Search
|
Blog
10/31/12
Rehberg Recognized by Montana Farm Bureau Federation for Leadership Role in 112th Congress - 10/31/12
Montana Congressman Denny Rehberg (left) receives the Friend of Farm Bureau Award from Montana Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Hansen (center) and Executive Vice President Jake Cummins.
BOZEMAN, MT -- Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, was awarded the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) “Friend of Farm Bureau” award at a presentation in Bozeman this week. Rehberg earned the award with his steadfast support of Montana’s farm and ranch community during the 112th Congress.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by the agriculture industry as someone who will stand with them to address the many challenges Montana farmers and ranchers must confront on a daily basis,” said Rehberg, a 5th generation rancher from Billings. “I'll keep up the fight to kill the death tax once and for all, and stand up to an over-reaching federal government piling on unnecessary regulations on farm operations. With the help of the farming community we were able to turn back some of the more egregious policies so that Montana’s farm and ranch communities could continue to be the engine that feeds our economy, as well as the hands that feed the nation.”
The “Friend of Farm Bureau” award is based on the voting records of members of Congress on AFBF priority issues, the number of bills a member carries, his or her leadership role on AFBF priority issues, and accessibility to Farm Bureau members and leaders. The Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) nominated Rehberg for the award, and MFBF President Bob Hanson, and Executive Vice President Jake Cummins were on hand to present the award in Bozeman.
“While in the 112th Congress, Representative Rehberg voted with our Farm Bureau policy 95 percent of the time,” said MFBF President Bob Hanson. “We are fortunate to have a representative who is very supportive of Montana agriculture. This award is about agriculture, not politics.”
# # #
10/26/12
Pearce Recognized as "Friend of Farm Bureau" - 10/26/12
Las Cruces, NM – Rep. Steve Pearce has been recognized for the fifth time by the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau as a “Friend of Farm Bureau.” Based on their evaluation of his voting record in Congress, the Bureau gave Pearce a perfect 100% score for his work for New Mexico agriculture.
“I am honored to be called a ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’” said Pearce. “New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers are vital to our economy and our way of life. They constantly face not only natural challenges like drought, but also new taxes and crippling regulations from Washington. I’m proud to fight for New Mexico’s agricultural community, and make sure these families have a voice in Washington.”
Mike White, president of New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau, thanked Pearce for his service, saying, “Congressman Pearce has been a strong advocate for agriculture. We are fortunate that he is in D.C. representing food producers and their concerns.”
With 16,000 members, New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau is “the state’s largest, private agricultural organization,” “comprised of farmers and ranchers, and those who are interested in private property rights and a local food supply.”
###
10/25/12
McMorris Rodgers Delivers Keynote Speech at Society of American Foresters National Convention - 10/25/12
Spokane, WA- Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) delivered the keynote speech at the Society of American Foresters National Convention in Spokane today. The Congresswoman spoke about her work to improve federal land management policies and issues specific to the Colville National Forest.
“Our federal forests are sick and the communities that depend on them have struggled for decades due to inaction,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers. “When I look at our national forests - 200 million acres across the country - and learn that one out of three acres is bug infested, diseased, or dead, I find that unacceptable. In addition, it is no coincidence that many of the counties with the highest unemployment rates in the country are those which are surrounded by federal forests. By removing lands from private ownership - and thus, from the local municipal tax rolls – the government stifles locally-driven development and makes rural communities more dependent on Washington, DC. With job creation, economic growth, and federalism now more important than ever, it is imperative that Congress and the federal agencies undertake a comprehensive review of their land ownership policies.”
Rep. McMorris Rodgers cited the Colville National Forest (CNF) as a model to set our forests and our rural communities on a better course. The Congresswoman acknowledged the excellent work by the Northwest Washington Forestry Coalition (NWFC), a coalition of local stakeholders that has brought warring sides together to identify and implement forest management solutions. Rep. McMorris Rodgers has advocated on behalf of the NWFC for years. In February 2012, the U.S. Forest Service recognized the CNF by providing $968,000 in funding for the CNF’s restoration efforts.
The Congresswoman also championed several pieces of legislation to improve federal land management policies, including…
- H.R. 4019, the Federal Forest County Revenue, Schools and Jobs Act,which would reform the Secure Rural Schools program.
