Farmers know best ... so we listened
GUEST COMMENTARY
Courtesy
Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., at left, and Washington’s Rep. Dan Newhouse, center, recently met with farmers from across the 4th Congressional District.
Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., at left, and Washington’s Rep. Dan Newhouse, center, recently met with farmers from across the 4th Congressional District.
Agriculture is one of the top industries in Washington’s 4th Congressional District, accounting for over $7.2 billion of products sold, according to USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture.
We visited local producers in Central Washington to hear firsthand about Washington agriculture and share the many Farm Bill priorities we secured in H.R. 1.
Over the last six months, we have worked hard to ensure farmers had a seat at the table during the reconciliation process, and while the agriculture industry has had a tough few years, we were able to share a more positive outlook on the farm economy.
The highlight of the visit was a farmer listening session at WSU Prosser, where we gathered with local farmers and ranchers.
We were glad to be joined by Washington State Director of Agriculture Derek Sandison and Washington State USDA Farm Service Agency Executive Director Jon Wyss.
We had the opportunity to share the many wins for farmers we secured in H.R. 1 — the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — including doubling funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), strengthening crop insurance for specialty crop producers, and expanding disaster relief and recovery programs.
One of the top concerns we heard during the session was the need for reforms to the H-2A program for a reliable, legal farm workforce.
The House Agriculture Committee’s Labor Working Group has been focused on cutting bureaucracy in the H-2A program while providing certainty to employers and employees. We are making great strides in developing a legislative product that makes commonsense reforms, and it will continue to be a top priority as we move through this Congress with a unified government.
While in Central Washington, we also visited DeRuyter Dairy just outside of Sunnyside.
The DeRuyters are one of many dairies targeted by career staffers in the Region 10 office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who have coordinated with environmental activists to drive local dairy farmers out of business.
After bringing this issue directly to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, we heard firsthand how this abuse of power by the Region 10 office impacts the day-to-day operation of the DeRuyters’ facilities.
The role of the EPA should be to assist farmers with services and resources, especially as they navigate the complex regulatory burdens, and we are committed to ensuring American dairy farmers can continue to deliver highquality products that we enjoy daily.
As Congress returns from recess, we are committed to passing the rest of the Farm Bill and equipping the industry with the tools it needs to feed families across the country and the world.
• Sunnyside Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse is a third-generation farmer who represents Washington’s 4th Congressional District. He is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.
Republican Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District and is the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
We visited local producers in Central Washington to hear firsthand about Washington agriculture and share the many Farm Bill priorities we secured in H.R. 1.
Over the last six months, we have worked hard to ensure farmers had a seat at the table during the reconciliation process, and while the agriculture industry has had a tough few years, we were able to share a more positive outlook on the farm economy.
The highlight of the visit was a farmer listening session at WSU Prosser, where we gathered with local farmers and ranchers.
We were glad to be joined by Washington State Director of Agriculture Derek Sandison and Washington State USDA Farm Service Agency Executive Director Jon Wyss.
We had the opportunity to share the many wins for farmers we secured in H.R. 1 — the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — including doubling funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), strengthening crop insurance for specialty crop producers, and expanding disaster relief and recovery programs.
One of the top concerns we heard during the session was the need for reforms to the H-2A program for a reliable, legal farm workforce.
The House Agriculture Committee’s Labor Working Group has been focused on cutting bureaucracy in the H-2A program while providing certainty to employers and employees. We are making great strides in developing a legislative product that makes commonsense reforms, and it will continue to be a top priority as we move through this Congress with a unified government.
While in Central Washington, we also visited DeRuyter Dairy just outside of Sunnyside.
The DeRuyters are one of many dairies targeted by career staffers in the Region 10 office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who have coordinated with environmental activists to drive local dairy farmers out of business.
After bringing this issue directly to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, we heard firsthand how this abuse of power by the Region 10 office impacts the day-to-day operation of the DeRuyters’ facilities.
The role of the EPA should be to assist farmers with services and resources, especially as they navigate the complex regulatory burdens, and we are committed to ensuring American dairy farmers can continue to deliver highquality products that we enjoy daily.
As Congress returns from recess, we are committed to passing the rest of the Farm Bill and equipping the industry with the tools it needs to feed families across the country and the world.
• Sunnyside Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse is a third-generation farmer who represents Washington’s 4th Congressional District. He is a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.
Republican Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District and is the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.