Issue Position: Farming in Wisconsin

Issue Position

Protecting America's Dairyland
The farming community in Wisconsin has always been a vital part of our economy. It's the fabric that holds us together. As your representative, I will advocate for the diversification of our rural economy and support economic incentives to create opportunities for rural prosperity.

I believe:

Specialty crops can lead to economic revitalization and diversification.
Adopting policies and regulations that ensure the market for cannabis is accessible to family farmers.
Marijuana should be removed from the U.S. DEA's Schedule 1.
We need policies to protect honey bees as livestock, and to ensure pollinator-beneficial habitat and best management practices are eligible for cost-sharing assistance and incentives.
Farm insurance should be accessible and affordable.
A carbon trading exchange would support farmers and provide for a healthier future.
We need to develop and promote renewable energy sources to help farmers and others be more self-sufficient.
We need to support incentives for regenerative farming and ranching practices.
As your representative in the House, I will work as hard as Tammy Baldwin for our local farming community. Working hard is a value I grew up with, working on a farm myself, and I want to put my ability to dig in to work for you in Washington.

Specialty Crops for Economic Revitalization and Diversification
My plan is to advocate for incentivizing those farms who commit to growing non-commodity food crops. This will build up and support regional food systems.

I will support USDA's promotion of buying local and regional agricultural products, as a means to provide new and larger markets for smaller farms.

I will advocate for expansion of farm-to-school and farm-to-institution programs, along with the purchase of surplus fruits and vegetables for federal food aid programs.

I support funding for a safety net program, including risk management tools, to allow producers to earn the cost of production of specialty crops.

With your vote, we can remove the bearers to growing specialty crops in Wisconsin and other states, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, nursery crops, pulse crops, floriculture and horticulture including turf grass, sod, Camellia, hemp, and herbal crops.

Farming Regulations for Cannabis
I support removing marijuana from the U.S. DEA's schedule 1, increasing the allowable THC content of industrial hemp to 1 percent, and adopting policies and regulations that ensure the market for cannabis is accessible to family farmers.

The current administration is creating unfair advantages for large companies and monopolies instead of favoring small business farmers.

Further, it's time to allow cannabis and cannabis-related businesses that are state regulated to have access to the normal banking system.

If you care about local agriculture, vote for someone who supports innovation.

Wisconsin Pollination & Honey Bees
As your representative I will advocate for development and expanded research to enhance native pollinators, like honey bees, and education programs to protect honey bee health and improve genetic stocks of honey bees.

I will support policies to ensure pollinator-beneficial habitat and best management practices are eligible for cost-sharing assistance and incentives in USDA conservation programs intended to assist producers.

I also support the inclusion of honey bees and hives in livestock compensation programs. Honey Bees are essential to our agriculture. It's time they had an advocate in Washington from Wisconsin.

Accessible and Affordable Farm Insurance
I support the development and expansion of insurance that allow producers of non-program commodities, small diversified farming operations of specialty and minor crops to have equitable insurance coverage based on the market for which it is produced.

The USDA, part of the Executive Branch, should make whatever regulatory or operational changes are necessary to remove barriers and ensure fair access to crop and revenue insurance for start-up farmers and ranchers. And I believe Congress needs to hold them accountable to do what's right by farmers in Wisconsin and other states.

Carbon Trading Exchange
I support the creation of a carbon trading exchange as a way to compensate farmers and ranchers for sequestering carbon through agricultural practices.

Carbon sequestration research and carbon payments should integrate soil health principles into all agricultural practices, including grazing lands, energy feedstock production, organic cropping, woodlots, no-till, the Conservation Reserve Program, and other proven conservation methods.

Energy for a Healthy Future
I support the development and promotion of renewable energy sources appropriate to their location and directed toward developing self-sufficient units suitable for farm, home, small industry and business use.

I support economic assistance for family farmers to make agriculture more self-sufficient through the increased application of alternative forms of energy and energy efficiency.

I support funding for diversified, community-based and individually owned energy systems that create jobs and new wealth in rural areas of Wisconsin and across America.

Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture is a system of farming and ranching principles and practices that increase biodiversity, enriches the soil, purifies watersheds, and all while increasing in-farm fertility, which may help producers save money by reducing input expenses. Regenerative practices include no tillage to minimal tillage, diverse cover crops, multiple crop rotations, and agroforestry, all of which should be augmented by holistic grazing guidelines.

I support incentives for regenerative farming and ranching practices that sequester more carbon, improve soil health and productivity, slow erosion and build up topsoil, and increase water filtration.

We must further efforts to develop new markets for farmers and ranchers who are currently practicing regenerative farming and ranching or who are transitioning to regenerative practices.

America must fund and conduct applied research on soil health in regenerative food production systems.

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