The value of agriculture to Wyoming’s economy, culture and communities cannot be overstated. As Wyoming’s third largest industry, the output of our state’s agriculture sector has approached or exceeded one billion dollars annually. Numbers aside, Wyoming has a long-standing agricultural heritage. It is a heritage we honor by our state’s emblem, the bucking horse and rider, and that helps define who we are.
In my first term of Congress, I was honored to be the first Wyoming Member of the House to serve on the Agriculture Committee in nearly 70 years. In the 112th Congress, my role as Vice-Chair on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee puts me in a unique position to advocate for Wyoming’s hard-working farmers and ranchers. My first priority is to see that Wyoming’s producers are treated fairly, and that they have every opportunity to successfully compete in a global marketplace.
I will continue to oversee the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ongoing implementation of the Farm Bill. In addition to agricultural programs, the USDA also operates numerous programs important to Wyoming’s well-being. Oversight of its rural development programs and broadband deployment is critical to the vitality of our small communities; and the Forest Services’ efforts to mitigate the impact of Bark Beetle on Wyoming’s forests are pressing issues that I continue to focus on.