- HR 2541, the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act,which would protect forest jobs by reversing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ misguided ruling that forest stormwater runoff produced during logging must be regulated by the Clean Water Act, overturning 35 years of federal environmental policy.
- H.R. 758, The National Monument Designation Transparency and Accountability Act, which would require the President to receive approval from Congress before designating a national monument.
- H.R. 1581, the Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act,which would release public lands that have already been identified by the Bureau of Land Management as not suitable for wilderness from further study for wilderness designation.
“Even when America's economy was booming, many federal policies on the use of our resources were counterproductive. But today, with so much economic suffering, they're devastating. We do not need more Big Government, one-size-fits-all, ‘my way or the highway’ policies. The time has come to put our peopleback to work, which means putting our landback to work.”
The Society of American Foresters is the largest professional society for foresters in the world. To learn more, click here.
10/22/12
Berg Named 'Friend of Farm Bureau' For Commitment to Agriculture Industry - 10/22/12
FARGO, N.D. – Congressman Rick Berg today was presented with the American Farm Bureau Federation’s ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ Award by North Dakota Farm Bureau (NDFB) Executive Vice President Jeffrey Missling. The ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award is given at the end of each Congress to those members of Congress
who are nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors.In presenting Berg with the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau Award,’ NDFB Executive Vice President Jeffrey Missling noted Berg’s efforts to get a long-term farm bill passed in the House.
"Congressman Berg’s persistence and work ethic on behalf of our state and country’s agriculture industry is to be commended,” stated Missling. “There is no bigger agriculture advocate in the House of Representatives than Rick Berg. Rick Berg’s efforts to push for a long-term farm bill over the past few months have been remarkable, and I cannot think of anyone more worthy of this award than him."
While expressing gratitude for receiving the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award, Berg noted his ongoing push for a long-term farm bill.
“I am honored to receive the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award today from the North Dakota Farm Bureau,” stated Berg. “I’ve always said that agriculture is the one shining light in our economy, and that is why I continue working every single day to protect North Dakota’s agriculture interests. North Dakota farmers and ranchers deserve the certainty of a long term farm bill, and I won’t stop pressuring House Republican Leadership until that happens.”
The ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award is based upon voting records on American Farm Bureau Federation’s priority issues established by the Board of Directors, number of bills that a member has sponsored and co-sponsored, specific leadership role for Farm Bureau on priority issues, and how accessible and responsive that member is to Farm Bureau members and leaders. In addition, the state Farm Bureau lists any other specific reasons why that member should receive this award.
Berg has been steadfast with his vocal persistence of getting a long term Farm Bill passed. The Fargo Forum recognized Berg’s efforts, stating that, “Few in the House are working harder than Berg to force a vote on farm legislation.” They added that, “Berg has pushed hard to get leadership to move. To charge he’s not been pulling out all the stops to advance farm legislation is not accurate.”
Berg’s efforts were also singled out by Politico, who stated that he “helped to trigger the whips’ discussion [and] grayer heads—and traditional team players— backed him up including Reps. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Randy Neugebauer (R-Tex.), as well as House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.).”
###
10/20/12
Neugebauer: Remarks to the Society of Environmental Journalists - 10/20/12
As Prepared for Delivery
"Resources, Research, and West Texas Innovation"Thank you all for having me here today. I’d especially like to thank Dr. Ronald Kendall, Professor of Environmental Toxicology and Special Assistant to the President at Texas Tech. He helped create the Institute of Environmental and Human Health, which combines a variety of academic resources and research specialties to examine the environmental and health impacts of chemicals.
This creative, collaborative approach is what keeps Tech at the forefront of academic research, so I’m grateful to Dr. Kendall for all of his work, and for inviting me to take part in this conference.
Dr. Kendall and his colleagues at Tech are doing incredible work, and I really hope you’ll take the time to learn about that while you’re here.
I also hope that you spend some time learning about what makes West Texas so special—it’s not just our barbeque, although you should sample that too.
West Texas and the Big Country form one of nature’s biggest working laboratories for agriculture, energy, and water research. The theme of this conference—Big Land, Big Sky, Big Issues—couldn’t be more appropriate.
You’d be hard pressed to find an area with a more diverse mix of energy sources, agricultural production, and natural resources. They combine to foster research and entrepreneurial opportunities that are at the cutting edge of development.
