Agriculture

Agriculture has always played a vital role in the state of North Carolina. It remains our state’s largest industry, employing over twenty percent of our workforce and representing twenty-five percent of our economy. North Carolina is also a national leader in research and education efforts in the fields of agriculture and environmental science, much of it conducted at the Triangle’s prominent research institutions.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have secured funding for agricultural research that directly benefits farmers and ranchers in the Fourth District, in North Carolina, and across the nation. I have also supported efforts to ensure that agricultural production is consistent with protecting public health and the environment, including the development of sustainable agriculture methods and organic farming standards.

In today’s global economy, we must ensure that farmers are able to adapt new challenges, such as the rising cost of energy, the need for an effective foreign worker program, the end of the tobacco quota program, and the threat of diseases such as avian influenza and H1N1, as well as new opportunities, such as expanded trade in the international marketplace. As Congress continues to debate these issues, I will keep the interests of North Carolina’s farmers in mind. For a list of local projects and research I have secured funding for during FY 2010, click here.