Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a very distinguished American and longtime public servant of the people of Southeastern North Carolina as well as the United States Congress. Billy Barker has served this institution for 24 years, 18 years for former Congressman Mike McIntyre and 6 years with me as agriculture field director. He also served a number of years for North Carolina's longtime Commissioner of Agriculture, the late Jim Graham. Following more than three decades of serving the citizens of North Carolina, Billy recently retired from his work in public service. Billy was one of my first hires after I was elected to Congress in 2014. He is a great friend who has been an incredibly valuable source of information for me and many others. The contributions he has made to the agriculture community and our farm families cannot be measured. Sometimes it was help on a pressing issue with USDA; other times, it was just a friendly visit to talk local scuttlebutt and take a break from the stresses on the farm. It is no exaggeration to say that North Carolina's farm economy wouldn't look the same without Billy's hard work and influence. Through numerous hurricanes and other storms, the COVID-19 pandemic, and every other challenge, Billy Barker has been a constant presence on the ground, providing our farm families and rural communities a steady hand to guide them through recovery and ensuring they have the resources they need.…”