I also think we have two extra ingredients that have truly made us successful: technological innovation and smart regulation that promotes growth.
Today, I’d like to share how that combination of resources, research, and smart regulation has contributed to some achievements I’m particularly proud of. I think that West Texas can serve as an example to the rest of the country on how we can meet the challenges we face today.
West Texas is one of the most productive agricultural regions in America. We lead the country in county in cotton production and we’re also one of the top producers of cattle and calves.
While I like to think that we do everything a little better in West Texas, the truth is that our agricultural success mirrors what’s been happening across the country.
Today, only two percent of our population feeds not only the other 98%, but also a good deal of the rest of the world. They’re doing this with less labor and less land than ever before.
Our efficiency improvements are primarily due to technological advances. Whether it’s growing drought-resistant crops, improving livestock nutrition, or reducing the need for pesticides, agricultural research continues to improve our productivity.
Since 1948 our agricultural output has increased by 170%, while inputs have remained more or less constant, and in some cases, have decreased.
And the industry did all this while the price of food stayed the same or went down. Americans spend less on food than citizens of any other country in the world. That’s an incredible success story, and I’m proud of all our farmers and ranchers do.
But despite our success, we can’t rest on our laurels—the world’s population is steadily growing, and will reach nine billion by 2050.
To feed these nine billion souls, producers the world over will have to continue to dramatically improve efficiency.
That will require research, technology, and ingenuity. And it also means that we need to ensure we have a political and regulatory environment that promotes agriculture, rather than stifling growth.
For agriculture to succeed, we’ll also have to pay particular attention to our water use. Water is precious in Texas and no one is more aware of that than our farmers and ranchers.
We’re making huge strides in this area. Our irrigation efficiency is about 95 percent, so we get a significant return on investment for our water use. In 2007, the statewide value of irrigated agriculture was $4.7 billion.
And while statewide agricultural irrigation has stayed pretty much constant since the 1970s, we’ve managed to double our cotton and corn yields in that time.
Our farmers, ranchers, and scientists are continuing to improve our irrigation efficiency through advances in drought tolerant crops, improved water management technologies, and continued conservation efforts. It will be critical that we continue to push for better water management in the future, and Tech is helping in that effort.
Their Water Resources Center is working to increase the supply of available water, improve conservation, and prevent the pollution of existing water supplies.
In addition to our agricultural success, Lubbock is also at the hub of some exciting developments in energy production. And much like the challenge we face in feeding a growing world, our energy use and the growing population means that we can’t be content to rule out any energy sources.
I think West Texas is one of the most exciting places for energy expansion right now. That’s because we’re developing new resources and using new technologies to gain greater efficiency from traditional energy.
When you think Texas, you think oil. And that’s still true. We are the top oil producing state in the country. But we’re also one of the top producers of clean natural gas and we lead the country in wind energy capacity.
Texas truly embodies the “all-of-the-above” philosophy that we need to embrace to meet our energy requirements. By encouraging all forms of energy production, we can increase our energy resources, create jobs, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
There’s a striking example of this about 300 miles south of here in Dimmit County. Two years ago, the U.S. Census Bureau classified it as one of the 20 poorest counties in the country.
Unemployment had reached 10.5 percent and the median household income was less than half of the statewide average.
Today, there’s an entirely different picture in Dimmit. The population is booming. Unemployment has been cut in half to only five percent—far below the national average. Businesses are springing up everywhere.
That’s because the Eagle Ford shale is quickly becoming the most productive source of natural gas in the country. It is producing $20 billion in economic output for Dimmit and 13 nearby counties, and is supporting nearly 40,000 full-time jobs.
The Eagle Ford shale has become this productive because of the growth in hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” While this technology has been used in Texas for more than 60 years, new advancements have created unprecedented opportunity for the region. And in those past 60 years, hydraulic fracturing has not caused a single case of groundwater contamination.
With smart, thoughtful state regulations that promote responsible development without needlessly preventing growth, we can continue building on this success.
We’ve also made great strides in wind energy production. I have to laugh when wind is called a “renewable” energy. Growing up on the plains of Texas, the wind doesn’t seem renewable so much as it seems incessant.
