Newport Farmer Nominated to Lead Agriculture Department

By Sharon Kiley Mack, Bangor Daily News, Maine

Mar. 8–NEWPORT — A potato farmer from Newport who has been active in local politics for decades was nominated Tuesday by Gov. John Baldacci as commissioner of the Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources Department.

Seth Bradstreet III “displays a deep desire to promote all aspects of Maine agriculture,” Baldacci said Tuesday. “His knowledge of agriculture and his passion for it make him a superb candidate, and I am pleased that he is willing to take on this important leadership position.”

While acknowledging that it is “favorable to have a nominee who is actually a farmer, with dirty hands and boots,” the chairman of the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee said Tuesday that Bradstreet would face some tough questioning during his nomination hearing.

Sen. John Nutting, D-Leeds, said there are serious morale, management and personnel issues within the state agriculture department.

“We need to know how he intends to deal with these,” Nutting said. In addition, Nutting said he wants to know Bradstreet’s views on “a slush fund discovered within the department of agriculture.”

The senator said he asked the state auditor two weeks ago to look into the fund of “a couple of hundred thousand dollars” that no one seems to know existed or where it came from.

Nutting also wants to know what Bradstreet will do about $325,000 appropriated three years ago to create a Web site for recycling centers and others to track Maine returnables.

“That Web site still has not been created,” Nutting said.

“I think the agriculture committee will be very receptive to a farmer with administrative experience,” Nutting said. “But he will first have to handle some tough questions.”

The chairman said the committee will attempt to schedule a nomination hearing fairly rapidly.

In announcing Bradstreet’s nomination, Baldacci said the Newport farmer would be promoting agriculture whether through the Agriculture in the Classroom program or at Maine’s fairs.

“He has a strong farming and leadership background,” Baldacci said.

Ned Porter, who has been serving as interim commissioner since the resignation last fall of Robert Spear, will remain on as deputy commissioner, the governor said.

Bradstreet said Tuesday afternoon that he was looking forward to the challenge.

“I have my work cut out for me,” he said, listing as his primary goals promoting Maine agriculture and focusing on marketing Maine food products.

“We need to get the blinders off and get to work,” Bradstreet said. “We need to take a look at what we have and increase the help we provide in the area of marketing.”

He acknowledged that budget cuts have resulted in a department heavy on regulating and light on services.

“But I don’t think it is always a money issue,” he said. Bradstreet promised not to look at party affiliation when structuring his department.

“The bottom line is we are all farmers,” he said.

Bradstreet is the owner-operator of Bradstreet Farms of Newport, specializing in early generation and certified seed potatoes. He serves on the Maine Potato Board and was board president from 2003 to 2004. He is chairman of the County Committee of the USDA Farm Service Agency. He previously was on the Newport Board of Selectmen and is chairman of the Newport Water District.

Bradstreet also served on the board of directors for Farm Credit of Maine. He was a member of Mid-Maine Young Farmers, having served as president of the organization from 1992 to 1993. Bradstreet also served on the SAD 48 board of directors and was awarded the Young Farmer of the Year Award in 1994.

He is a graduate of Nokomis Regional High School and attended the University of Maine. He has been married for 23 years to his wife, Debra, and they have two children.

After approval by the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee, Bradstreet’s nomination must be confirmed by the full Senate.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Bangor Daily News, Maine

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