1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Pennsylvania’s rural communities are the backbone of our Commonwealth. We must ensure that the Farm Bill includes support for farmers and rural families to protect our land, keep our food safe, and safeguard farm livelihoods into the future.

To support them, we need to address the biggest issues facing farmers, which I believe include helping farmers who have been suffering from rising costs, including costs from natural disasters like animal disease outbreaks and floods, investing in rural communities, and conserving Pennsylvania land, natural resources, and beauty.

Small towns and rural communities also continue to face challenges including farm labor shortages, crumbling infrastructure, and a digital divide that makes it increasingly difficult to do business in the digital age. That’s why we must continue to invest in rural communities.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

We must work across the aisle to make sure Pennsylvania farmers get what they need to continue their way of life. I’ve got a bipartisan record of delivering for farmers and rural communities, and I am committed to ensuring this Farm Bill gives the Commonwealth what we need.

In the Senate, I will fight to preserve the Farm Bill’s “baseline,” programs, which support conservation, nutrition, and crop commodity programs.

Farmers also deserve resources and support to help them weather challenging market conditions and disasters. Dairy farmers require and deserve the strongest suite of dairy policies possible. I supported the 2018 Farm Bill, which replaced the Dairy Margin Protection Program with the Dairy Margin Coverage program. I also supported changes made to the DMC in the 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act, allowing higher levels of coverage in some instances. We should update and improve the risk management tools contained in the Farm Bill’s commodity and crop insurance titles to reflect rising input costs and inflation. We must ensure that USDA has the tools and resources necessary to help producers respond to disasters, such as animal disease outbreaks, droughts and floods.

We must also invest in our rural communities, which are the bedrock of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry. I am proud to have voted in recent years for major legislation that has included historic investments in rural infrastructure, in high speed internet for rural areas, in roads and bridges, especially off-system bridges, among other investments. I worked very hard to bring home community projects to rural communities and steer dollars to small towns and rural economies.

Finally, voluntary USDA conservation initiatives such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) help producers improve their environmental stewardship. The next Farm Bill should provide robust funding for EQIP and other farm conservation programs while ensuring these programs are flexible enough to meet producers’ diverse needs. We must also make sure these programs are supporting innovation and putting the latest technologies in producers’ hands.

3. Experience and Qualifications

I was born and raised in Scranton, where I still live today. I believe that all of us must strive to make Pennsylvania a Commonwealth in life as well as in name, facing our biggest challenges head-on, together.

“All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.” Those are the words inscribed on the Finance Building in Harrisburg where I started my work in public service, and the words that still guide me today. Whether it’s standing up to China, lowering costs for families, or funding critical infrastructure projects that will create tens of thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania, I am fighting every day in Washington to improve the lives of the people I represent. One of the most bipartisan and effective members of the Senate, I introduced and passed into law more bills than nearly every other Senator in the last Congress.

My fight for workers and families is shaped by my own family’s story. My grandfather, Alphonsus Liguori Casey, worked as an 11-year-old in a coal mine near Scranton to help support his family, after his father died. Today, I am leading the fight in Washington to extend the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund for Pennsylvania’s coal miners, save pensions for tens of thousands of Pennsylvania workers, and put an end to tax breaks for union busting. I am also fighting to hold big corporations accountable for raising prices on middle class families, stop the flow of fentanyl into our communities, and fight back against China’s cheating practices that hurt Pennsylvania workers.

I have dedicated my career to fighting for the most vulnerable among us. My ABLE Act, which allows people with disabilities to save for their future, has been called the most significant disability legislation passed into law since the Americans with Disabilities Act. I worked to cap the cost of insulin at $35 for seniors, and helped pass the PACT Act to provide care to veterans who have suffered after being exposed to toxic burn pits. Throughout my time in public service, I have been a steadfast and nationally recognized advocate for Pennsylvania’s children.

Representing Pennsylvania in the Senate has been the honor of my lifetime. I regularly visit each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties to talk to people about the issues that matter most to them. I have spent my life standing up for Pennsylvanians and my sleeves are rolled up to continue the fight.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Commonwealth farmers face many challenges. First, the never-ending onslaught of federal rules and red tape makes it difficult to keep their operations going. From issues like the federal limitation on CDL drivers under the age of 20 which hinders the transport of agricultural goods, to reimposing Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS), unfair climate rules, and reducing meat consumption, radicals on the left are pushing to regulate every aspect of Pennsylvania agriculture. Sadly, many in public office don’t recognize the value of agriculture and the values of the people who work day in and out to put food on our tables.

Our bureaucrats continue to ban whole milk from the National School Lunch Program, denying millions of children a healthy source of nutrients and leaving Pennsylvania dairies in the lunch. Without immediate action, farmers are fearful we will lose an entire generation of milk drinkers.

Economic issues are also top of mind for Pennsylvania’s agriculture communities. Federal bureaucrats don’t understand that farmers are price takers, not price makers. When the cost of fuel, equipment, transport and other inputs skyrocket because of Washington’s excessive spending and the war on fossil fuels, the agriculture sector must respond. Meanwhile, taxes are already too high for working families, but some in Washington want to eliminate stepped-up basis and repeal the Trump Tax Cuts, which lowered taxes for Pennsylvania farms by roughly 3 percent. They oppose abolishing the death tax — which makes it difficult for farmers to pass their work onto the next generation.

Another issue is restoring a focus on trade in Washington. The current administration has failed to prioritize trade — inking few new deals that would open new markets for Pennsylvania farmers, and failing to properly enforce agriculture rules in agreements like USMCA. This allows foreign countries to undercut Pennsylvania producers, and hurts our ability to export commonwealth products. We must also protect our farmland — a strategic asset of the United States — from being further snatched up by foreign buyers like China.

Lastly, infrastructure remains a challenge for our rural communities. The 2021 infrastructure bill was well-meaning, but it was hijacked to push through billions in liberal pet projects and more regulations to advance their radical agenda. The result? After three years — not a single home or business in Pennsylvania has been connected under their rural broadband initiative. This is gross mismanagement, and our agriculture communities are being left behind because of it.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

Tackling all these issues will require leadership, strength, and a willingness to shake things up. Pennsylvania’s farmers deserve an advocate in the Senate.

As your next Senator, I’ll be a strong voice for Pennsylvania agriculture. I’ll fight to cut red tape and rein in the out-of-control Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies making it impossible for agriculture communities in the commonwealth to thrive. I’ll work with my colleagues to help them understand the strategic significance of a strong agricultural economy.

I learned as a successful business leader that driving change requires taking on root causes, which is why I’ve put together a plan to fix Washington. If we want to make Washington work for the people again, we have to change the culture in the capital, take on an entrenched bureaucracy that resists change, and fix the misguided incentives.

To get a handle on inflation, I’ll put a stop to the wasteful government spending driving up prices and get our federal budget in order. I’ve also put forward an aggressive plan to make Pennsylvania and America energy dominant by unleashing all our natural resources, including natural gas. Doing so will reduce fuel, electricity, and other input costs. Pennsylvania’s clean natural gas is great for our national security and our environment, and it can serve as a critical source of income for farmers.

In the Senate, I’ll oppose tax hikes on farmers and working families, and I’ll push for tax policies that ensure Pennsylvania’s entrepreneurial spirit — agriculture — can succeed for generations to come.

I’ll also fight to ensure significant purchases of American farmland by Chinese nationals or companies undergo a national security review. We must defend our agriculture industry from the Chinese Communist Party.

When it comes to getting whole milk back in our schools, I will be a champion for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Partnering with my dear friend Rep. GT Thompson, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and the lead sponsor of the bill, I am confident that we finally get this priority signed into law.

Lastly, to reinvigorate our rural communities I will push for real investment in our roads, bridges, and broadband that don’t come with red tape and agendas. Internet connectivity is essential for ensuring the future of agriculture. I’ll also work to ensure policies are in place that maximize the goal of agricultural land staying in production.

3. Experience and Qualifications

I’m a West Point graduate, combat veteran, a job creator, and a business leader. But most importantly, I’m a 7th-generation Pennsylvanian who grew up in Bloomsburg and was raised to understand the value of hard work. Besides playing football and wrestling, I spent most of my youth baling hay on our family farm, which we still own to this day, and trimming Christmas trees on neighboring farms. Those experiences have shaped me into a lifelong supporter of Pennsylvania agriculture and someone who understands the growing challenges commonwealth farmers face. It’s why since launching my candidacy for the U.S. Senate, I’ve held over twenty agriculture events in every corner of the commonwealth, including roundtables, farm tours, and county fair stops.

I know firsthand how Pennsylvania farmers are also some of the best stewards of the environment, and they work hard to feed the nation and the world. Our 53,000+ farms and the thousands of jobs they support are the lifeblood of the economy, and they deserve a strong advocate in Washington. Without new leadership, the commonwealth will continue to lose more of its precious family farms, and the rural communities they support will be left behind.

