Issue Position: Agriculture

Issue Position

From the shade tobacco farms of the Connecticut River valley to the dairy farms of eastern Connecticut, agriculture remains one of the cornerstones of our state's economy. Agriculture and farming have been central to Connecticut's heritage and history -- and are important components of our region's future.

As the first Member to serve on the House Agriculture Committee from Connecticut in more than a century, I am working to preserve the rural character of our communities and to ensure the continued success of family farmers who have worked the land for more than three centuries. I am proud to have received the Farm Bureau's Friend of the Farm award in 2008 and the "Golden Triangle" award from the National Farmers Union in 2010 for my work in advocating for our region's agriculture priorities.

In addition, I am working to:

Give Connecticut's farmers a voice in the drafting of the federal multi-year farm bill for the first time in 100 years

Protect and support of state's dairy farms, who are struggling with rising costs and falling prices

Ensure fairness for our shellfish farmers, who are denied access to federal resources and support.

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