Issue Position: Agriculture

Issue Position

Issue Position: Agriculture

Agriculture is our largest industry in the 17th District. I will fight hard for the farmers throughout Western and Central Illinois by supporting legislation such as the Farm Bill which increases the amount of supplemental aid available to farmers and increases conservation spending by 75 percent. This important legislation provides the much needed safety net for farmers when times are hard and increases on-farm income.

The Farm Bill also promotes renewable fuels. I support the use of Biofuels and the expansion of ethanol use. I will advocate for the usefulness of ethanol and its benefits, not only to the environment, but also to weaning ourselves off of Middle East oil and providing an opportunity to create jobs here in the 17th District.

The Midwest, over the course of the past few years, has been hit by drought and other natural disasters driving yields and value of crops down. For this reason I would support relief funding for crop losses due to natural disasters.

The improvement of our lock and dam system on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers is also essential to the 17th District. I would support legislation that would update our current system, that is decades old, and will allow traffic to move freely along the Mississippi.

Finally, I will advocate for trade agreements that benefit America's farmers and open up markets to our agricultural goods and I will oppose trade agreements that create barriers and quotas that harm US farmers.

Through these actions, and more, if I can save at least one family farm and keep it running, I will be successful in congress.

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