1.What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Some of the most pressing national issues confronting Pennsylvania agriculture today include environmental challenges, national security threats, and the urgent need for resilient food systems.

Communities across Pennsylvania, including my own in Bucks and Montgomery counties, have been hit hard by increasingly unpredictable weather, severe flooding, and extreme temperatures threatening our agricultural productivity and the stability of our entire food supply chain. Our farmers must have better access to resources and advanced technologies to combat these challenges and keep our food systems resilient. Compounding these issues is the rise of invasive species like the Spotted Lanternfly, which have inflicted significant economic damage across the state’s agriculture sector.

Pennsylvania agriculture also faces escalating threats from foreign adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The growing acquisition of agricultural land by foreign entities poses a direct and grave risk to our food security. Food security is national security, and the looming threat of agricultural economic espionage has the potential to devastate our supply chains, putting our PA farmers and communities in jeopardy. Additionally, the surge in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure—such as irrigation systems and transportation networks—underscores the need to defend these vital systems from adversarial nations and bad actors.

2. What actions should be taken to address these matters?

Expanding Resources for Farmers to Tackle Environmental Challenges:

Programs like the USDA’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are vital lifelines for our farmers, especially in my PA-1 community, where they’ve had to overcome and continuously adapt to severe flooding and commercial development. The high demand for these programs from our farmers underscores the urgent need for their expansion. These initiatives are indispensable for bolstering plant and soil health and will help steer our farm community toward long-term sustainability. Furthermore, legislation like the Invasive Species Prevention and Forest Restoration Act is crucial for curbing the spread of destructive pests and mitigating the economic toll they inflict on our agricultural sectors.

Strengthening National Security Protections

Although Pennsylvania has state-level restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land and real estate, much more can and needs to be done. This requires strengthening ongoing Congressional efforts to mandate that the Secretary of Agriculture rigorously review agricultural transactions and promptly alert the Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) of any potential national security threats before deals are finalized. Additionally, our national security apparatus must prioritize reinforcing vulnerable infrastructure against cyberattacks and breaches, ensuring our communities and critical supply chains are secure.

3. Experience and Qualifications

Before serving in Congress, Brian Fitzpatrick dedicated 14 years to serving our Nation as an FBI Special Agent and Federal Prosecutor. During his tenure, he led high-stakes investigations into domestic and international political corruption, counterterrorism, and counterintelligence. Brian was embedded with US Special Forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom, directed the FBI’s Campaign Finance and Election Crimes Enforcement Program as its National Director, and served as the National Supervisor for the Public Corruption Unit. His expertise in restoring integrity to governmental institutions earned him recognition as a leading authority in the field.

In Congress, Brian holds several key leadership roles, including Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Intelligence on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Ways & Means Committee, and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Additionally, he Co-Chairs the Problem Solvers Caucus, Congressional Ukraine Caucus, House Cancer Caucus, and the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force.

For four consecutive years, Brian has earned the Lugar Center’s recognition as the Nation’s #1 Most Independent and Bipartisan Member of Congress, underscoring his commitment and ability to reach across the aisle to develop common-sense solutions and deliver real results to everyone in his community.

A proud Levittown native and Bishop Egan High School graduate, Brian’s roots run deep in Bucks County, where he has lived for over 40 years. He holds a BBA from LaSalle University, as well as an MBA and JD from Penn State University/Dickinson School of Law. Brian is a licensed attorney, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Eagle Scout, and active member of the Knights of Columbus and the Levittown Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH). Recently, he was honored as the 2024 recipient of the prestigious AOH John F. Kennedy Medal, the highest accolade awarded by the Hibernians, recognizing his outstanding service and dedication to the Irish-American community and his broader contributions to peace and unity.

Brian’s commitment to service, integrity, and bipartisanship are the driving force behind his work as a public servant and making a difference for his hometown community.

1. If you are elected to the General Assembly, what would be some of your priorities related to agriculture and our food industry?

Infrastructure: Improved infrastructure in rural farming communities is critical. In order to remain competitive, farmers must have reliable means of getting their products to market. Increased resource allocation is necessary to rebuild and maintain aspects of the infrastructure that are deteriorating. Taxes: The nature of the farming business is volatile and unpredictable. Disease, weather, fluctuating commodities pricing impact financial stability. The current tax code must be re-structured to account for these financial challenges. I support making permanent the higher exemption levels of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. Likewise, I support a permanent estate tax exemption. Rural Health: Severe labor shortages, supply chain challenges, financial instability, have taken an enormous toll on the mental health of the nation’s farmers. I would advocate for increased funding for mental health education, designed to remove the stigma associated with mental health concerns. Additionally, I would support efforts to increase access to care through telehealth by allocating resources to expand broadband access in rural communities.

2. Please provide a narrative about your experience and qualifications.

I was born in Pakistan and came to the US in 2001 to escape religious persecution and became a US citizen in 2006. I earned an MBA in accounting and finance and was employed by the City of Philadelphia as an accountant. In addition, I was an adjunct faculty member at a local college. I am an active and experienced Philadelphia ward leader and community activist. My goal in running for Congress is to put America first and return the country to the principles upon which it was founded. My campaign is focused on faith, family values, lower taxes, and a transparent and accountable government.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Pennsylvania agriculture is foundational to a prosperous and healthy economy. In Congress, I will continue to advocate and fight for the reauthorization of the Farm Bill to provide farmers the security and support they deserve in rural communities both in my district and throughout the Commonwealth. As our economy becomes increasingly digitized, I will work to expand infrastructure investment and broadband internet access. This, I believe, is a crucial first step to ensuring participants in our agricultural sector have access to free, fair, and prosperous markets. Furthermore, it is crucial that we expand access to crop insurance to protect against the environmental scourges of climate change and shore up our agricultural sector’s solvency.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

To meet the needs of Pennsylvania’s agricultural economy, it is imperative that we pursue the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA). These groundbreaking pieces of legislation will expand infrastructure, broadband access, and protect our agriculture from climate change. I am committed to expanding on this legislation in ways which will help build resilient farming communities for the next generation. Additionally, protecting our family farmers is crucial to compounding the health of Pennsylvania agriculture. I will continue to work toward the passage of the Farm Bill to provide farmers with the long-term security, resources, and support they need to develop the next generation of Pennsylvania farmers.

3. Experience and Qualifications

Born and raised in Glenside, PA, I am a mother, grandmother, professor, and attorney honored to represent Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District. I started my career in politics at 18 by winning an election to serve as a local committeeperson. Since then, I have served 3 terms in the Pennsylvania General Assembly (2012-2018) and am now seeking a fourth term in Congress after first being elected in 2018. I am a steadfast advocate for the residents of the Fourth Congressional District and will continue to fight for: fixing our climate, increasing investment in our nation’s infrastructure, building a more sustainable economy for the next generation, and more.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

I am proud to represent many of the vibrant agricultural communities in Southeastern Pennsylvania. When I meet with our farmers, especially in Kennett Square and other areas with many mushroom farms, I consistently hear that labor challenges have been one of the most critical national issues they are facing. I will continue to push for commonsense bipartisan immigration reform.

The rising costs of goods and services is a recurring topic in my conversations with farmers. Rural communities have been hit hard by the high costs of child-care, groceries, prescription drugs, and more. But our farming communities face unique challenges, from the fluctuating cost of diesel, to high energy costs, to the expanding costs of equipment.

Third, Pennsylvania farmers consistently tell me about the importance of passing the Farm Bill. This critical piece of legislation governs everything from the nutrition programs that families in both urban and rural areas depend on, to the farm safety net that protects our dairy farmers, and more. Unfortunately, an update to this critical legislation keeps getting pushed out but I will continue to advocate for its quick passage so our nation’s farmers can plan for the next five years of federal agriculture policy.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

With the input of my community’s farmers, I am working on these pressing national issues. I have been a long-time supporter of the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would be a strong first step towards addressing the labor needs of our area’s agriculture sector. In particular, it would address the shortcomings of the H-2A program and would finally provide the year-round visas desperately needed by mushroom farmers in PA06. Last year I was the lead Democrat on the Farmworker Access and Waiver Act to similarly address this issue.

I was proud to support both the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. These bills included provisions to bring down the costs of prescription drugs and a cap on insulin costs for seniors, who are disproportionately represented in rural areas. This legislation also included massive investments in rural infrastructure like broadband, and a $14 billion investment in rural power generation programs to bring down utility costs in these areas. Finally, the legislation included $20 billion to specifically support climate-smart agriculture, funding existing USDA programs that have long been so popular that they’ve been consistently over-subscribed.

