A third-generation Marylander, Ben Cardin has been a national leader on health care, retirement security, the environment and fiscal issues while representing the people of Maryland in the U.S. Senate, and before that in the House of Representatives. He has worked across party lines to further U.S. national security and to ensure that good governance, transparency and respect for human rights are integrated into American foreign policy.
First elected to the Senate in 2006, Senator Cardin currently serves as Chair of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee, which is at the forefront of rebuilding our economy. He is a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations, Finance, and Environment & Public Works committees.
Agriculture is Maryland’s largest industry, with more than 12,000 farms covering more than 2 million acres. They produce $1.3 billion of agricultural products annually and employ 350,000 workers. Success requires a unique blend of federal and state programs that help farmers manage risk, carry out careful stewardship of every acre, and provide opportunities to market their products close to home.
Maryland farmers understand the value of a healthy Chesapeake Bay: a cleaner Bay means better water and soil for producers and a stronger overall economy for the region and the nation. That’s why I will continue to fight for Maryland farmers, including federal support for conservation efforts. I worked to ensure the $23.5 billion in pandemic relief funding for farmers and ranchers nationwide included in the CARES Act was accessible to Maryland’s wide variety of commodities, including seafood. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 invested over $12 billion in nutrition assistance and increased SNAP, WIC, and P-EBT benefits, including funds to help expand SNAP online purchasing and make it easier for Maryland participants, especially individuals with low access to transportation, as well as those with physical limitations, to order and pay for their groceries online.