Issue Position: Promoting Local Agriculture and Rural Development

Issue Position

In New Hampshire, the agricultural industry contributes nearly one billion dollars to our local economy every year. With over 400,000 acres of land across the Granite State devoted to everything from timber operations and greenhouses to dairy farms and apple orchards, agriculture is an integral part of our landscape and history. I am excited to bring this unique perspective to Congress, and I am proud to be the first Representative from New Hampshire to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in seventy years. The Agriculture Committee has been working for many months to draft the next five-year Farm Bill. The programs authorized by this bill are essential to supporting our farmers and agricultural producers, providing nutrition assistance to families in need, and protecting our environment. But instead of providing unnecessary direct payments to big agribusiness, the Farm Bill should support programs that help our local and organic farmers, expand farm-to-school initiatives, and strengthen the safety net for growers of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other specialty crops.

I believe that through the Farm Bill and other programs, the federal government can play an important role in supporting the resurgence of local agriculture that we are seeing in New Hampshire. I have been working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to improve the Farm Bill so that it works for New Hampshire farmers--not just big agribusiness.

Supporting our farmers and foresters is an important part of supporting our rural communities and encouraging economic development in the North Country. I fought to include a provision in the Farm Bill that will develop a strategy for how we can better use USDA Rural Development programs to support rural community colleges. I also support expanding Rural Development programs that help bring broadband access to our rural communities, promote the use of money-saving renewable energy technologies, and maintain critical infrastructure.

To strengthen our agricultural economy in New Hampshire, I am taking the following steps:

Pushing the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act: I helped to introduce legislation (H.R. 1414) that includes a comprehensive set of measures that will bolster local and regional food systems and help level the playing field for organic producers. The legislation will assist farmers and ranchers engaged in local agriculture by addressing infrastructure, processing, and distribution needs to help them access many programs and services that are already available to larger, conventional producers. Additionally, H.R. 1414 will assist consumers by improving access to farmers markets and community supported agriculture and expanding opportunities for schools to purchase fresh, local food.

Working to Fix Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Rules: Everyone supports safe food, but I am concerned that some of the rules proposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement FSMA reforms will hurt New Hampshire farmers and consumers. In response, I helped lead 20 Senators and Representatives in asking the FDA to come to New England and see our farms and listen to our farmers. FDA agreed and visited New Hampshire in August, talking to farmers and touring the Hanover Co-op and Edgewater Farm. I believe that this was the first step in fixing these rules, and I will continue pushing the FDA to make sure that they are working to support our farmers--not burdening them with unnecessary regulations.

Protecting Access to Nutrition Assistance: I have been a tireless advocate for increasing access to fresh, nutritious food for families in New Hampshire. During debate on the Farm Bill, I spoke in support of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides assistance to help low-income families purchase food. I also spoke out against a reckless bill that would have devastated this program. In addition, I am a strong supporter of programs that allow nutrition assistance to be used at farmers markets, which helps low-income families and also supports the farmers in our communities.

Supporting Responsible Forestry: New Hampshire has a unique understanding of the need to conserve our environment while also responsibly harvesting our timber resources to support the economic vitality of the North Country. As a member of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry, I support legislation that will increase opportunities for the sale and use of forest products. I am a cosponsor of the Forest Products Fairness Act (H.R. 979), which would include forest products in the USDA's preferential purchasing program for bio-based goods. In addition, I am a cosponsor of the Silviculture Regulatory Consistency Act (H.R. 2026) to ensure that responsible foresters aren't burdened with excessive regulations.
To better advocate for New Hampshire agricultural producers and rural communities, I have joined the Congressional Dairy Farmers Caucus, the Specialty Crops Caucus, the Organic Caucus, the Healthy Forests Caucus, and the Rural Caucus.

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