Lastly, I have pushed for a Farm Bill that is tailored to Pennsylvania’s unique needs. I have championed three pieces of legislation that have been fully or partially included in both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees’ farm bill proposals. My bipartisan Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act would take the first step towards providing crop insurance benefits specifically to mushroom farmers. I am also advocating for the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act to increase research funding to combat the invasive species plaguing our region’s farms, and The Industrial Hemp Act to provide regulatory clarity to the growing number of industrial hemp farmers who call Pennsylvania home.

3. Experience and Qualifications

Chrissy Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, engineer, successful entrepreneur, and educator who earned her engineering degree from Stanford with an ROTC scholarship and received her M.S. in Technology and Policy from MIT. She is the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors who came to America with nothing. Chrissy helped lead several companies including AND1, a basketball apparel company, and B Lab, the organization that launched the B Corporation movement. Chrissy went on to serve in Teach for America as a chemistry teacher at Gratz in North Philadelphia, and then led and scaled a non-profit helping thousands of underserved students across America build their literacy skills.

She was first elected in 2018 and is continuing her career of service as the first woman ever to represent Pennsylvania’s 6th District in Congress, and the first Democrat since the Civil War. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. She is the co-founder of three Congressional Caucuses – Women in STEM, Stakeholder Capitalism, and The Servicewomen and Women Veterans Caucus – and co-founded the Bipartisan Paid Family Leave Working Group.

Chrissy has been one of the most productive members of Congress, shepherding dozens of her legislative initiatives into law. Because of her efforts, small businesses had an easier time getting their COVID loans forgiven, veterans experiencing a mental health crisis had more options for treatment, our rare earths supply is a little more secure, federal workers now receive 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and the DOD has access to better tech talent. She has held more town halls than any other member of the Pennsylvania delegation and is the first member to win two Democracy awards – one for best workplace culture and another for best constituent service – in the same year.

Chrissy is a proven leader driven by a spirit of service to her community, commonwealth, and country. She’s a mom, a runner, and longtime resident of Southeastern Pennsylvania.  For more information on Chrissy Houlahan, visit her website at www.chrissyhoulahanforcongress.com, follow her on Twitter at @houlahanforpa, on Facebook at facebook.com/houlahanforpa.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Pennsylvania farmers are dealing with a wide array of challenges. Some of these are connected to the problems that all Americans are facing, especially inflation and energy. In the last four years, higher interest rates and input prices for things like fuel and fertilizer have put a squeeze on farmers. More recently, falling commodity prices are also hurting farmers.

Some farmers are dealing with more specific problems. PA dairy farmers, for example, are facing lower demand for milk.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

There are several basic steps that Congress needs to take in order to better financially support farmers. First, we need to bring down energy prices by embracing affordable and reliable American energy; next, Congress needs to live within its limits and end the wasteful, inflationary spending that helped to drive up input costs for farmers; Congress also needs to pass a Farm Bill that adequately addresses farmers needs instead of creating new regulatory burdens for farmers.

Congress also needs to start providing regulatory relief more broadly. This is particularly true for dairy farmers, who are currently only able to provide skim and 1% milk for schools. Burdens like these dampen consumer demand over time and steer children away from nutritious options.

3. Experience and Qualifications

As a husband, father, 9th generation resident of the Lehigh Valley, and member of the Farm Bureau, I’ve been committed to serving my community. For the last 12 years, I’ve had the chance to do that in the PA State House where I’ve built a reputation for working across party lines to solve difficult problems. While in the state house, I’ve successfully prevented tax increases, delivered balanced budgets, protected family farms, and brought resources back to my district. Like so many of us, I’m tired of the dysfunction in Washington and the failure of DC politicians to deliver solutions to longstanding problems. I’m running in order to bring my problem-solving experience to Washington and get to work addressing high prices, the open border, regulatory overreach, and the everyday issues facing the people of the Lehigh Valley.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Pennsylvania’s agriculture faces several critical issues, but one of the biggest is that folks in Washington cannot come together and pass a bipartisan farm bill.  Every time the farm bill comes up for renewal, more partisans on both sides sabotage what had been 100 years of agreement and partnership.  In addition, too many small and medium sized farms are struggling with rising costs and an unfair playing field against the largest companies.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

We need to send more people to Washington who are willing to work across the aisle!  We have a good working relationship among the PA delegation, but too many districts are sending the loudest voices in the room to DC, not folks who want to get things done.  Beyond that, we need to make sure in Washington that famers’ voices are listened to and that our farm policy is based on the needs of regular farmers and not the big industrial players.  It also appears that foreign policy is going to play a larger and larger role in farm policy and we must ensure that the tools we use to hold countries like China accountable are not paid for on the backs of farmers.

3. Experience and Qualifications

Before coming to Congress, I was a trial lawyer for 25 years, standing up against big corporations and powerful interests to ensure that regular working people were treated fairly under the law. The longer I worked in that job, the clearer it became to me that the powerful were trampling nearly unchecked on the well-being of most Americans, so I ran for Congress to help level the playing field. Since coming to Congress, I have been the most bipartisan Democrat in the House, because I know that working across the aisle and finding commonsense solutions is the only way to get things done. As a result of this approach, I have been rated in the 10% of most effective legislators in Congress, in recognition of the 16 substantive bills that I have passed into law. Through these bills, I have stood up for our veterans, saved taxpayers billions of dollars, and ensured proper funding and resources for our police, firefighters, and other first responders. Moreover, I have supported bipartisan legislation to grow our local economy, including the development of an industrial hemp engine right here in northeastern Pennsylvania.

But there’s so much more to do. Everyone is struggling with the cost of living, and while I’m proud of the progress we’ve made on bringing down prescription drug prices and tax cuts for working families, it is simply not enough. I am running for another term to deliver further tax relief for working families, go after price gouging corporations, stand up for and expand critical programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and make sure that family farmers are given a fair shot.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Although agriculture is still the top industry in Pennsylvania, our farmers are hurting. In Wayne County, there used to be hundreds of dairy farms, now there are less than 20. Due to unfair pricing formulas, the cost of milk production now outweighs the profit for the milk. This often benefits large corporate dairy farms but is pushing smaller family farms out, like the ones in Wayne County.

Another issue that is hurting our farming industry is inflation. From farming equipment, sanitary tools and fuel for machines, everything costs more. While profits are not increasing, pricing for supplies has skyrocketed. Instead of expanding their farming operation, farmers have to worry about equipment breaking down and being able to pay for a repair or new equipment. Washington DC is driving up prices by printing money we don’t have.

Next, there are not enough young people who are interested in becoming farmers. There is a nationwide agriculture education issue that is hurting PA agriculture. There aren’t enough programs in our schools and universities that introduce agriculture and the career path that one could take in this industry. In order for family farms to continue, we need to support this next generation by educating them and ensuring there is viable income for farming to be successful.

Talks of banning fracking and drilling are hurting our farmers. This prevents farming land from being tapped for its natural resources. Oil lease agreements allow farmers to make extra money that they can reinvest into their farm, making it more competitive, cost-effective and can help improve their overall quality of life.

Lastly, the inability of our current representatives in Congress to pass a robust farm bill that will advance PA agriculture is extremely hurtful to our farming industry in PA.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

First, legislators must put our farmers first and stop playing partisan politics with legislation that can immediately help our agricultural industry in Pennsylvania. I pledge to always vote to advance the interests of farmers in our state.

I recently had the privilege of hosting US House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson in the 8th Congressional District for an Agriculture roundtable to discuss the issues facing our top industry in PA. We need to start helping our agriculture industry by passing GT’s bi-partisan $1.5 trillion Farm Bill. This bill will modernize the farm safety net, grow market access, continue a focus on locally-led conservation programs, guarantee Americans in need will continue to receive nutrition benefits and make investments into the rural communities our farmers, ranchers and foresters call home.

Next, we need to prioritize investing into agriculture education for our youth. Legislation should be passed that funds programs in our public schools and universities to give students opportunities to learn about agriculture and the career path that it can provide.

We need to invest in rural broadband, ensuring that no matter what your zip code is you have access to the internet.

We need to restore whole milk for our children in public schools. In 2010, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 prevented public schools from offering whole and two percent milk at school lunches. They instead allowed them to offer one percent or fat-free milk, which is actually less healthy and curbs development than whole milk. In 2023 the US House passed the bi-partisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 which would reinstate giving students the option of whole milk in their meals. We must ensure that legislation like this is passed by Congress and signed into law by the next President.

3. Experience and Qualifications

I’ve never run for political office before, I am a businessman and third generation union-electrical contractor. My family business is Kuharchik Construction, where I became CFO at 19 and CEO after I graduated from the University of Scranton. We grew from 50 jobs to 150 jobs across Pennsylvania. I’ve invested my own money into unfit for human occupancy buildings in downtown Pittston and turned them into spaces for young entrepreneurs like myself to grow and thrive. I’ve served on numerous boards in our community, from Big Brothers Big Sisters, to the Humane Society, to the Forty Fort Cemetery. I am proud to be a PA Farm Bureau member as well. I want to take my love for NEPA and experience as a businessman and community leader to Washington DC to accurately represent my community and help our country get back on track.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

The most critical National issue facing Pennsylvania farmers is the size and score of the federal government. As the federal government expands outside its Constitutional role, Pennsylvania’s farmers are disproportionately harmed as the tax, regulatory, and inflationary burdens of the growth in government as it eats away at their bottom lines.

