Agriculture Plan

Agriculture is the backbone of our regional economy. The 24th Congressional District is the largest agricultural district in the Northeast, the 5^th largest dairy district in the U.S., and includes Wayne County as the 3^rd largest apple-producing county in the U.S. and the largest outside Washington State. Wyoming County is also among the top maple syrup producing counties and the Finger Lakes is world-renowned for its vineyards, orchards, and specialty crops. These producers sustain the economy of our district, creating jobs for local workers and stocking our grocery stores and schools with nutritious local products.

However, in recent years, the agriculture industry has faced challenges from unfair foreign trade practices and burdensome 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. 4205, 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. 293, 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. Our local maple syrup is the best in the country and this would create new incentives for seniors to buy local at our farmer’s markets.

• Cosponsored H.R. 289, the SAP Act: 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. 4708, 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.

• Supporting Expanded Market Access for Agriculture: 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 removed. 

• Led a Letter Urging the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to Prioritize Wine Market Access in Trade Negotiations: As President Trump continues working to successfully rebalance American trade and open new markets for American producers, we must ensure that our agricultural community sees these benefits as well. I led a letter along with 9 of my Ways and Means Republican colleagues urging Ambassador Greer to prioritize wine market access in countries like India and Vietnam that unfairly discriminate against U.S. products, like Finger Lakes Wines, in favor of European or Australian products.

Supporting New York Dairy

• Introduced H.Res. 527, National Dairy Month Resolution: New York is home to over 3,000 dairy farms, many of which are right here in NY-24. These farmers are the backbone of our agricultural economy, providing nutritious, high-quality products to families across the country. As the Representative of the largest dairy-producing district in the Northeast, I was honored to introduce this resolution to express support for the designation of June as National Dairy Month and give our dairy farmers and producers the honor and recognition they have long earned.

• Introduced H.R. 240, the Protect Local Farms Act: This bill prohibits states from setting their overtime thresholds for agricultural workers at less than 60 hours per week. New York State’s oppressive mandate requiring overtime be paid for agricultural workers at 40 hours per week ignores the requests of both our farmers and our workforce. This threshold does not make sense in the context of our growing seasons and must be reversed.

• Cosponsored H.R. 294, 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.

Protecting US Farmland from Foreign Interests

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.