I am proud to represent State College--home of Pennsylvania's only land-grant university.

I know the importance of investing in the bioeconomy, which relies on our farmers and ranchers.

Today's diverse set of panelists brings valuable knowledge and insight on how rural development programs work on the ground, and how they can be improved to better serve our rural communities.

The farm bill is an opportunity to address these issues that rural communities face every day and help ensure our rural neighbors have access to affordable, high quality health care--particularly important to me as a pediatrician.

I am advocating for those hardworking families, including on solutions to support mental health in rural communities, and ensuring that rural families have more reliable access to childcare.

As USDA's Rural Development agency is the only Federal agency with the sole focus of serving rural communities like the ones I represent, it is critical that we are providing these communities with the tools and resources they need to…

As I often say, rural America is essential America, and without our rural producers, America would wake up in the cold, dark, and hungry.

I think we have an obligation to do that.

If we can put politics aside to have honest dialogue, promote pragmatic policymaking, and commit to good governance, we can move mountains for those in need.

In 2001 we spent $17 billion on SNAP. This year SNAP is projected to cost taxpayers $124 billion, an increase of over 700 percent.

This rule changes the requirements for a person to be considered actively engaged in farming for the purpose of payment eligibility for certain Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) programs.

we are all about giving folks and hand up, not just a handout