Republicans showed they could deliver for farmers by greatly reducing the tax burdens imposed on Pennsylvania famers through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Not only did the bill reduce the corporate and individual rates, it doubled the estate tax exemption and provided numerous other wins for Pennsylvania’s farmers. I was proud to support this bill as it became law. Many of these provisions expire in 2025, and it is critical that Congress act to make these provision permanent and provide tax relief and certainty to the agriculture industry.

The oppressive Biden-Harris regulatory regime has significantly harmed Pennsylvania’s farmers through the WOTUS rule, PFAS regulations, SEC climate rules, the hydraulic fracturing ban by the Delaware River Basin Commission, and the unconstitutional federal overreach under the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. Worse, the Biden-Harris attack on cheap energy and fuel have increased the costs of doing business across the board. Under President Trump, Republicans rolled back many of these regulations and reduced the financial strain they imposed on Pennsylvania’s farmers and, given another opportunity, we can restore this pro-business environment and allow for Americans to prosper.

Moreover, the unprecedented amount of spending under the Biden-Harris Administration has fueled inflation and increased the cost of all farm inputs as well as the cost to consumers. This spending must be reined in to ensure that we do not create further inflationary pressures in the market.

This election offers a stark contrast between the low-tax, pro-growth deregulatory agenda and the Biden-Harris regime of taxing, regulating, and inflating Pennsylvania farmers out of business.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

If I have the privilege of being reelected, I will continue to advocate for limiting the size and scope of the federal government to the role envisioned by the Constitution and the Founders. In order to do so, we must return to the Trump Administration’s deregulatory agenda and codify these important changes. Codifying these regulatory changes will bring about regulatory certainty that allows farmers to make long-term planning decisions regardless of political changes.

One regulation that must be addressed is the Chesapeake Bay TMDL. We can and must remove the significant burdens placed on Pennsylvania’s farmers as a result of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL while actually improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Fortunately, technological improvements offer an innovative way to clean the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries in an extremely cost-effective manner without imposing massive regulatory burdens on Pennsylvanians. Additionally, I will continue to demand that EPA be transparent about the inherent uncertainties in the models it uses to allocate pollutant loads and enforce compliance. As is the case with many EPA regulations, the failure to be transparent about the uncertainties in the models used to create regulations undermines the public’s confidence in the decisions being made and precludes the Agency from ensuring they’re using the least burdensome regulation to achieve their regulatory goal.

The issues surrounding the TMDL highlight the need for broader regulatory reform legislation that ensures regulations are based on sound science, demonstrated need, general application, and narrowly-tailored requirements that impose the smallest burdens. We must end the practice of “sue and settle” by which regulators work with politically-friendly groups to reach a settlement agreement outside of the normal APA rule making process. As the TMDL demonstrates, this practice eliminates public participation and allows the Agency to impose regulatory burdens without conducting a cost-benefit analysis or even demonstrating the effectiveness of its regulations.

We must also improve the regulatory process to create certainty for regulated entities and incentivize technological improvements and the least burdensome way to achieve the regulatory goal. We must enact the REINS Act – which requires Congress to approve any major regulation costing more than $100 million to ensure that Members of Congress – not unelected bureaucrats – make these decisions that will so greatly impact Citizens. We should set regulatory budgets for all agencies to force them to prioritize regulatory efforts. Finally, we must set up a regulatory commission to go through old regulations still on the books to evaluate their effectiveness, continued need, and the burdens they impose.

It is critical that Congress makes all of the TCJA provisions permanent to provide certainty so farmers and small businesses across the Country can make informed and long-term planning decisions. Moreover, Congress must expand the tax cuts to allow Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money as they struggle to keep up with the rising and breathtaking inflation of the past three years. Imposing massive tax hikes on the American People under the current economic conditions is a recipe for disaster and must be fought at every turn.

To combat inflation, we must cut spending. The trillions of dollars wasted by the Biden-Harris Administration on special interests and wasteful, harmful, socialist policies have fueled the inflationary fire and have drown out the ability of private sector investors to drive the market in the direction sought by consumers. In doing so, the Administration is not only creating inflation through government spending but is also misallocating private resources based on these subsidies and creating further harm for the American economy.

Nowhere is this more evident than the energy sector. Instead of wasting money on so-called “green” energy projects, we should be removing barriers to the production of energy that is cheap, abundant, and reliable. Only when we unleash American energy will we be able to bring the price of inputs back down. To do this, we must work to expand American energy outputs, particularly American natural gas. It is critical that Pennsylvanians and farmers are able to use their mineral rights to produce natural gas and stop efforts by the Delaware River Basin Commission to ban natural gas production in Eastern Pennsylvania. This severely hinders the ability of landowners and farmers to keep their businesses afloat when they are unable to use these mineral rights.  We have seen the devastating impacts of such a ban on New York’s dairy farms and must stop this devastating power grab from occurring in Pennsylvania.

3. Experience and Qualifications

Throughout my service as an elected official, I have fought against the continued expansion of the government and worked to lower the regulatory and tax burdens that undermine our Nation’s economy and threaten the livelihoods of farmers across Pennsylvania. As we approach this election, the policy differences between the pro-growth, low-tax agenda put forth by Republicans and the oppressive high-tax, socialist agenda put forth by Democrats could not be clearer. I will continue to be an unwavering advocate for limited government, low taxes, and addressing our Nation’s problems with innovation and technological improvements rather than burdensome and crippling regulation. Only by following our Nation’s founding principles can America prosper.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

As a journalist in Central Pennsylvania, I have seen the significant changes and increasing challenges farmers have faced over the past nearly four decades. Agriculture is a crucial part of our communities and a sector that faces considerable obstacles. From labor shortages to supply chain disruptions and regulatory challenges, our farmers have a lot to navigate. Our agricultural communities are also struggling with the ever-rising costs of gas and goods as well as a lack of healthcare access in rural areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the agricultural supply chain, leading to issues including delayed transportation, higher input costs, and difficulty in accessing essential supplies like fertilizer and seeds. These disruptions have made it more expensive and less reliable for farmers to get their products to market. Coupled with the impacts of trade policies and taxes, these supply chain issues create significant obstacles for Pennsylvania’s farmers, complicating efforts to maintain profitability and sustain operations in an increasingly uncertain global market.

Infrastructure and sustainability concerns add another layer of complexity to these challenges. Deteriorating rural infrastructure — including roads, bridges, and broadband access, limits farmers’ ability to transport goods and adopt modern agricultural practices. Farmers also face increasing pressure to adopt climate-smart practices, balancing the need for environmental stewardship with the economic realities of maintaining farm operations. These intertwined issues highlight the multifaceted challenges facing Pennsylvania’s agricultural sector, demanding careful consideration to ensure the industry’s future resilience and sustainability.

Rural health is another pressing concern for Pennsylvania’s agricultural communities. The mental and physical well-being of farmers and farmworkers is under strain due to climate change, the pandemic, volatile commodity prices, and economic uncertainty. High levels of stress and mental health challenges are prevalent, exacerbated by the lack of accessible healthcare services in rural areas.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

We need pragmatic leaders who are willing to work across the aisle to get things done and forge lasting solutions for our agricultural communities. Addressing the significant challenges facing Central Pennsylvania’s farmers requires targeted and practical solutions.

We must address supply chain disruptions, through strategic infrastructure investments. Improving rural roads, bridges, and broadband access will enhance the ability of farmers to transport goods efficiently and adopt new technologies that can make their operations more resilient. Efforts should also be made to strengthen local and regional supply chains, reducing reliance on foreign markets and making the agricultural sector more robust to withstand global disruptions.

Regulatory challenges and sustainability pressures must also be tackled with a balanced approach. Simplifying the compliance process and offering technical assistance to farmers can help reduce the regulatory burden, allowing them to focus on productivity and innovation. At the same time, promoting flexible, climate-smart practices will enable farmers to meet environmental goals without compromising their economic viability. By addressing these intertwined issues through thoughtful policy and community support, Central Pennsylvania’s agricultural sector can navigate the complexities it faces and build a more sustainable and prosperous future.

Additionally, investments in rural healthcare are crucial. Expanding access to healthcare services should include telehealth opportunities. That includes mental health support, to alleviate the stress that many farmers face. I will be a Representative who makes sure our farmers are at the table when those decisions are being made, to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met.

