Issue Position: Utilize Agriculture to Grow West Virginia's Economy

Issue Position

As Commissioner of Agriculture, I will work every day to bring jobs and economic opportunities to our State. Agriculture is America's largest industry, and in West Virginia, food is a six billion dollar business every year. I will work to help keep more of those food dollars in West Virginia by helping make sure West Virginia farmers can start and expand farms and agribusinesses to provide a safe, local, and economical food supply. I will work with our legislature and other state leaders to fight burdensome regulations imposed by the EPA and DEP. I will seek out opportunities to integrate agriculture more fully into West Virginia's economic development strategy. I will champion opportunities to create jobs that will not only employ West Virginians, but also support our agricultural economy. I will work every day to create opportunities to use West Virginia's abundant natural resources to benefit our state's economy and our agricultural producers, like producing fertilizer and expanding our greenhouse production capabilities, two industries that depend heavily on the heat that can be produced from natural gas combustion. As Commissioner of Agriculture, I will focus on improving our state's economy -- both on the farm and elsewhere -- by helping West Virginians keep more of that $6 billion food cost right here at home.

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