Supporting Family Farms & Rural Communities
Common Sense Ideas & Solutions
Agriculture and rural communities are at the very heart of Missouri’s economy and way of life. Thanks to the productivity and ingenuity of American farmers, families across our nation enjoy the world’s safest and most affordable and abundant food supply.
Unfortunately, too many Washington insiders have turned a blind eye to rural America. Family farms and rural areas have been hit hard by the economic downturn. A recent study by the University of Missouri’s Rural Policy Research Institute confirmed what many Missourians have seen first-hand for years—rural areas are losing jobs at a faster rate than the rest of the nation. Rural areas are not only losing jobs, they are losing people. Many Missouri communities have seen their populations steadily decline for decades. Meanwhile, family farmers continue to struggle with the high costs of feed, fuel and fertilizer—even as commodity prices have dropped. Cattle numbers in Missouri have fallen as producers have been driven out of business and dairy farmers are in the throes of the industry’s most acute crisis in decades. Rural manufacturing has taken a hit, too.
Growing up in Rolla and continuing to oversee her family’s cow-calf operation, Robin Carnahan understands the unique challenges facing rural Missouri. She will bring to Washington a commonsense view of what is needed to advance policies that not only provide stability and predictability to family farmers, but also boost profitability and economic opportunity. Robin will work to:
- Support farmers’ safety net: The next Farm Bill will be written by 2012, and Robin is committed to maintaining a stable and predictable safety net for Missouri family farmers, particularly in the face of volatile commodity prices and an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
- Boost homegrown renewable energy: America can and should lead when it comes to innovation. Increasing the production and consumption of homegrown renewable energy sources like biofuels, solar and wind power will help break our dependence on foreign fossil fuels, protect our environment and provide economic security and jobs for our rural communities.
- Support rural entrepreneurship and investments in rural infrastructure: To compete in today’s global economy every Missouri farmer and small business needs access to world markets. Investing in commonsense measures like expanded broadband internet access and opportunities for grants and loans can help rural areas retain and attract small businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Ensure fair and competitive markets: Robin will fight for fair and competitive markets to bring Missouri farm products to the world. She will be a strong and dedicated voice for rural Missouri in the U.S. Senate.