3. Experience and Qualifications

For more than three decades, I’ve been listening to and advocating for Central Pennsylvania communities as an anchor and reporter at WGAL-TV, WHP-TV, WITF, and WHTM ABC27. Voters across the 10th Congressional District have trusted me to shine a light on our issues, big and small. Now I am running to be a pragmatic leader who will deliver real solutions to our communities.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

• Infectious diseases which threaten the food supply, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and the H5N1 infection impacting poultry and dairy farmers, as well as the Spotted Lanternfly. Pennsylvania poultry farmers are still recovering from HPAI and dairy farmers are taking precautions to test herds to prevent infection from H5N1.
• Supporting our Nation’s dairy farmers, and removing Federal barriers to the consumption of whole, 2%, and flavored milk.
• Reducing the tax burden on family farmers and cooperatives so farmers can compete on a level playing field and keep farms within their families.
• Expanding market access abroad for U.S. grown agricultural products and reducing barriers to trade for food commodities and materials input products.
• Holding Federal agencies like the EPA accountable and preventing regulatory overreach which negatively impacts farmers and ranchers.
• Encouraging consumers to purchase and consume more locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

• Congress should work to pass a bipartisan, bicameral 5-year Farm Bill. I have weighed in throughout the drafting process on the Farm Bill reauthorization to ensure the following constituent priorities are included:
o The draft Farm Bill provides support for research for HPAI, Spotted Lanternfly, and H5N1.
o The draft Farm Bill supports dairy farmers through the Diary Margin Call and repealing the Obama-era ban on whole and flavored milk in schools.
o The draft Farm Bill expands the GusNIP program, which incentivizes low-income individuals to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables through a plus-up incentive.
o The draft Farm Bill supports farmers (especially in the Chesapeake Watershed) through programs in the Conservation Title. This Title ensures farmers are part of the solution, not part of the problem, and that conservation solutions are driven at the local level.
• Congress should engage in comprehensive tax reform and extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
o Congress should make permanent the 199A pass through deduction for small businesses, which also helps cooperatives.
o Congressman Smucker is leading the charge on making this deduction permanent through the Main Street Tax Certainty Act and though his work on the Main Street Tax Team for the Ways and Means Committee.
• Congress should continue to strengthen our relationships with trading partners and ensure that Presidential Administrations work to fairly expand markets for U.S. agricultural products. Conversely, Congress should ensure that Presidential Administrations remove barriers to critical imports for agricultural and manufacturing inputs.

3. Experience and Qualifications

It has been an honor to represent the agricultural community of the 11th Congressional District. Lancaster and York Counties represent some of the largest farms and producers in Pennsylvania, and I have had the opportunity to talk with hundreds of farmers across the district who are impacted by the policies of Washington. I have worked closely with those farmers to ensure legislation continues to promote instead of prohibiting them from feeding our communities.

In Congress, I’ve worked to reignite the American Dream and ensure every individual has the opportunity to succeed. The same American Dream that an Amish born, small business owner like me had the opportunity to achieve through hard work. We can reignite that dream by working to increase economic opportunities for everyone, reigning in Washington’s out-of-control spending, and providing regulatory relief to small businesses so they can expand and create jobs. I serve as a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, with primary jurisdiction over tax and welfare programs before Congress. Within Ways & Means, I sit on the Trade Subcommittee, a position from which I promote opportunities for new trading markets to benefit farmers in the 11th Congressional District. As a member of the House Budget Committee, I also help lead our conference on issues regarding federal spending and government’s role in fueling high gas prices, labor shortages, and record-high inflation.

For additional information, please visit my website at www.ElectSmucker.com.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

I believe the most critical issues confronting PA agriculture at this time involve preserving the economic sustainability and prosperity of the farmer. Threats include unnecessary government red tape, failure to update immigration policy, uncertain applicability of law (as in the case of California’s animal treatment initiatives and their possible nationwide effects), and Congress moving too slow on approval of the next Farm Bill. There is of course a long list of other issues needing to be addressed, including truthful labeling which protects a food staple like milk: nothing against whatever products come from a nut tree, but “milk” comes from a hoofed animal, and there should be no confusion for the consumer.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

If I am elected to Congress, I will be a great friend of the farmer and the communities built around farming. I do not want to see farmland used for non-agricultural purposes unless it is ancillary to agriculture and the farmer is the primary beneficiary; I do not want farmers up late at night trying to figure out how to navigate a byzantine bureaucracy; I do not want to see farmers facing labor shortages which could leave crops unpicked, and I do not want to see Washington D.C. favoring the interests of Wall Street over the interests of Sleepy Lane. I am also in favor of government-backed financial assistance to farmers needing to implement or update technologies which will increase efficiency and/or yield.  A partnership can and should exist where farmers know that the government is invested in their success.

3. Experience and Qualifications

I grew up next to one of our country’s most productive agricultural regions: California’s Salinas Valley.  Sometimes called “America’s Salad Bowl,” it was the hometown of John Steinbeck.  I have a lifelong respect for the work that goes into feeding a nation and supplying sustainable energy.

My father, born on the Atkinson family farm in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, in 1918, had the course of his life altered by the family’s loss of the farm in a 1929 bank foreclosure. His father, my grandfather, was a sharecropper during the depression of the 1930’s, and were it not for the labor provided by my father and his brothers, the family would have lived in even deeper poverty. I am sensitive to the inherent stresses faced by farmers even in the good times, and I want to make sure that they can get through the bad times without losing what they’ve worked so hard to build.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

One of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture is Climate Change. Just this summer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared a “natural disaster” for Bedford and Somerset counties because they were so drought-stricken. Farmers from these and other counties in Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District who qualified were approved for short term loans and other relief. As warmer temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, more frequent and intense storms, extended heat waves and longer droughts occur in South Central Pennsylvania, crops risk increased decimation and decreased grain and forage quality negatively impact the ability of rangeland and pasture to support grazing livestock. If farmers cannot overcome these disastrous times, they risk closing their farms, putting the basic sustenance and nutrition of most Americans at risk. A country that cannot feed its people is vulnerable to foreign influence and control. Until Climate Change is under some kind of stasis, it is imperative that farmers in Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District and around the country be able to draw upon relief for crop insurance premiums when faced with this higher frequency of disasters.

Another critical national issue confronting PA agriculture is the need for Congress to create a year-round agricultural visa program for immigrant laborers, especially those in the dairy and mushroom agriculture whose production is year-round. Pennsylvania is the leading U.S. producer of mushrooms, home to the Mushroom Capital of the World, and ranks seventh nationally for milk production. Since dairy is Pennsylvania’s second largest agricultural product with the mushroom industry not far behind, it is vital for employees to remain on the farms year-round. Not only do immigrant workers benefit from a more stable working situation, but farmers benefit from the greater stability of the laborers. And laborers who stay longer can become more skilled, adding to the overall ability of their workforce. Supporting this policy would also open up more opportunities for immigrants to have clear paths to citizenship.

Lastly, Proposition 12 must be remediated. It is inappropriate and detrimental to interstate commerce that any state impose its standards of production on any other state, especially when USDA standards have been met for those products. While it is correct to seek more humanitarian ways to raise livestock, it is not the provenance of any state to impose its state standards on another because when interstate commerce is inhibited, the American economy will collapse.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

I write this before September 30th, when the Farm Bill was to be voted on, but I believe Congress should pass the Farm Bill. Since many Americans rely on nutrition assistance, the devastation to producers, processors, and consumers would be incalculable should it not pass. The 2023 extension that averted major disruptions from pandemic-related pricing and political unrest since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill is simply not enough to avoid a reversion to Depression Era policy. Increasing the baseline for farm bill program spending, implementing risk management tools, ensuring adequate USDA staffing capacity and technical assistance, and funding for both federal crop insurance and commodity programs keeps Americans fed and our nation less vulnerable to foreign influences.

Additionally, I would support Section 120007 to H.R.8467 which prohibits states and local governments from imposing their standards of production on livestock produced outside of their borders as it is in keeping with the Commerce Clause of our U.S. Constitution.

3. Experience and Qualifications

As a stay-at-home parent in a working American family, I am exactly the consumer farmers are attempting to reach through local and national grocery chains. Trusting American food to be healthful and safe is paramount for me. Everytime I use my family’s hard-earned dollars to purchase food, I am depending on our American agriculture to keep my family well-fed and free of foodborne disease. From the flash-frozen fried chicken nuggets to the frozen ground beef from thousands of cows, to the bagged fresh lettuces I buy, I expect our food to be as labeled on the packages and free of salmonella, e coli, and listeria, for example.

With my degree in Biology, and having worked my way through college as a pharmacy technician, I have a scientific background to approach the many issues that farmers face like disease and climate issues.

As a former credit analyst for a major issuing financial institution, I have experience speaking with business owners, including farmers, about the types of expenses they face to run their operations from expensive machinery to minor charges, the kinds of loans they require, and the assets they list to secure loans.

