculture, especially specialty crops. Our industry is fortunate to have had such a champion at the federal level, advocating for our safe, quality food supply grown right here in the United States. It has truly been an honor to work with Sen. Stabenow over the years.”
Robert Guenther, manager for the Florida Tomato Committee, said Stabenow will be missed by the industry.
“Chairwoman Stabenow was a true champion for specialty crops throughout her congressional career starting with her time in the House and through her chairmanship over the last four years,” he said. “I had the privilege to work with her during that time and can say without hesitation [that] without her leadership, tenacity and perseverance, we would not be in the place we are today related to farm policy for specialty crops.”
In her farewell address to the Senate, Stabenow said it was her privilege to put her stamp on the U.S. farm bill.
“I have frequently said that you can see Michigan on every page of the farm bills I have written,” she said. “As the author of the specialty crop title in the farm bill, I am grateful that the full diversity of farms, small and large, are now reflected in our funding and our agriculture policies. I am so pleased that families across our country have access to healthy, locally grown foods through farmers’ markets and urban agriculture and that our children can count on permanent funding for summer meals and other critical food assistance.”
