Walt Whitcomb, Maine’s commissioner of agriculture, conservation and forestry, has been chosen to serve on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s 64-member agricultural advisory committee.
A Maine Republican Party news release announcing Whitcomb’s selection said it is notable because Trump’s advisory committee includes six governors and agricultural leaders from several large agricultural states. The inclusion of Whitcomb ensures that “the voice of the small family farmer will also be heard,” it said.
In the release, Whitcomb said he was honored to be chosen for the advisory role.
“Maine has the largest number of farms in New England and that number has been increasing while the number of farms nationally have been in decline,” he said. “Maine has benefited from a leader (Gov. Paul LePage) who is not a politician, speaks his mind, continually challenges the status quo and is unafraid to say that we can and should be doing better. I see a lot of these same qualities in Donald Trump and will gladly help shape agricultural policies that produce results, put people to work and put healthy food on the table.”
Maine Republican Party Chairman Richard Bennett said Whitcomb is an excellent choice for the advisory committee, noting that in addition to his agricultural experience, Whitcomb has served as both assistant minority leader and minority leader in the Maine House of Representatives.
“In choosing Mr. Whitcomb to be on his Agricultural Advisory Committee, Mr. Trump is displaying that he understands and values Maine’s rich agricultural history and its importance to our state and national economy,” Bennett said in the release. “Mr. Whitcomb is an individual who not only possesses a wealth of agricultural knowledge through extensive personal experience but also vast political experience.”
J. Craig Anderson can be contacted at 791-6390 or at:
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