Agriculture

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Mike is working to make sure that our farmers are protected.  Also, Mike is pleased to have introduced landmark legislation that is now law which bought out the tobacco program and compensates tobacco quota owners and growers. In addition, Mike is urging increased funding for USDA rural development programs.

Mike has worked with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to craft the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, commonly known as “the Farm Bill”, which addresses not only agriculture but also a wide variety of economic needs in small towns and rural communities.

From crop insurance for farmers to business loans for rural entrepreneurs, from forest preservation programs for private landowners to nutrition assistance for families, the Farm Bill provides a safety net for farmers in uncertain times and focuses on renewable energy as well as conservation. For the first time ever, this bill, which is now law, emphasizes fruits and vegetables with critical funding.

The Southeast Crescent Economic Commission, which was proposed by Mike, was authorized by the Farm Bill, and it will put a federal focus on jobs, worker training, small business and entrepreneurial development, in addition to health care and education, in our economically-distressed counties. A Value-Added Producer Grant Program, which assists small producers and offers extra help to young farmers and socially-disadvantaged farmers, is also part of the new Farm Bill.

Rural broadband, biotechnology and BioAg  Centers are other areas on which Mike successfully worked, along with telemedicine and assistance to libraries in rural areas. Fire departments, rescue squads and EMS units, as well as law enforcement agencies, have been the beneficiaries of the congressman’s work on behalf of our rural communities.

Additionally, hospitals, hospices, town halls, courthouses, wastewater treatment and sewer systems and other community facilities have made a huge impact on the quality of life for citizens in southeastern North Carolina because of Congressman McIntyre’s leadership at home on theses projects and  as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Rural Development on Capitol Hill.