Issue Position: On Agriculture and Rural Development

Issue Position

As Montana's largest industry, farming and ranching form the backbone of our local economies. To preserve our cultural heritage and promote a sustainable future, I support small family farming and ranching operations.

Legislation that affects these operations should:

1) Ensure that they can be passed on to the next generation of family farmers without risk of undue financial penalty.

2) Value agricultural education programs from preschool through graduate school, including 4-H, FFA, Agriculture in Montana Schools and Farm to School.

3) Strengthen farmer's market and Farm-to-Table opportunities to increase access to local foods and remove participation barriers for very small farms.

4) Make food source information transparent to consumers, who have a right to know where their food came from and how it was treated.

The health of our families, our economy and our environment relies on the responsible oversight of food production. As state representative, I will never take this responsibility for granted.

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