WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) released the following statement on the passing of Gus Schumacher, a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement and dedicated advocate for helping low-income families access healthy, local food.

“I will dearly miss Gus, who was a good friend and a trusted partner in our shared work to reform the food system. He was one of the first to connect local farmers to local chefs in New England, which has fundamentally changed our restaurants. But he also made sure that fresh, local food was available to all, not just a few.  As co-founder of Wholesome Wave, he was an effective advocate for giving low-income families more buying power to purchase fresh food. And you don’t have to look very far at USDA to see the profound impact he had on federal farm and nutrition programs as an undersecretary. His legacy will live on, showing just how dedicated, creative, and successful Gus was in championing a better food system.”

—The Office of Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME)

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