Press Releases

Left to right: Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small.

Photos and b-roll from the visit can be found here.

HARRINGTON, Del.  — Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), along with Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael T. Scuse, hosted U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small at the Delaware State Fair. Blunt Rochester and Torres Small connected with local vendors and residents, toured the updated New Castle Building that Blunt Rochester secured federal funding for, and stopped by Blunt Rochester’s Congressional table in the Delaware Building. The annual state fair celebrates Delaware’s agricultural sector – one of our state’s primary economic drivers – and promotes education in agricultural programming.

“Every year, I look forward to attending the Delaware State Fair. This year, I was excited that Secretary Scuse and I could showcase our state’s ag sector and the spirit of the First State to Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Torres Small,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “But the state fair isn’t just about the food and fun, it’s about celebrating our ag community and all that it contributes to our health, our communities, and our economy. As Congress works to pass the next Farm Bill reauthorization, the state fair is an opportunity for me to get insight from our ag community about how we can put together a package that best responds to the needs of our farmers and protects critical ag programs. I’m grateful to the Deputy Secretary for coming to Delaware today and remain committed to working alongside the Biden Administration in ensuring that the ag sector in Delaware and across the country remains strong.”

"State Fairs remind me of home, community, and the fruits of our labor," said Deputy Secretary Torres Small. "In Delaware, the Biden-Harris Administration's work with Congresswoman Blunt Rochester to fund the New Castle Agricultural Program Building helped drive down operating costs so the State Fair can be enjoyed by everyone. I'm glad to be one of the many people to visit the Delaware State Fair this year and to spend time with Congresswoman Blunt Rochester and Secretary Scuse."

During her first term in Congress, Blunt Rochester served on the esteemed House Agriculture Committee and was the first Delawarean to serve on the committee in over 120 years. She played a leading role in crafting the 2018 Farm Bill, which was a five-year reauthorization that extended the U.S. Department of Agriculture programs related to the farm safety net; nutrition programs for children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities; land-grant and 1890 universities; and agriculture research. In 2022, Blunt Rochester secured $937,500 in Community Project Funding for improvements to the New Castle Building on the state fairgrounds, which is used year-round for Delaware 4-H and FFA Association programming. Blunt Rochester highlighted the improvements during her visit to the state fair in 2022.

The Delaware State Fair runs from Thursday, July 18 to Saturday, July 27. More information on the fair can be found here.

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