Among the things Mark Bittman is thankful for this holiday season is Congresswoman Chellie Pingree of Maine.

Bittman, an author and columnist writing about food policy for the New York Times and the Times magazine, outlined 25 things he’s thankful for in an opinion piece published Nov. 19. Included on the list were four D.C. politicians who he credited with fighting against big agriculture: Senators Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Jon Tester (D-Mt.), and Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Pingree (D-Maine). 

Pingree, who serves Maine’s 1st Congressional District, recently sponsored the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act, which would revise the federal Farm Bill to expand opportunities for small farmers to process and sell food locally. She introduced the bill to the House of Representatives on Nov. 1.