Agriculture Plan

As the cornerstone of our region, agriculture will fuel our economy for generations. The 24th Congressional District stands out as a premier agricultural hub in the Northeast. It boasts the largest dairy district in New York, with Wayne County being the largest apple-producing county outside of Washington State. Wyoming County ranks among the top maple syrup producers in the nation, and the Finger Lakes region is renowned for its numerous vineyards, orchards, and specialty crops. These producers drive the economy of Upstate and Western New York, providing jobs to local workers and supplying our grocery stores and schools with nutritious local products.

However, in recent years, this vital industry has faced challenges from unfair foreign trade practices and unfavorable state and federal policies. Farms and agricultural producers are crucial to the success of our communities, offering essential jobs and opportunities. It's imperative that we implement sensible agricultural policies to enable our farmers and rural communities to compete in the global market.

I support a comprehensive approach that promotes pro-farmer agricultural policies and backs programs that keep our food industry thriving. My plan will unlock the potential of our rural communities, counteract hostile foreign interference in our agriculture sector, and provide farmers and producers with the certainty and opportunities they need to thrive.

Supporting our Specialty Crops

• Introduced H.R. 5091, the Fairness in Vineyard Data Act: This bipartisan legislation will require the federal government to perform a nationwide grape statistics survey and increase its annual grape data location from the top two largest grape producing states to the top five states, including New York. The data from these surveys will allow our great Finger Lakes vineyards and wineries to adapt to industry changes and trends.
   
• Cosponsored H.R. 7667, the Making Agricultural Products Locally Essential (MAPLE) Act: This bipartisan legislation will assist the maple industry by expanding new markets for maple syrup producers while increasing seniors’ access to locally sourced products.

• Cosponsored H.R. 3512, the SAP Act of 2023: This bipartisan legislation will ensure the USDA consults with maple syrup producers when directing research and educational priorities under the Acer Access and Development Plan. New York is the second largest maple syrup producing state in the nation, so it is imperative that these producers have a voice in the federal programs that affect them.

• Cosponsored H.R. 3127, the SHOPP Act: This bipartisan legislation will require USDA programs to incentivize the consumption of frozen fruits and vegetables among SNAP recipients. Frozen fruits and vegetables are convenient and often more nutritious that fresh produce, but for years they have been unfairly sidelined in the SNAP program. This crucial update will benefit both SNAP recipients and our Upstate and Western New York produce farmers.

• Cosponsored H.R. 3867, the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act: Since its discovery in Pennsylvania in 2014, the invasive spotted lanternfly has decimated crops across the state, resulting in over $300 million in damages annually. It is vital that we act to ensure this pest does not spread further into New York, which would jeopardize our grape and apple crops. In response, this bipartisan bill will require the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the USDA to list the spotted lanternfly as a high-priority research and extension initiative, helping us develop methods to control this pest.

• As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over our nation’s trade policy, I will always support increased foreign market access for our nation’s farmers and agricultural producers. Over the years, policies such as the unfair Indian tariffs on American apples and Canadian caps on American dairy imports have unfairly punished our farmers and agricultural economy. It is vital for American farmers to have a seat at the table in any upcoming trade deals and that these unfair barriers are ended.

Supporting New York Dairy

• Cosponsored H.R. 1756, the Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act of 2023: In the 2018 Farm Bill, the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system was reformed to set the fluid milk price as the average of the price for milk used in cheese and the price for milk used in butter and dried form. This change has not worked as intended and has resulted in dairy farms losing millions in revenue. This bipartisan legislation will return fluid milk pricing to the previous “higher of” instead of “average of” and require a report on dairy producer costs to ensure our farmers are fairly compensated for their milk.

• Cosponsored H.R. 4125, the Dairy Farm Resiliency Act: This bipartisan legislation will update the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program to ensure its covered levels of milk production are updated every five years. The DMC program is a voluntary government backed insurance program for farmers, ensuring dairy farmers have enough revenue to pay feed and production expenses when milk prices go down. However, even though there has been considerable consolidation in the dairy industry since 2014, the coverage levels have not been adjusted to compensate. This legislation will change that, allowing these farmers to cover more of their milk production.

• Cosponsored H.R. 1147, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act: This bipartisan legislation will allow unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. Whole milk is a healthy source of key nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. This will help support our Upstate dairy farms and give schools the flexibility needed to serve children nutritious food.

• Cosponsored H.R. 1462, the DAIRY PRIDE Act: This bipartisan legislation will require all food products labeled with dairy terminology such as milk, yogurt, and cheese to have come from a hoofed animal. Mislabeled plant-based imitation dairy products have significantly different nutritional profiles, and it is essential the FDA issue guidance to prevent any confusion for consumers. It is important Americans can easily understand the nutritional benefit from dairy provided by our Upstate dairy farmers and producers.

Protecting US Farmland from Foreign Interests

• Cosponsored H.R. 809, the Prohibition of Agricultural Land for the People’s Republic of China Act: This legislation will protect national security, food security, and economic security through banning the purchase of public or private U.S. agricultural land by foreign nationals associated with the People’s Republic of China. It will also ban such entities from participating in any USDA programs and receiving taxpayer dollars. Current laws put full onus on the purchasing parties to self-report their purchases with fines rarely levied for misreporting or not reporting. It is time we close this loophole and ensure our nation has a secure and dependable food supply.

• Cosponsored H.R. 683, the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act of 2023: This bipartisan legislation will safeguard our nation’s food security, banning any entity or person primarily based in China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from buying U.S. agricultural land and agricultural companies. It will also add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to ensure the needs of agricultural security are fully represented when reviewing foreign investments in our country. It is vital that we do not allow these hostile nations to use these purchases to undermine our food supply or gain access to sensitive military operations.

Your views are always important to me. Please write to me on my website or call my office at 202-225-3665 with feedback, questions, or concerns.