Agriculture

“…I will continue to work to ensure the viability of U.S. agriculture with the interests of producers and consumers living and working in our area in mind…”

The need for agriculture….

The farming and ranching industry plays an important role in the 13th District producing over $5.8 billion in agricultural products each year.  Our area is number one in Texas for cattle, hogs, wheat, and corn.  We are also a leader in cotton, dairy, and forage.  Agriculture is one of the major lifelines of our country, and our hard-working producers are an integral part in maintaining our nation’s food and fiber supply.

2008 Farm Bill…

About every five years, Congress debates legislation governing our nation’s federal farm and food policy, known as the Farm Bill.  It took a year from the time it was introduced until the 2008 Farm Bill was signed into law.  Although this bill was not exactly as I would have written it, crops were already in the ground, and it was important for producers and everyone involved to know what the nation’s agricultural program would be.

The 2008 bill retains most of the critical components of the 2002 Farm Bill that have generally worked well for our area.  Ultimately, I believe that supporting the measure was the right thing for our region and for the country.  

Attack on Agriculture…

With the number of urban districts growing, there has been a continuous push to lower the farm safety net.  However, commodity programs in the 2008 Farm Bill represent less than one-quarter of one percent of the federal budget.  President Obama has proposed going further than the changes made in the 2008 Farm Bill to lower the farm subsidy eligibility limits.  However, producers are still adjusting to the changes made in 2008.  It is a burden on producers and their lenders for the federal government to keep changing the rules mid-stream.  

Keeping open markets for agricultural trade…..

The American people can and do reap tremendous benefits from trade, especially our agriculture industry.  More than one-third of U.S. harvested acreage is exported, and Texas alone is the third-largest exporter of agricultural commodities.  Maintaining free and open markets is essential to allowing our producers to sell products across the globe.  

However, I believe that we should also work towards leveling the playing field for our producers.  The most important aspect of U.S. trade agreements is that we are placed on equal footing with other countries.  We need to be active participants in the global economy, and I will continue to work to give our producers at home the best opportunity to compete.