So it makes sense that we lead the country in wind energy capacity. Wind energy already provides about seven percent of Texas’ power supply, and some estimates predict that it could eventually provide nearly twenty percent of our state’s electricity.
We’re seeing some promising efficiency improvements in wind energy lately. It costs about one-fifth less to produce wind energy on a per?kilowatt?hour basis today than it did just ten years ago. And wind turbine prices have declined by about 33% in the last five years.
These improvements have been driven in part by Texas Tech and other schools that have been leaders in researching wind energy.
Not only is Tech’s Wind Science and Engineering Research Center helping to improve wind turbine design for the winds of the Great Plains, but they are also looking at how to better design turbines for areas that don’t have the same wind resources we have here.
They’re also working to build a Scale Wind Farm Technology, or SWIFT, facility that will allow the university to collaborate on research into wind flow, rotor design, and turbine interactions.
Research like this is critical to increasing our production and making new energy sources more efficient. I’m proud that Tech is helping us move forward, and I’ll continue to encourage their work.
Before I conclude my remarks, I’d like to share two more examples of Texan innovation.
The first is a carbon sequestration facility that is in the planning stages in Nolan County, near Abilene. The Tenaska Trailblazer Energy Center would take advantage of the synergy between coal energy and oil drilling to maximize our energy production.
The concept is simple but innovative. The plant will capture the carbon dioxide from coal, which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
The carbon dioxide will be compressed and piped to oil fields in the region, which can use it to access oil that is otherwise inaccessible.
Oil producers have long used carbon dioxide to recover oil reserves, but Tenaska would mark the first time that carbon sequestration from coal is used for this process.
What would that mean? Every day, it would prevent 17,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. It would also help us access an additional 34,000 barrels of oil each day.
This is a great example of how innovation and technology can combine to increase our energy production while creating new jobs and economic opportunities.
The second example I’d like to share concerns a tiny reptile known as the dunes sage brush lizard. This lizard was being considered for inclusion on the endangered species list, which would have put vast amounts of land off limits to energy production, ranching, and farming.
Landowners worked closely with the Fish and Wildlife Service, environmental groups, and state agencies to develop voluntary conservation agreements that would protect the lizards’ habitat without placing harsh burdens on economic growth. So the lizard will not be listed as endangered.
This is a perfect example of how cooperation and private action can have great success, and prevent the need for government intervention.
With that, I’ll wrap up my remarks. I may be biased, but I think the Society of Environmental Journalists could not have chosen a better place in which to host your annual conference.
I’ve thrown out some superlatives in my remarks—we’re the number one cotton producer, the top cattle producer, the largest oil producer, the biggest wind producer...
But now you know that we’re not just bragging—we’re not “all hat and no cattle,” as they say. It’s true that everything is bigger in Texas. But that’s not just good luck.
We have exceptional people working on these issues. We encourage research and collaboration through Texas Tech, which promotes innovation. And we ensure that regulations create a culture of safety, but don’t stifle innovation.
So while not every state can be as blessed as Texas, I do think that some of our success can be exported.
Enjoy the rest of your visit to Lubbock, and thanks for your time today.
###
10/18/12
Thompson Calls on EPA to Revise Coal Regulation, Preserve Jobs & Prevent Closure of 14 PA Waste Coal Plants - 10/18/12
Letter Urges Agency to Revise Mercury Regulation, Avoid Waste Coal Plant Closures, Loss of Important Environmental Clean-up Facilities
Bellefonte, Pa. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) has joined U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) in calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a separate subcategory for waste coal plants in new regulations that could otherwise cause them to close. The letter, which was sent this week to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, was signed by seven other Pennsylvania Congressmen.
“We are writing in regard to the 14 coal-refuse-to-energy plants that are located in Pennsylvania and are affected by the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (“MATS rule”). These plants provide unique environmental benefits by using state-of-the-art circulating fluidized bed (“CFB”) technology to convert coal refuse into energy,” the letter states.
Pennsylvania’s 14 coal-refuse-to-energy plants are on track to meet the requirements for EPA’s new MATS rule, except for the hydrochloric acid (HCl) standard. The letter describes how the study conducted by EPA and used as the basis for the rule fails to consider the effects of the HCI standard on coal-refuse-to-energy plants.
