Agriculture is the backbone of our rural economy in the 5th District.

Central and Southside Virginia has a strong agricultural heritage, and today, farming and forestry remain among the most productive industries in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I constantly meet with farmers all across the District and the consistent message I hear is the urgent need to reduce unnecessary regulations, bring down the cost of fuel, and keep taxes low.

To help our family farmers, I co-authored, along with Representative Noem, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, H.R. 1633.  The bill prevents the EPA from trying to regulate “fugitive” dust from everyday farm activities like driving your pickup on a dirt road, harvesting crops, or plowing your field.  I am pleased to report that the House passed this legislation with broad bipartisan support and the bill awaits action in the Senate.

I have cosponsored a number of bills to increase and maximize our domestic energy supply to help bring down the cost of fuel, reduce our dependence on foreign supplies of oil, and create thousands of jobs both here in Virginia and across the country.  The high cost of energy affects everyone, especially agriculture, and it is a significant drag on our economic recovery here in the Fifth District and elsewhere. 

I have also fought to keep taxes low. I am a co-sponsor of a bill to permanently repeal the estate or death tax that poses a particular hardship on farmers who try to pass the family farm on to future generations. 

Keeping taxes low, improving our energy independence, and reducing the unnecessary government regulations that burden family farms in the Fifth District will enable agriculture to continue thriving in Central and Southside Virginia.