Agriculture

Agriculture is a key component of Michigan's economy. After all, agriculture is the second largest industry in Michigan and the state is also the second most agriculturally diverse in the country. Michigan farmers work dawn to dusk to put food on tables in our communities and all across the world. During the challenging economic times that have plagued the Michigan economy, the steady growth of our agricultural sector has kept our economy afloat. To maintain this edge, I believe we must:

Prevent Undue Regulations

The safety of our food supply can benefit from standard rules and practices, and our farmers are committed to producing safe and affordable food for consumers. However, our farmers need to have fair and commonsense rules to live by, and I oppose excessive regulations that hinder the agricultural community.

In April 2020 the Trump Administration further streamlined the WOTUS rule to provide clearer guidance and reduce regulatory confusion. These changes took effect in June 2020.

I have also cosponsored legislation to codify the definition of WOTUS as revised under the Trump administration in 2020. By codifying the rule, Congress can ensure any future efforts to expand the definition of WOTUS that will infringe on the rights of Michigan farmers must to be considered in Congress.

Additionally, I have cosponsored legislation that would prohibit the SEC from placing undue burdens on farmers which would require an issuer of securities to disclose greenhouse gas emissions from their upstream and downstream activities. This convoluted rule would family farms to report on-farm data regarding individual operations and day-to-day activities, giving the SEC jurisdiction over family farms. This overreaching policy would hinder farmers ability to compete in global markets, and burdensome compliance requirements for farms with few or no employees.

Expand Markets

Not only does south-central Michigan produce a wide array of agricultural products, it produces some of the best. It is important that we adopt policies that allow our farmers and producers to look outside our region and beyond to sell food and agricultural products. By advancing trade policies that are free, fair, and enforced, we can open new markets for Michigan-made products.

Implementation of the U.S. – Mexico – Canada (USMCA) Trade Agreement will help achieve this goal by expanding market access for dairy farmers, improving transparency for agriculture product standards, and modernizing guidelines for biotechnology, sanitary, and phytosanitary measures to reflect state of the art techniques utilized across the agriculture industry. I was proud to support passage of USMCA through the House and see it signed into law by President Trump.

Since the passage of the USMCA Trade Agreement, I have joined my colleagues in making sure other countries are honoring their agreements. I have called on the Administration to implement USMCA enforcement measures to support our dairy industry, and worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to voice our unwavering support for free trade and Michigan farmers.

Provide Greater Certainty

Farmers and agricultural producers carefully plan over the long-term to provide our nation and the world with an abundant, healthy food supply. For too long, Congress promoted uncertainty in the countryside through short-term extensions of our agricultural policy. In December 2018, the House passed the Conference Report to H.R. 2, the Agriculture Improvement Act, which reauthorizes the Farm Bill for five years, makes important updates to our federal farm and nutrition assistance programs, and provides the certainty that our farmers need to flourish and feed the world. H.R.2 was signed into law on by President Trump on December 20, 2018.

Expand Rural Broadband

Rural broadband development is one of my top priorities as a member of Congress and as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where I serve on the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. By providing reliable internet access, we can ensure farmers have access to technologies that allow them to compete in the global market. Click here learn more about my work on rural broadband development.

Promote Conservation

As agriculture helps to drive Michigan's economy, we must also encourage responsible stewardship and conservation best practices to help ensure the long-term health of Lake Erie and the entire the Great Lakes ecosystem. I've introduced H.R.7663, Great Lakes Agricultural Stewardship Act, which builds upon Michigan's successful MAEAP program and encourages states throughout the Great Lakes Basin to develop voluntary agricultural assurance programs to promote conservation and minimize agricultural pollution risks.