|
|
|
| |
|
Alexander Receives “Friend of The Farm Bureau” Award
|
| |
October 27th, 2008 - Kingsport, Tenn. - Kingsport, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today accepted the “Friend of the Farm Bureau” award during a meeting in Kingsport with members of the Tennessee Farm Bureau. This award is given each year to select members of Congress across the country based on their voting records on issues of importance to the American farmer.
“‘Friends of Farm Bureau’ are those who have demonstrated their support for agriculture through their words and actions,” said Tennessee Farm Bureau President Lacy Upchurch, who presented Senator Alexander with the award. “Our designations are influenced by statewide grassroots input and are only given when a candidate exhibits a clear understanding and record of support for Farm Bureau policy issues. We look forward to working with candidates who possess this type of understanding and experience. Senator Alexander has reached out to agriculture during his years in the U.S. Senate. His votes on the Farm Bill, continued concerns for our farmers during drought and other tough times experienced recently and all the years he supported agriculture in Tennessee as governor, makes him a friend not only of Farm Bureau, but the Tennessee farmer as well.”
“I am humbled today to receive this honor from the American Farm Bureau, and I thank them and all Tennessee farmers for helping make our state such a great place to live,” Alexander said. “Times have been tough in our state, but I’ve been working to ensure that the economic slump doesn’t make it impossible for these family businesses to stay in business.”
Alexander supported legislation this year to expand Tennessee farmers’ access to foreign markets, reduce energy costs, promote new alternative fuels made from crops that grow in Tennessee, and prevent the credit crunch from making farm loans unavailable.
“High energy costs have hit Americans hard but Tennessee farmers have an opportunity now to take the lead in growing new fuels that will reduce prices and put us on a path to clean energy independence,” Alexander said. He noted that the new Farm Bill will help Tennessee farmers because it “reduces the tax credit for corn ethanol and gives a more generous tax credit to produce cellulosic ethanol made from ingredients like switchgrass, that could grow all across our state. It shifts the focus from crops that we eat to crops that we don't eat.”
During a speech in May at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Alexander also proposed launching a 5-year new Manhattan Project to put America firmly on the path to clean energy independence within a generation. Alexander proposed seven grand challenges to scientists, including making advanced biofuels cost-competitive with gasoline – an innovation Alexander said would greatly benefit Tennessee farmers.
“Our state has also been hard hit by drought and farmers are feeling the pinch,” Alexander said. “That’s why I’ve joined with other members of the Tennessee delegation in requesting the secretary of agriculture to declare 39 counties disaster areas so that farmers can be compensated for their losses.” Alexander joined in writing two separate letters to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer asking him to issue disaster declarations for Tennessee counties suffering from crop and livestock losses as a result of continuing drought conditions.
Alexander said that the Farm Bill passed by Congress will benefit farmers across the state by:
• Supporting an increase in biofuels production.
o Provides a $1.01-per-gallon tax credit to produce cellulosic ethanol made from ingredients like switchgrass that grows across Tennessee.
o Includes $300 million in mandatory funding for payments to support the production of biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol.
o Reduces the blender tax credit for corn ethanol by $0.06 to $0.45 per gallon.
• Expanding broadband service in rural areas.
o Simplifies application requirements for service while shifting assistance toward areas with no or very limited service.
• Expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to Tennessee.
o Program provides locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income school children at no cost.
Last year, Alexander worked with Senator Corker (R-Tenn) to ensure that Tennessee farmers would be eligible to receive direct disaster payments after the devastating droughts. Alexander said that as of July 7th, Tennessee farmers have received 19,079 disaster relief payments totaling approximately $51 million.
|
###
|
|
|
| October 2008 Press Releases: |
|
|
 |
|
|
October 31, 2008 -
|
Alexander: New Center Will Help Preserve Howard Baker’s Legacy for New Generation of Leaders
|
|
|
October 31, 2008 -
|
Members of Tennessee Delegation Announce Drought Declaration for 39 Counties in Tennessee
|
|
|
October 29, 2008 -
|
Alexander One of Two U.S. Senators to Receive National Guard’s Medal of Merit
|
|
|
October 28, 2008 -
|
Alexander Calls for Equal Treatment for Tennesseans in GI Bill
|
|
|
October 27, 2008 -
|
current Press Release
|
|
|
October 23, 2008 -
|
Alexander: Mounting Childhood Obesity Is A National Crisis
|
|
|
October 21, 2008 -
|
Alexander: Brainpower Advantage is Key to Keeping Tennessee's Good Paying Jobs
|
|
|
October 17, 2008 -
|
Alexander Says Increased Support for Homeless Assistance Programs Will Help Programs Like the Chattanooga Community Kitchen Continue Feeding those in Need
|
|
|
October 15, 2008 -
|
Alexander: Tennessee Can Lead Development of Clean Energy Technology
|
|
|
October 14, 2008 -
|
Alexander: Vonore Biorefinery Keeps Tennessee on Cutting Edge in Push for Clean Energy Independence
|
|
|
October 10, 2008 -
|
Alexander, Corker, L. Davis Announce $25,000 for Motlow State Community College
|
|
|
October 10, 2008 -
|
Alexander, Corker, L.Davis Announce $31,912 for White County Museum
|
|
|
October 10, 2008 -
|
Alexander, Corker, L.Davis Announce $500,000 for Grundy County Water System
|
|
|
October 10, 2008 -
|
Members of Tennessee Delegation Request Drought Declaration for 11 Additional Counties
|
|
|
October 10, 2008 -
|
Lawrence, Lewis Counties Added to Appalachian Regional Commission
|
|
|
October 9, 2008 -
|
Alexander: HOPE for Homeowners Program Could Help Many of the 67,000 Tennesseans Facing Foreclosure
|
|
|
October 9, 2008 -
|
Alexander, Corker, Gordon Announce $272,900 for Clay County Water System
|
|
|
October 9, 2008 -
|
Alexander, Corker, Wamp Announce $75,000 for the Clearfork Community Institute
|
|
|
October 9, 2008 -
|
Alexander, Corker, Wamp Announce $256,500 for Rhea Medical Center
|
|
|
October 8, 2008 -
|
Alexander: Tennesseans Will Receive More Coverage for Mental Health
|
|
|
October 3, 2008 -
|
Alexander Statement on Final Passage of Bipartisan Economic Rescue Plan
|
|
|
October 3, 2008 -
|
Alexander Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Outstanding Military Service in Millington
|
|
|
October 3, 2008 -
|
Alexander Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Outstanding Military Service in Millington
|
|
|
October 1, 2008 -
|
Alexander Votes to Protect Taxpayers from Looming Credit Crunch
|
|
|
October 1, 2008 -
|
Alexander Says U.S.–India Nuclear Agreement Will Be a Pillar of American Foreign Policy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|