Senator Collins Speaks at Maine Potato Board Industry Dinner Honoring Don Flannery

Easton, ME – Tonight, U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke at the Maine Potato Board (MPB) Industry Dinner in Easton. In attendance at the event were the staff and board of directors of the MPB, along with potato growers and their families from across Aroostook County. The dinner was held in honor of MPB Executive Director Don Flannery, who was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, prior to his planned retirement from the MPB in October. Senator Collins presented Don with a copy of a statement she submitted to the Congressional Record memorializing his tenure at the MPB, along with an American Flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol in his honor.

“Don, as you retire after 27 years with the Board, I join your many friends and colleagues in offering our thanks for a job well done and our congratulations for a legacy well secured,” said Senator Collins. “In the decades that I have worked with Don, I have known no stronger supporter of Maine potato growers. Thank you, Don, and best wishes for a happy and healthy retirement.”

During the event, Senator Collins received the Industry Impact Award for her continued support of Maine potato growers at the federal level.

Senator Collins has been an unwavering supporter of Maine’s potato industry throughout her Senate service. Earlier this year, Senators Collins and Michael Bennet (D-CO) successfully halted the reclassification of potatoes as a grain instead of a vegetable in the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

In October of 2011, President Obama’s USDA proposed a rule that would have banned white potatoes from the national school breakfast and limited its use in the lunch programs.  In response, Senator Collins and Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) introduced an amendment that prohibited the rule. It passed unanimously. Senator Collins continues to secure language annually in the Agriculture Appropriations bill that prevents the USDA from imposing limitations on potatoes in the school breakfast and lunch program.

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