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Defending Producers and Consumers
Last week, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing on the effects of California's Proposition 12 ruling that is driving up costs, hindering producers around the country, and creating concerns for our trading partners. Prop 12 does nothing to improve animal welfare, food safety, or food affordability, and is a great example of how state overreach can disrupt an entire supply chain.
States are free to implement their own standards of production within their borders, but California’s Prop 12 goes too far by imposing arbitrary standards on out-of-state producers. The regulations placed on growers looking to do business in California have caused prices to go up across the board and put producers at risk. This costly rule is a threat to our small farmers without the resources large companies have to comply with patchwork, state-by-state regulation.
Our producers work every day to feed and clothe the nation. California's Prop 12 creates an unnecessary and unscientific hurdle that hurts everyone involved. I am glad we held this hearing to highlight the dangers that these kinds of rulings pose to Americans and I look forward to working with my colleagues to find a suitable fix.
Discussing Innovation in Farming
The House Agriculture Committee, last week, also held a hearing where we discussed past breakthroughs and future innovations in crop production.
It is necessary and vital for America's growers that we support new innovation, not create a burdensome regulatory environment that stifles new ideas. Innovation is important to ensure our farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to continue operation and provide for our nation.
Overregulation puts farms out of business and gives our adversaries, like China, an advantage. In Congress, we are working to foster innovation through legislation and important partnerships that allow faster, more effective, and more efficient production.
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