I may not have come from a farming background, but I absolutely identify with the everyday concerns of farmers from the smallest operations to the largest ones.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Labor and energy are critical national issues confronting Pennsylvania agriculture. Labor shortages have made it difficult for farmers to maintain operations, increasing production costs and threatening the economic viability of family farms. Energy concerns include the need for policies that alleviate economic hardships and promote renewable sources. Ensuring energy advancements occur symbiotically with agricultural productivity is crucial as farmers adopt climate-smart practices. Addressing these challenges is essential for the sustainability of Pennsylvania agriculture.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

LABOR: To address agricultural labor issues, establishing a year-round agricultural visa program to support industries like dairy and mushrooms that are not covered by the current H-2A seasonal visa program. This program would ensure a consistent and legal workforce for these sectors, which face significant labor shortages.

Furthermore, reducing the regulatory burden of the H-2A program is crucial, as the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security have introduced several costly regulations. Simplifying these regulations, especially those concerning housing inspections, would help agricultural employers manage labor costs more effectively and make the H-2A program a more viable option for securing a stable workforce.

ENERGY: Comprehensive policies should promote a diverse energy supply, including renewable sources, while protecting productive farmland. Legislation should ensure that solar and wind energy projects do not occur on Class I, II, and III farmlands, which are the most fertile. Instead, these projects should be directed to marginal lands that are less suitable for agriculture. Additionally, requiring solar and wind companies to establish decommissioning plans before installation ensures that disposal costs are covered once the equipment is no longer useful. Supporting legislation to reduce input costs and enhance energy security while maintaining sustainability is also crucial. Furthermore, increasing public awareness of agricultural advances in conservation and climate-smart practices can help garner support for these initiatives.

3. Experience and Qualifications

I am a retired Army officer, Iraq combat veteran, and former Pentagon policy analyst. I have spent my adult life working to solve hard problems in support of national defense. For a detailed description of my biography and experience you can visit my website at: https://www.dziadosforcongress.com/bio

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

As Chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, I recently held a hearing on the “Financial Conditions in Farm County,” which explored causes behind decreasing crop prices, rising input costs, tightening credit, along with disaster and weather-related events. The challenges to Pennsylvania’s family farms outlined were plenty and echo many of the concerns we have heard on a national scale.

That is why I have held more than 85 listening sessions across the country in more than 40 states and one territory. I have heard directly from the hard-working farm families that provide food, fiber, energy, and economic benefits for Pennsylvania and our country.

During these sessions, additional issues have included markets and payments as they pertain to dairy farming, a strong need for access to voluntary conservation programs, which are market based and locally led. We cannot ignore the pressures on farmlands by subsidized solar, nor the availability, affordability, and certainty of the agriculture workforce, combined with renewed threats to animal health.

Pennsylvania is the 23rd largest agricultural exporting state, with trade accounting for $2.3 billion annually. Given that modern agriculture is defined by science, technology and innovation, we must create farm policy that is forward thinking and invests in the future of farming, ranching, and forestry. Finally, we must ensure that policy is based upon science and not political science, by ensuring that we protect interstate commerce by not allowing California’s Proposition 12 to dictate to the rest of the nation.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

To address falling crop prices, we can expand both domestic and foreign market access. There are billions of mouths to feed throughout the world and American farmers do it better than anywhere else in the world. We can help farm to fork businesses and strengthen risk management tools to protect against market volatility.

We can reverse the inflationary effects of overspending and misguided energy policies by reclaiming unspent funds that remain in agency coffers from the COVID-19 pandemic. An energy neutral approach will allow all domestic energy sources to be utilized, ultimately lowering input costs.

The credit application process is in desperate need of simplification, with an increased need to receive pre-approvals, and more flexibility is certainly needed for guaranteed lenders.

Weather continues to be an uncontrolled variable, which means crop insurance must be made more affordable, especially for young and beginning farmers. By strengthening the safety net, we can avoid dependence upon untimely and unreliable disaster relief.

For Pennsylvania’s largest commodity, dairy, we must return to the “higher of” payment within Federal Milk Marketing Orders and expand the Dairy Margin Coverage Program from five to six million pounds. Passing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will restore child nutrition in schools and restore a critical market.

Future conservation programs must maintain the principles of being locally led, incentive-based and voluntary.  I have been working to roll the remaining Inflation Reduction Act funds that were set aside for conservation into the Farm Bill baseline, in order to assure long term solvency of these programs, while aiming to remove the climate side-boards to aid farmers dealing with drought.

Earlier this year, I convened a bipartisan task force to present findings to the House Agriculture Committee, chief among them were necessary reforms to the H-2A temporary guest worker program to improve food security and national security.

As part of looking forward, we must encourage more large animal veterinarians, support the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and research through our land grant universities.

3. Experience and Qualifications

My family history includes generations of dairy farmers. I have been a member of the Farm Bureau since 1998.  I have been honored to serve on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee for the past 16 years. Today I serve as the first Member of Congress from Pennsylvania in 170 years to Chair the Committee.  I had previously led most of the subcommittees including Conservation, Forestry, and Watersheds; Soils and Energy; Commodities and Nutrition.  In 2023, I formed the House Agriculture Committee’s first Labor Working Group to provide concrete legislative proposals to address shortfalls in our immigration system that leaves the agricultural sector shorthanded. I have received a Friend of the Farm Bureau recognition several time over and have been honored with the American Farm Bureau’s Golden Plow Award and the National Farmers Union’s Golden Triangle Award.  As the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, I have led 85 listening sessions across the country and many in Pennsylvania, to bring the voices of American farmers, ranchers and foresters to the table. This work recently culminated in the House Agriculture Committee passing the bipartisan Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024. While this is welcomed, we have much work to do to authorize a long-term federal Farm Bill.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

I believe without a doubt the biggest threat to Pennsylvania agriculture is the continued growth of corporate agriculture. It is simple market economics that when a small number of companies control a marketplace they wield that power to diminish the fortunes of smaller producers. In Pennsylvania, the vast majority of those in the agricultural economy are smaller family farms that cannot compete directly with the money and influence available to large agribusinesses found in California. An important stalwart to stifle the power of corporate farms is the Stockyards and Packers Association which enforces anti-trust law in the agricultural sector. However, the Stockyards and Packers Association continues to be declawed which poses a threat to smaller producers who are competing with agricultural giants. I also believe there is a significant threat posed by so-called free trade which the USDA believes will cause the United States to become a net importer in the next few years. To this end, I believe strongly in advancing trade agreements that favor Pennsylvania farmers.

Additionally, a great national threat to Pennsylvania agriculture is the rising cost of running a farm. Specifically farm machinery is increasing in cost, reducing the profit margin for our farmers. Much of this is caused by the consolidation of providers of these machines, such that market forces do not lower costs.

I also believe that farmers are all too often left out of conversations regarding climate policy which may negatively impact the industry. There seems to be a common belief amongst the elite that the pollution that comes with farming is an excuse to shutter agricultural production in the United States which I believe will be the future of the frontline fight for agriculture. I will continue to work toward policy that enhances the domestic production of agriculture, even when the attacks come from climate criticism.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

I believe as it pertains to the consolidation of agriculture the United States Congress needs to provide adequate funding to the Stockyards and Packers Association to enforce anti-trust law against corporate agribusinesses that are currently running afoul of anti-trust law. Further, I believe the United States Congress needs to re-evaluate how we fund our farms. It seems to me that corporate firms are receiving large subsidies while running at record profits while smaller producers are receiving fewer subsidies while running at near break-even margins. I do not want an economic future in agriculture where small producers are expected to receive less than corporate giants running their businesses with healthy profits.

When it comes to the rising cost of the products necessary to run a farm, I believe the United States Congress needs to crack down on corporate greed and monopoly rampant in the corporations that produce the goods needed to run a farm in the 21st century. We can do this by again enforcing
anti-trust law already on the books by providing more funds for anti-trust agencies. Additionally, if costs continue to creep up, we need to consider providing strong tax credits for producers who simply cannot afford to keep up with these continued costs.

When it comes to trade in the agricultural sphere, we need to explore changes to existing trade policy that favors foreign producers. While it is true that there are some products we must be a net importer of, other industries like dairy are able to be accommodated by domestic production, and we need to advance a trade policy that does not prioritize the interest of global commodity markets but the family farmers of Pennsylvania. This is easier said than done, but it must be done so that our family farmers may remain in the institution that built this state.

As for the potential for climate legislation to disenfranchise our farmers, I will be on the front lines objecting to any policy that seeks to put our farmers last.

