- Our farming community is based in faith and hard work, and I plan to faithfully represent the work ethic and social fabric of the 13th’s farmers, if elected.
- Inflation has hit farmers hard. Farms often get left out of economic discussions, but I will be sure to keep the needs of our Chester and Lancaster farming families at the forefront of the discussion—their agribusinesses are an engine of jobs and thriving communities.
- Pennsylvania’s District 13 has long been undervalued for the business impact on its farming, manufacturing, and growing town-based service sectors.
- We cannot represent social values in Harrisburg and ignore the immediate need for sound policies on development, economic development, planned public and private spaces, and plans for addressing, embracing, and enjoying growth in the 13th.
- Our largest sectors of farming include the mushroom industry and the dairy industry. Both are suffering from being ignored and underrepresented on their need for labor.
- Pennsylvania politics bear heavy on national politics, and we can no longer be represented as if our state’s agriculture immigration needs reflect border politics. I will stand up for our farmers’ appropriate, legal, and urgent push for a reliable workforce in the 13th.
- Chester County farmers have worked for over 30 years to develop a workforce from our population right here. But they still need agriculture workforce development support—this includes funds for on-farm systems and innovations, not just research; funds for experimenting with small-scale automation that enables what workforce they have; and funds for the future of supportive robotics and tech—which means funds for broadband that reaches dairy farms and penetrates mushroom houses.
- For our local producers, whose beefs, poultry, creameries, cheeses, wines, and honey are world-class, farmers need strategic corporate partners, from health partners to wholesale distributors to venture capital get their products out to the public. This can be done with group stakeholder strategies, where producers are working together on marketing, hauling, and distribution.
- For our farm-loving, open spaces-supportive residents and visitors, let’s develop a strategy that directs the many Lancaster County visitors to discover Chester County agriculture and goods. I will support both County’s plans to embrace innovation and culinary and restaurant development to support our local producers dedicated to getting local food on the plates of restaurants treasured by locals and visitors alike.
- Climate change will impact every farmers’ ability to source and afford their inputs, grow their crops, feed their livestock, and properly maintain their farms. By focusing on best management practices with funding to facilitate them; by engaging Amish farmers with the seriousness needed to address property impacts on Chester and Lancaster counties; and by exploring crops our farmers interested in testing new crops, we can move the 13th into the next decade of climate challenges.
- Biomass and renewable energy strategies need also to be explored and piloted so that farmers don’t have to put everything at risk to try to meet the challenges of excess rainfall and soaring energy prices.