Political Quotes

“I also rise to bring awareness about a coming crisis in our Nation's agricultural workforce. According to USDA, the average age for a farmer is now 58 and has been on the rise for over 30 years. Our Nation faces a shortfall of 700,000 agricultural workers over the next 20 years. How can we reverse this trend? According to the Department of Labor, 45 percent of armed servicemembers are from rural America. Many of our returning heroes struggle to find employment after serving our Nation. Agriculture is a sensible solution to fill the economic gap our veterans face. That is why I joined with my friend and colleague on the House Agriculture Committee, Al Lawson of Florida, to introduce the Vets to Ag Act. Our bill streamlines the process for veterans getting apprenticeships in the agricultural industry. Despite dysfunction in Washington, we are still fighting for bipartisan, commonsense solutions to help our farmers and our veterans. I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan effort. Human Trafficking Prevention Month”