by Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-o7)
Tennessee’s farmers and growers generate $89 billion annually in economic activity. Simply put, we rely on our farmers. And today, we honor them. Few Americans make more of a difference in the lives of others than farmers. From growing the food we cook to the cotton we use to make clothes, our farmers truly are the backbone of our economy.
My greatest privilege in Congress is to serve the hardworking people of Tennessee, especially farmers. Those who work hard to feed our families, those who tirelessly labor sun-up to sun-down, those who make possible the American dream; it is their selfless sacrifice to the soil that keeps our state growing.
An estimated 66,000 families in Tennessee are engaged in farming and forestry. In fact, 41 percent of Tennessee’s land is farmland.
I’ve been fighting in Washington to protect these amazing farmers. When President Biden tried to weaponize the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) to increase his control over American land, I fought back.
During this battle, I heard from many farmers in Tennessee who told their story. Steve Hargrove, a beef cattle producer in Benton County said, “There’s no one who’s going to take care of our farms as good as we do. The land and the water are our lifeblood.”
The men and women who have dedicated generations of blood, sweat, and tears to their lands deserve to be the ones making the decisions about their farmland, not bureaucrats in Washington.
Today, we extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our farmers. I will continue to work hard to defend farmers in Congress so that Tennessee’s growers can focus on putting food on our tables and clothes on our backs.
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Rep. Mark Green is a physician and combat veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, where he served three tours. He interviewed Saddam Hussein for six hours on the night of his capture. He is chair of the House Homeland Security Committee and serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Might have to sell my farm to deal with college expenses, thanks to this yeàr’s FAFSA “improvement”. Haven’t seen any help from any of our Congressmen, either. Think I’ll look for a good Chinese buyer….