3. Experience and Qualifications

I do not come from an agricultural background. My family has always been in the coal industry, and personally I have been a construction worker most of my life. I grew up in Centre County in poverty, working construction before I graduated from high school. I continued to work construction as I earned by bachelor’s degree from Denison University and continue to work in construction as I attend Penn State Law School. The reason I chose to run for the United States Congress was because I felt I had the intellectual fortitude to make good decisions for my constituents by virtue of my education but also as someone who has lived a tough life, I have the personal experience to be in touch with the struggles of my constituents. There is a misconception that the United States House of Representatives is intended to be filled with dignified statesmen with long resumes, that is not in fact the case. As spelled out in the federalist papers, the House of Representatives is intended to be filled with common people who are able to relay the sentiment of normal folks. I believe my experience as someone who has struggled and has overcome said struggles aligns with the vision of the founders as I have both the view of the common person but also the administrative expertise to understand the levers of power in Washington D.C. Additionally, as someone who has never seen wealth and does not yearn for it, my background provides me insulation to the corruption we all know exists in our nation’s capital. My desire is to bring some blue-collar wisdom to our nation’s capital, riveted with my Methodist faith, such that the people of central Pennsylvania will have an honest legislator who listens to their constituents and is willing to do what they ask. I am not a partisan individual, my goal in going to Congress is to elevate the needs and issues of my constituents not the desires of party officials, special interests, or lobbyists. I will work with whomever I am required to work with, regardless of what party wins the White House, or Congress, I will treat all members and all officials with the respect that they deserve. I have received no funding from corporate PACs and I have a pledge to never accept donations or favors from corporate PACs so long as I am a member of Congress.

1. What do you believe are some of the most critical national issues confronting PA agriculture?

Some of the most critical national issues facing PA agriculture include Prop 12, Spotted Lanternfly’s, and H-2A costs. Prop 12 is a serious threat to the nation’s pork industry, and has serious implications on domestic trade. Pork producers in Pennsylvania should not have to face the burden of regulations imposed in states like California. Prop 12 pork is too expensive, and consumers are switching to alternative proteins. Transitioning pork barns to be Prop 12 compliant is costly on PA farmers, and they see little to no return on their investment.

Spotted Lanternfly’s are a serious threat to the overall agriculture industry in Pennsylvania. These invasive species continue to prey on Pennsylvania crops, and continue to spread across the region, state, and even country. Rising H-2A costs are hurting Pennsylvania farmers. The annual adjustment for Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) has already more than doubled over the past two decades; agricultural guest labor has become unaffordable. Pennsylvanian farmers rely on this labor to operate, and skyrocketing costs have made this nearly impossible.

2. What actions should be taken to address those matters?

Chairman Thompson has proposed a solution to Prop 12 in this year’s Farm Bill would not limit a state’s ability to dictate production within their own boundaries but prevents states from telling the rest of the nation they must comply with their arbitrary standards or be banned from their market. An H-2A wage freeze at the current rate will help maintain financial stability for H-2A employers. It is important that Congress freezes H-2A rates, where they currently sit between $17 and $19 per hour.

Spotted Lanternfly research is critical to limiting the spread of this invasive species.  Continuing to fund USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is critical to eradicating this invasive species and protecting Pennsylvania agriculture.  I joined my colleagues on both sides of the isle in introducing thee Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act in June of 2023.  If passed, this bill would allow grants for developing research-based tools and treatments to combat the spotted lanternfly.

3. Experience and Qualifications

Mike Kelly was born in Pittsburgh and raised in Butler, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Butler High School in 1966, Mike attended the University of Notre Dame on an academic and football scholarship. After graduating from Notre Dame, Mike returned home to work at the family business, Kelly Chevrolet-Cadillac, Inc.

Mike purchased ownership of the dealership in the mid-1990s and expanded its operations to include both a Hyundai and Kia franchise. The dealership currently employs over 100 people and is respected as a leader in both the local and national automotive industries.

Prior to being elected to Congress in 2010, Mike served on Butler City Council, the Butler Area School Board and the boards of other local civic organizations including the Housing Authority of Butler County, the Redevelopment Authority of Butler County, Catholic Charities and the Moraine Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Mike and his wife Vicki live in Butler where they raised their four children. They are also the proud grandparents of ten grandchildren.

Mike believes in fiscal responsibility and smaller government. As a small business owner, he knows first-hand that businesses create jobs – not the government. Thanks to his seat on the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee, Mike is in a position to promote pro-growth tax reform to simplify the tax code and lower tax rates which would leave more money in the pockets of American families and workers.

Mike sits on the following subcommittees of the Ways & Means Committee: the Subcommittee on Oversight, where is the ranking member; the Health Subcommittee; and the Oversight Subcommittee. Mike is an appointed member of the President’s Export Council and serves on many caucuses including the Pro-Life Caucus, the Steel Caucus, the Manufacturing Caucus, the Coal Caucus, and the Job Creators Caucus. Additionally, Mike serves on the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition, a bipartisan group of members of Congress from the eighteen northeastern and midwestern states. The Coalition works together on issues related to the economic well-being and environmental health of the region.

1. If you are elected to the General Assembly, what would be some of your priorities related to agriculture and our food industry?

My priorities start with getting government red tape out of the way and allowing farmers to do what they do best – farm. This means safety regulations are important, but onerous and unnecessary regulations that limit a farmers’ ability to operate efficiently must be examined and done away with. It also means tax dollars exist to serve the people who pay them to begin with. These dollars must be used wisely. Our focus as government should be to protect and encourage one of the largest industries in the commonwealth. Education about farming goes a long way in this endeavor, and schools should educate their students on how farming works and why it benefits each and every one of us. Even if you’ve never seen a farm, you eat food, and our children must know about their food and where it comes from to continue encouraging the industry. Finally, if elected, I will always be an open door for farmers to voice new and differing issues they know deserve attention. An elected official is only so good as the constituents they represent, and I am running to represent you.

2. Please provide a narrative about your experience and qualifications.

As a former County Commissioner, I have seen the necessary attention and resources farmers need across Dauphin County. I worked with local governments across the county, experiencing the farmland our area has and plan to support these farmers as your Senator. Growing up in Southern Dauphin County, I have seen farms disappear over time and know the importance of preservation where they still exist. As a former advocate for main street businesses, I sympathize with the farmers who not only provide our daily sustenance but have to maintain and grow their business at the same time.

1. If you are elected to the General Assembly, what would be some of your priorities related to agriculture and our food industry?

The 14th legislative district has an abundance of family farms, many of which are multi-generation and century farms. I strongly believe in supporting policy initiatives that protect and preserve these farms and farmland in Pennsylvania. This includes, but is not limited to, policies that address excessive property tax burdens on landowners and how to provide long-term relief, protecting prime farmland (ex: preventing solar installation on prime farmland, land preservation, conservation, etc), and supporting our dairy industry. I will always be willing to listen to our farmers and have an open door on any issues facing our agricultural sector in Pennsylvania. Agriculture and farming are at the core of our commonwealth’s history and identity, and I have great respect for the legacy and unending benefits our farms provide.

2. Please provide a narrative about your experience and qualifications.

I started my career in the transportation and trucking industry, managing logistics for companies. My clients were primarily steel, concrete, and industrial, but I also worked with dairy equipment companies in the Midwest. God then opened opportunities for me to enter into politics and education. I have served in campaign leadership roles for county and state races over the past decade, spent a year in a legislative office, served six years on my town’s planning commission, and was unanimously elected as Chairman of the Republican Committee of Beaver County in January 2023. I have also been a high school World History teacher for the past six years.

I am passionate about conservative governance and history, primarily because of my family’s history. All four of my grandparents were World War II Nazi labor camp survivors. They intimately knew the evil ideologies that led to the tyrannical governing systems of the bloodiest century in world history. And because of that, they knew there was only one place in the world they needed to get to after the war: The United States of America. They built a life here and were able to watch all of their children and grandchildren have access to the education and career opportunities we all know as the American Dream. Having four sons of my own, I want to see this region, this commonwealth, and this country thrive for generations to come. I want my children to know and carry on the legacy their great grandparents and this country gave to them.

As a note of relevance as it relates to agriculture, all of my grandparents and their families lived and worked on farms in Ukraine prior to their capture. My mother’s parents worked on a pig farm when they first arrived in the United States. I do not have personal experience farming, but my family’s history of farming is something I have deep respect for.

My wife, Lauren, and I have four boys and live and attend church in Beaver Falls. I am active in my church, have served on community boards, and have volunteered for years as a youth sports coach. I have professional experience in both the private and the public sector. My professional experience, the respect I have for our history as a result of my family’s heritage, and the strong principled convictions about limited government that I hold, which are rooted in faith and family, lead me to believe that I am the best candidate to represent the people of the 14th legislative district.

1. If you are elected to the General Assembly, what would be some of your priorities related to agriculture and our food industry?

