Liz Friedlander (202) 225-1564
Liz.Friedlander@mail.house.gov

James Ryder (202) 225-0020
James.Ryder@mail.house.gov 

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a field hearing in Fayetteville, N.C., to review U.S. agriculture policy, as the Committee begins the process of writing the 2012 Farm Bill. The Agriculture Committee’s Chairman of the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture, Congressman Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., chaired the hearing.

This is the ninth in a series of field hearings scheduled across the country to consider new ideas regarding federal food and farm policy. Four Members of Congress attended today’s hearing and heard testimony from eight witnesses on a variety of farm policy issues.

“North Carolina plays an important role in our nation’s agriculture system, and today’s hearing was an opportunity for North Carolina farmers and community leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities we face,” Subcommittee Chairman McIntyre said. “From commodities to rural development to infrastructure to broadband, we heard a lot of great ideas and suggestions to keep North Carolina moving forward. As the House Agriculture Committee begins work on the next Farm Bill, these comments will be invaluable as we work to strengthen our food and fiber production.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, North Carolina is the nation’s top producer of tobacco, yielding almost half of the nation’s total tobacco crop. North Carolina also ranks second in the nation among states growing poultry and eggs; hogs and pigs; and cut Christmas trees and short rotation woody crops. More than 120,000 acres of land in North Carolina are enrolled in USDA conservation programs.

Approximately 115 members of the community attended the hearing, including local agriculture producers and leaders. Many more watched the hearing online via a live video feed on the House Agriculture Committee's website. House Agriculture Committee Members attending the hearing included: Subcommittee Chairman McIntyre; Congressman Larry Kissell of North Carolina; and Congressman Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania. Congressman Bob Etheridge of North Carolina, who serves on the House Budget Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, also attended the hearing.

“This hearing and others across the nation allow for the sharing of information and best practices from various regions,” Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-Penn.) said. “Most farms are small businesses and remain the backbone of the strength of the economy in rural America. Moving toward 2012, the Committee must do everything in its power to alleviate burdens on these family businesses and create an environment that will foster positive economic growth.”

“I am proud to serve as a member of the Agriculture Committee and so pleased to see this hearing taking place in North Carolina. With North Carolina’s agriculture industry responsible for more than $70 billion in economic activity, it is vital that our agricultural community have input into the upcoming Farm Bill,” Congressman Larry Kissell (D-N.C.) said. “North Carolina is one of the top producing states in tobacco, cotton, soybeans, poultry and hogs, and while we continue to be leaders in these traditional commodities, our state has quickly become the nation’s third most diverse in agriculture.”

Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the Committee website: http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html. A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date. To receive updated schedule and news information from the House Agriculture, please visit the House Committee on Agriculture website to sign up for email updates: http://agriculture.house.gov/Eupdates/updates.html.

Witness List:

Panel I

Mr. Ronald Allen, row crop, timber, pork, poultry and beef producer, Fayetteville, North Carolina

Mr. Steven Burke, biofuels representative, Oxford, North Carolina

Mr. Frank Lee, corn, cotton, wheat, soybean and beef cattle producer, Raleigh, North Carolina

Mr. Allen McLaurin, cotton producer, Laurinburg, North Carolina

Panel II

Mr. Patrick Woodie, on behalf of Mr. Billy Ray Hall, rural economic development representative, Raleigh, North Carolina

Mr. Randall Jones, electric cooperative representative, Red Springs, North Carolina

Mr. Tommy Porter, pork, beef and poultry producer, Concord, North Carolina

Mr. Dan Ward, peanut producer, Clarkton, North Carolina 

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