SE North Carolina News

On May 24, 2024, the House Committee on Agriculture approved H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, with support from Congressman David Rouzer (NC-07). Commonly known as the Farm Bill, this legislation aims to ensure the continued production of a safe and abundant food and fiber supply.

"The Farm, Food, and National Security Act will ensure our farm families can continue to produce the safest, most abundant food and fiber supply in the world," said Congressman Rouzer. "North Carolina will especially benefit from the Farm Bill because of the steps taken to strengthen the competitiveness of specialty crops, improve access to safe drinking water in rural communities, and the investments made to bolster our farm safety net. Beyond the farmgate, this legislation strengthens rural economies across the country, incentivizes work, and maintains vital nutrition assistance for those who truly need it while enhancing work opportunities so they aren’t trapped on welfare."

Agriculture remains North Carolina's dominant industry with an economic contribution exceeding $111 billion. As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, Congressman Rouzer secured several provisions for Southeastern North Carolina and other communities nationwide.

Key highlights for North Carolina in the 2024 Farm Bill include:

- **Economic Adjustment Assistance for Textile Mills**: Increases payment rates from 3 cents to 5 cents to account for inflation and support domestic textile industries competing against foreign manufacturers.

- **Clarity for National Markets**: Protects North Carolina pork producers from state-by-state regulations by reinforcing federal oversight over interstate commerce.

- **USDA Accountability**: Implements measures through H.R. 6657 to protect taxpayer dollars by ensuring accountability within SNAP programs.

- **PFAS Contamination**: Includes components of Rouzer's Healthy H2O Act to facilitate water quality testing and treatment for PFAS contamination in rural areas.

- **Adjusted Gross Income Limitation Removal**: Eliminates AGI limits allowing all producers access to disaster and conservation programs while adjusting payment limits on certain pass-through entities.

- **Livestock and Poultry Industry Protection**: Allocates further funding into animal health prevention programs initiated by Rouzer in previous legislation.

- **Specialty Crop Industry Support**: Addresses challenges faced by specialty crop producers through reports on foreign competitiveness and ensures continued insurance coverage options including hurricane protection.

- **Agriculture Research Strengthening**: Invests in agricultural research facilities like NC State University to enhance their competitive research capabilities.

Congressman Rouzer has been a member of the House Agriculture Committee since his first day in office. He co-founded the Congressional Agri-tourism Caucus, co-chairs the Congressional Specialty Crops Caucus, serves on various agriculture-related working groups within Congress, and has contributed significantly to almost every Farm Bill since 1996.