As someone who started and ran my own small business for 10+ years I have a great deal of respect for PA farmers and the challenges they face. I will strongly support all of our PA small businesses including farms and work to make PA the best state to operate in. Some of my specific priorities to help farmers and all of our small businesses at the state level are 1) Work to help reduce the high taxes and fees that we face in PA. Part of the expenses that farmers face is the issue of property taxes, high energy/gas taxes, and regulations that consume time and costs. 2) We need to streamline our permitting process in PA both at the state and local level. Even minor investments can often get caught up in the morass of the state and local government preventing a reliably yes/no answer and delaying critical decisions. 3) With a background in the transportation I also understand the importance of having a well-functioning transportation system that allows trucks and farm equipment to quickly get goods to market and not have to deal with large detours from bridge and road weight postings.

2. Please provide a narrative about your experience and qualifications.

Jeremy Shaffer is a proven leader in business, our community, and government. Shaffer’s record exhibits his ability to bridge divides and focus on the well-being of our community, showcasing a leadership style that is both effective and inclusive. Running for the State House, his mission is to unite the community and help steer us toward a brighter future.

Shaffer holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Carnegie Mellon and co-founded a small business headquartered in Western Pennsylvania that specializes in highway and bridge construction and safety. A problem-solver and entrepreneur at heart, Jeremy understands the importance and challenges of opening and running a business and working with government agencies, all while growing revenue and managing personnel.

Jeremy has served his community in numerous ways as a former Township Commissioner and Board President, Northland Library Foundation Board member, Northern Tier Library Board member, and coach of numerous youth sports teams. Jeremy is also active in local churches, having served as both an elder and a deacon.

Representing the 28th District, Jeremy will be a strong advocate for fiscal responsibility, which means not raising your taxes and rooting out wasteful spending. In addition to these fiscal priorities, Jeremy will also focus on supporting our first responders, maintaining quality infrastructure, and standing behind students and teachers in our great local schools.

Jeremy understands that for far too long, politicians have put their personal interests and agendas ahead of the people they serve. As your state representative, Jeremy will work for you, the taxpayers, not the political establishment, and will fight for commonsense solutions to help all Pennsylvanians achieve their dreams.

Jeremy and his wife, Stacey, a physician, are raising their five children here in District 28, and their goal in serving these communities is to ensure freedom and prosperity for current and future generations.
– 46 year-old Husband of 20 years, Father of 5
– Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
– Successful Entrepreneur and Job Creator
– Served as Northland Library Foundation Board Member and Northern Tier Library Board Member
– National Park Service Volunteer
– Youth Basketball and Soccer Coach

1. If you are elected to the General Assembly, what would be some of your priorities related to agriculture and our food industry?

As business owners who work directly with PA Agribusinesses across the state, we understand that Pennsylvania’s agricultural industry supports 1 in 10 jobs, with over 280,500 direct jobs and $10.9 billion in direct earnings. The wider indirect ecosystem of farms and agribusinesses adds even more to our economy, contributing 579,000 jobs, $26.9 billion in earnings, and $135.7 billion in total output. When Mark Temons is elected to the State Senate, his priority will be ensuring that the needs of farmers across the state are met with effective and thoughtful legislation. The PA Farm Bureau has long advocated for policies that support agricultural sustainability, protect farmers’ rights, and foster economic growth within the farming community. Mark’s deep connection to agriculture through his family business positions him as a champion for these causes.

One of the most pressing priorities is advancing workforce development initiatives that address the ongoing labor shortages in agriculture. The PA Farm Bureau has consistently highlighted the need for a reliable and skilled workforce to sustain the industry. Mark Temons, through his experience consulting with his wife, Kristal Markle-Temons and her workforce development firm, understands the complexities of workforce dynamics and will advocate for policies that provide farmers with access to trained labor. This includes supporting clearer and more effective H-2A visa policies, ensuring that farmers can hire the workers they need without facing bureaucratic obstacles.

Another critical area where Mark Temons will offer robust support is in promoting sustainable farming practices that protect the environment while enhancing agricultural productivity. While there is a perception that farmers are unregulated and destroying the environment, the reality is that most farmers are deeply committed to preserving the land for future generations. Mark will work to ensure that environmental regulations are balanced and fair, promoting practices that both safeguard the environment and allow farmers to thrive. His endorsement by organizations like the Sierra Club demonstrates his commitment to environmental stewardship, which will be crucial in bridging the gap between agricultural interests and environmental concerns.

Moreover, Mark will champion efforts to protect small and mid-sized farms, which are the backbone of Pennsylvania’s rural economy. The PA Farm Bureau has long been an advocate for these farms, emphasizing the importance of policies that support their viability in a competitive market. Mark’s commitment to the “Pennsylvania way of life” means that he will fight for the resources, infrastructure, and legislative support necessary to keep these farms operational and successful.

In summary, Mark Temons’ priorities in the State Senate will align with the key concerns of the PA Farm Bureau: workforce development, sustainable farming practices, and support for small and mid-sized farms. His unique background and dedication to these issues make him an ideal advocate for Pennsylvania’s agricultural community.

2. Please provide a narrative about your experience and qualifications.

When Mark Temons is elected as the next State Senator for York and Cumberland counties, his experience and commitment to workforce development in agribusiness across Pennsylvania will uniquely position him to drive meaningful impact. Through the work we do with our family business, we have partnered extensively with organizations such as Penn State Extensions, the PA Farm Bureau, the PA Department of Agriculture, the PA Department of Labor and Industry, AgConnect, and the PA Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. These relationships have allowed us to gain deep insights into the challenges and opportunities within the state’s agribusiness sector.

Mark Temons, with our support, is not only dedicated to enhancing the workforce in this vital industry but also to ensuring that policies, such as those surrounding H-2A visas, are clear and beneficial for Pennsylvania’s agricultural community. His advocacy for small and mid-sized farms is rooted in a profound respect for the Pennsylvania way of life, which includes preserving the integrity and sustainability of these farms.

Endorsed by organizations like the Sierra Club, Mark Temons is also a strong advocate for environmental causes, understanding that the future of agribusiness is closely tied to sustainable practices. His balanced approach, combining environmental stewardship with support for traditional farming, will ensure that Pennsylvania’s agribusiness sector thrives in a way that respects both our natural resources and our agricultural heritage.

With our deep family connections to these key organizations and a shared vision for a robust and sustainable agribusiness sector, Mark Temons is poised to lead with a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s needs. His election will bring a new level of advocacy and support for the agricultural community in York and Cumberland counties, ensuring that Pennsylvania’s farms continue to be a cornerstone of the state’s economy and culture.

You will notice that his website has a section specifically dedicated to PA farms: https://www.temonsforpa.com/issues/pas-farms

1. If you are elected to the General Assembly, what would be some of your priorities related to agriculture and our food industry?

• Workforce development – we are exporting our younger workforce to other states. Pennsylvania needs to adopt policies that attract skilled and educated labor to our Commonwealth and to offer paid apprenticeship programs to those seeking to enter the trades. This is especially true for agriculture and the food industry. Businesses continue to locate to Pennsylvania, but need the workforce to fill those positions. Attracting those workers will boost our local economy while addressing the structural deficit currently projected in future state budgets.

• Farmland preservation – Pennsylvania in general, and Franklin County in particular, are blessed with some of the richest soil in the United States, however, competing interests for that land put upward pressure on farmers to sell or develop their land. Our county has done an excellent job of balancing, agriculture, commercial development, and new housing, but continued increases in land prices make it difficult for the next generation of farmers to enter into the industry. Pennsylvania needs to continue to prioritize the ag industry and food security.

• Promoting dairy in our schools – I am very supportive of legislation that would allow whole milk and two-percent flavored milk to be sold in schools, and to encourage the teaching of the benefits of whole milk in the classroom.

• Supporting Pennsylvania Agriculture – I look forward to being a partner with Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to reduce burdensome regulations on the ag industry, promoting Pennsylvania Agriculture, and protecting farmers’ rights across the Commonwealth.

2. Please provide a narrative about your experience and qualifications.

Education: Waynesboro Area Senior High School, American University – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Penn State University – Masters in Public Administration

Professional Experience: Insurance Agent, Legislative Director – PA Senate, District Legislative Representative – US House of Representatives, former Township Supervisor and current planning and zoning officer – Washington Township

Having been born, raised, and chosen to live my adult life in Franklin County, I know our citizens and our values, and will represent them in Harrisburg. My family moved to Franklin County in 1770 and has been involved in agriculture ever since. Though my roots are in agriculture, my career has been spent in public service, which means that I have seen how government works, and in most cases, doesn’t work. My record has been one of small and efficient government. As one of the Township Supervisors and Chairman of the Board during COVID, we led a policy of keeping Washington Township open for business, we created partnerships with local organizations to provide job skills to students in our parks (all funded by state grants and at no expense to the Township), and continue to create a positive, local economy that balances agriculture, job creation, and housing. I love Franklin County and the people who make this an inviting community, and want to ensure that our conservative voices and rural values are heard in Harrisburg.