Issue Position: Agriculture

Issue Position

Having grown up on a two-wheel, wagon-rut mule farm, I know firsthand how vital agriculture is to Ohio and our nation, which is why I am committed to strengthening and supporting the agriculture industry.

This is done first by building strong relationships with our trading partners that will increase America's agricultural exports, and then by forcing the federal government to be partners in progress with America's farmers rather than a the source of constant burdensome overestimation and taxes.

On the trade front, I voted for fair trade agreements between the U.S. and South Korea, Panama, and Columbia, which were signed into law. These trade agreements put everyone on a level playing field, and opened up vast world markets for America's agricultural products - thus creating hundreds of thousands of jobs here at home.

To reel in the negative influence of federal government overreach, I will continue working hard to keep the federal government off the backs of agricultural producers by cosponsoring legislation and sending letters to the Administration to halt the advance of burdensome regulations. For example, I worked to prevent the federal government from implementing harmful youth labor regulations that hurt family farms. And, I will continue working to ensure the the death tax is repealed permanently to make sure that family farms remain family owned.

I believe there is a role for the federal government in areas such as sustaining the farm safety net, but there are some market distorting farm programs that push the limit. It is so important for these farm programs to work in tandem with the free market and move away from crop planting decisions influenced by the government. For example, the sugar program is one of the most egregious federal government interventions into the agriculture industry, which is why I have supported legislation to repeal this program.

America's family farmers and ranchers are crucial to feeding not only America, but the world. I will always support them, and will always work hard to keep the federal government from standing in the way of their success.

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