Private industry provides the only current viable option for removing coal refuse stockpiles from the environment. Should the plants be forced to close, billions in costs would be shifted to the Commonwealth resulting in indefinitely delayed environmental clean-up efforts and hundreds of job losses.
“We are concerned about the effect that the current HCl emission limit could have on the ability of these plants to operate,” the letter states. “Should that option become unavailable, the entire responsibility for removal and clean-up would fall on taxpayers and the government, a task the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has testified would cost billions of dollars and take over 500 years to accomplish.”
“Besides the environmental benefits, these plants directly employ over 1,000 people, with additional thousands employed indirectly. We believe the economic stimulus from the plants to economically distressed areas of Pennsylvania is considerable,” the letter continues. “In order to ensure that coal-refuse-to-energy plants are able to continue providing critical environmental benefits, we ask you to consider a subcategory-specific HCl emission limitation under the MATS rule.”
Additional letter signatories: U.S. Representatives Mark Critz (D-PA), Jason Altmire (D-PA), Tim Holden (D-PA), Lou Barletta (R-PA), Tom Marino (R-PA), Charlie Dent (R-PA) and Bill Shuster (R-PA).
###
Downloads
10/18/12
Berg Stresses Importance of Energy Independence at Tour of Tesoro Oil Refinery in Mandan - 10/18/12
Mandan, N.D. – Congressman Rick Berg today toured the Tesoro Mandan oil refinery. During the tour, Berg discussed the importance of the domestic refining industry, oil production and American energy independence.
“Tesoro’s Mandan oil refinery, which gets crude oil for the Bakken oil patch, is further proof that North Dakota’s all-of-the-above approach to energy production works,” stated Berg. “I will continue advocating for the expansion of our domestic energy production so we can get Americans back to work, just like we have here in North Dakota. We do this by putting an end to overregulation by federal government bureaucrats in Washington.”
Berg has long been a champion of a comprehensive energy policy, dating back to his time in the State Legislature working with then-Governor John Hoeven. Berg also brought House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R – CA) to North Dakota to call for an all-of-the-above approach to energy production as part of the 2012 American Energy and Jobs Tour, led by the House Energy Action Team (HEAT), of which Berg is a member.
The Tesoro Mandan refinery began operations in 1954 and today has a capacity of 68,000 barrels per day. It processes primarily low sulfur domestic crude oil from North Dakota. The facility manufactures gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, heavy fuel oils and liquefied petroleum gas. Refined products are trucked and railed from Mandan, and also shipped east via pipeline to supply the Jamestown area, eastern North Dakota and Minnesota.
Tesoro operates more than 900 miles of crude and product pipelines, transporting more than 380,000 bpd across our system. The largest part of this system is a 750-mile crude oil gathering and mainline system that delivers all of the Mandan refinery’s crude supply.
North Dakota currently produces over 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
###
10/17/12
Natural Resources: President Obama Confused Between Correlation and Causation of American Energy Production - 10/17/12
“Correlation does not imply causation”is certainly a rule President Obama learned while earning his law degree but something he has all but forgotten when it comes to his Administration’s dismal, job destroying energy policies. President Obama’s failed energy policies might correlate with America’s increase of oil and natural gas production but they aren’t the cause, as almost 100% of that increase has come on private and state lands, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service.
In contrast, a causation of President Obama’s failed energy policies is last year’s 14% drop in federal oil production and 11% drop in federal natural gas production, according to the Energy Information Administration. A causation of President Obama’s failed energy policies are gasoline prices that have more than doubled during his Administration.
Source: Congressional Research Service
President Obama’s anti-energy policies have directly led to far less energy development on federal lands and waters:
· In 2008 there were 2,416 new oil and natural gas leases issued on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land spanning 2.6 million acres. In 2010, under the Obama Administration, the number of new leases issued dropped to 1,308 and acres leased dropped to 1.3 million.
· The total onshore acreage leased under the Obama Administration in 2009 and 2010 are the lowest in over two decades, stretching back to at least 1984.
· President Obama effectively reinstated the offshore drilling moratoria lifted in 2008 and released a new offshore plan that keeps 85 percent of our offshore areas closed to new American energy production.
· According to the Congressional Research Service, President Obama’s offshore lease plan includes the lowest number of lease sales (15) ever offered in a five-year plan since the process began in 1980 – meaning President Obama rates worse than even Jimmy Carter.
