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Agriculture
Agriculture is the foundation of Eastern North Carolina. Please review the decisions I'm making in Congress that support the agriculture industry.
Where I Stand
From tobacco, cotton, soybeans, peanuts and forestry, to hogs and poultry, agriculture is a mainstay of Eastern North Carolina. Agriculture is important to our region, and it’s even more important to our country. If America loses the ability to produce the food and fiber necessary to feed and clothe ourselves, we will cease to be a great nation.
I strongly support our agricultural producers and agribusinesses. I am proud that the American Farm Bureau has recognized my efforts by consistently awarding me their ‘Friend of the Farmer Award’.
I support efforts to ensure that producers have access to the credit, low-cost safety net and export markets they need to provide us with the food we can’t do without. I also oppose the efforts of many who don’t understand agriculture to impose additional, unnecessary regulations on farmers.
Legislative Action in the 112th Congress
Cosponsored Bills
H.R. 872 – Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act – To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify Congressional intent regarding the regulation of the use of pesticides in or near navigable waters
H.R. 1633 – Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act – To establish a temporary prohibition against revising any national ambient air quality standard applicable to coarse particulate matter, to limit Federal regulation of nuisance dust in areas in which such dust is regulated under State, tribal, or local law
H.R. 1888 – Promoting American Agricultural and Medical Exports to Cuba Act – To facilitate the export of United States agricultural products to Cuba as authorized by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 and to establish an agricultural export promotion program with respect to Cuba
H.R. 3265 – To amend the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 to provide clarification regarding the applicability of exemptions relating to the transportation of agricultural commodities and farm supplies
H.R. 1747 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the rule treating certain farming business machinery and equipment as 5-year property
H.R. 3158 – Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act – To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to change the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure rule with respect to certain farms
H.R. 2414 – Farmers' Freedom Act – To exempt certain farm vehicles from certain operating requirements
Cosigned Letters: Please click on downloads below to view -
Letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on soil fumigants
Letters to the U.S. Department of Labor about new proposed rules restricting youth employment in agriculture
Letter to the U.S. Trade Representative urging support for opening the Indian market to U.S. poultry exports