[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 28, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S7589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         RECOGNIZING MARCH FARM

 Mr. MURPHY. Mr. President, I wish to congratulate March Farm, 
a fourth generation family farm from Connecticut, on its 100-year 
anniversary. Since 1915, when Thomas and Rose Marchukaitis put down 
$2,500 to buy 114 acres of land, the March family has worked hard to 
produce delicious and healthy fruits and vegetables for the people of 
Connecticut.
  March Farm, like many of Connecticut's nearly 6,000 farms, is small 
and family owned. Situated in beautiful Bethlehem, CT, they have a 
growing community supported agriculture business that now has about 90 
members receiving regular crates of produce. They have worked hard to 
implement efficient, modern farming practices, even as they eschew 
chemical pesticides and use environmentally sensitive pest mangagement 
practices. These practices and the bucolic setting they are located in 
are part of the reason they were recently named Connecticut's ``best 
farm/orchard experience'' by Connecticut Magazine.
  Many of my colleagues may be surprised to think of Connecticut as a 
farming state, but I am glad to report that farming is alive, well, and 
growing at home. The movement towards locally produced fruits and 
vegetables and a growing awareness among consumers about healthy, 
sustainable food choices has supported a nearly 60 percent increase in 
the number of farms in Connecticut since the 1980s. And many young 
people, like Ben March, are leaving desk jobs to rediscover the 
fulfilment of farming, reinvigorating this vital sector.
  These farms are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, 
but they need our help to continue to thrive. Although small farms like 
March Farm make up fully 90 percent of all farms in the United States, 
large operations account for the vast bulk of production and sales of 
produce nationwide. Small family farms face a number of challenges, not 
least slimmer profit margins and higher risk. I will continue to fight 
for small, local farm supports such as beginning farmer and rancher 
grants and robust farm safety net programs.
  March Farm is an example of the best of Connecticut, and I wish them 
continued success over their next 100 years.

                          ____________________