Fighting for mid-south agriculture

Of all the members on the House Agriculture Committee, I am the only representative from the mid-south. I take seriously my responsibility to voice the concerns of mid-south farmers and educate members of the committee from other regions about the challenges our producers face.
 
{mosads}In a globally interdependent economy, American farmers face great challenges. Just as manufacturers face competition from overseas, farmers also feel the heat. I am proud that American farmers produce the safest, most reliable, most abundant supply of food on the planet. To maintain that distinction, Congress must write a responsible Farm Bill and break down trade barriers, address skyrocketing fuels costs and stop the Environmental Protection Agency from slapping even more regulations on farmers.
 
As the Agriculture Committee begins the task of writing a new Farm Bill, field hearings are being held around the country to hear directly from farmers. Later this month, I’ll welcome members of the Agriculture Committee to my hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas for a field hearing. American farmers were the very first small business owners. Farmers know what it’s like to project input costs, manage risks and balance a budget. In writing a new Farm Bill, Congress should work to provide certainty that protects farmers from natural disasters and volatile markets so that farmers can produce enough food to feed the world’s 7 billion people.
 
Farmers know the impact of high fuel prices. Diesel fuel is needed to power tractors and combines. Energy goes into producing the fertilizers and seeds farmers use. When harvest time comes, fuel is necessary for harvesting, processing and shipping products from the field to your neighborhood grocery store. When fuel costs rise, farmers feel the pinch more than most. The solution to addressing higher costs is developing a national energy policy that responsibly develops domestic resources. We need to have an “all-of-the-above” approach for federal policy so that farmers can continue farming.
 
No federal agency better represents the Obama administration’s war on agriculture than the EPA. Farmers in my Arkansas district live off the land, they raise their families and earn an honest living by taking care of our natural resources. If anyone understands the importance of preserving our environment for future generations, it is certainly the family farmer. With all the challenges our agriculture community faces, they should not have to worry about burdensome new regulations from Washington. As long as the Obama EPA continues its assault on farmers, I will continue to fight senseless regulations that only serve to cripple American agriculture.
 
Unpredictable weather, an ever changing market place and the continued need for investments in technology make farming a difficult job. Many farm families are just one crop failure away from being out of business. On this National Agriculture Day, I hope all Americans will take time to reflect upon the obstacles farmers face. Tonight, when you sit down to eat dinner, remember the people who made that meal possible, and remember if you eat, you are involved in agriculture.
 
Rep. Crawford (R-Ark.) represents the leading rice-producing Congressional district in the United States. He serves on the House Agriculture Committee. He co-founded the Rice Caucus and the Chicken Caucus in the United States House of Representatives.