· The Obama Administration has also delayed and cancelled several offshore lease sales – conducting only 11 out of the 21 originally scheduled sales in the previous 2007-2012 lease plan.
· The Obama Administration implemented a six month offshore drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico and made edits to a report to make it appear as though it was supported by a panel of engineering experts, when in fact it was not. The moratorium resulted in the lost production of hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil and thousands of American jobs.
The cause of any increase in oil production during President Obama’s term is a direct result of his predecessors’ energy policies and he is now trying to take political advantage of their coincidental correlation with his failed Presidency.
In stark contrast to President Obama’s failed energy policies, House Republicans have passed over a dozen bipartisan onshore and offshore American energy production bills to create jobs, grow the economy and reduce our dependence on foreign energy. This includes opening new offshore areas to drilling, cutting red tape for renewable energy production on federal lands and water, blocking job-destroying regulations on American coal, allowing responsible energy development in a small portion of ANWR, and promoting clean, renewable hydropower. If President Obama was serious about making American more energy secure and putting some of America’s 23 million unemployed back to work, he would embraces these bipartisan solutions.
###
10/15/12
McMorris Rodgers Receives 2012 Friend of Farm Bureau Award - 10/15/12
Washington, D.C. –Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) was honored by the Washington Farm Bureau (WFB) with their 2012 Friend of Farm Bureau Award, her office announced today. The WFB is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing the economic and social interests of more than 41,000 member families. The award is presented to members of the state’s Congressional delegation who achieved an 80 percent or greater vote on significant legislation identified by the WFB.
“As someone who grew up on a farm in Eastern Washington, and with agriculture being our number one industry, I am honoredto accept the 2012 Friend of Farm Bureau Award,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers. “I am proud to work with the Washington Farm Bureau on shared priorities, including expanding trade markets, reducing energy prices, stopping burdensome regulations, and passing a new farm bill. I will continue to fight every day for Eastern Washington’s farmers and ranchers and our entire community.”
Rep. McMorris Rodgers was a conferee on the 2007 farm bill and she is a vocal advocate for a new farm bill. She is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which covers many issues that affect Eastern Washington’s ag industry, including oversight over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She helped lead the fight against the EPA’s dust particulate regulations, which would have been devastating to our farmers and ranchers. She is also a strong champion of the Agriculture Research Service.
To learn more about Rep. McMorris Rodgers’ work for Eastern Washington’s ag community, click here.
10/15/12
Thompson Receives "Friend of Farm Bureau" Award - 10/15/12
Centre County Farm Bureau Presents Award On Behalf of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn 'GT' Thompson, R-Howard, today received the "Friend of Farm Bureau" award for supporting policies that help farmers attain greater profitability through less regulatory interference, expand farm trade opportunities, and increase demand for U.S. farm products. The award was presented today by members of the Centre County Farm Bureau on behalf of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and the American Farm Bureau, at Thompson's congressional district office.
“Farming and all forms of agriculture are so important to our communities and families in Pennsylvania, and represent such a large part of our economy through employment, rural development, and an abundant, safe food supply," said Thompson. "Our local farmers and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau do a phenomenal job promoting agriculture in the Commonwealth, which is why it remains our state’s largest industry. I am proud to represent Pennsylvania’s farmers in Washington, and it's honor to receive this award."“On behalf of our more than 55,000 farm and rural member families, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau would like to thank Congressman Thompson for his support of agriculture and our rural way of life,” said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Carl T. Shaffer.
“Representative Thompson is always accessible and willing to meet personally with local farmers in order to best represent the interests of agriculture, which we value in the local farming community,” said Centre County Farm Bureau President Dr. Daniel Kniffen. “The Congressman understands the value of production agriculture, in feeding and supporting our communities but also the world, and with this award we thank him for his tireless work.”
Thompson was nominated for the award by the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, which was approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors. This is Thompson's second consecutive congressional term being honored for the award.
Thompson is a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry.
Attached Photo: Thompson and members of the Centre County Farm Bureau including Sally Tanis (left), Vice President, Dr. Daniel Kniffen (right), President, and Dr. Ann Swinker (middle).
###
© 2012 All rights reserved.