Letter
Dear Mr. Chairman:
At a time when hunger is a daily headline, and the failure of our food supply chain is not an option, our nation has been blessed through your service as Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee.
The scope of the Agriculture Committee’s work under your leadership has served a myriad of needs for farmers, rural communities, the environment, and the nutrition community. Through your nearly 30 years in Congress, it has been your championing of conservation programs— particularly the Conservation Reserve Program—which has made a difference to the economic and environmental health of our rural communities. Your work in this area, and your service to all within the agricultural community, has made the world a better place.
Finally, your commitment to strong, bipartisan, leadership in constructing the last three Farm Bills has been vital to helping farmers weather challenging economic times. Your work has helped us maintain a continual food supply in the face of a global pandemic and ensured that farmers had the resources and tools needed to keep farming. Your ongoing efforts, even in the waning days of this Congress, to secure COVID vaccinations for essential agricultural workers is simply the latest example of your leadership, caring, and commitment to our farmers, our workers, and our rural communities. You will be truly missed.
We all have many stories from our times together that we hope we can someday share with you. For now, however, as members of the agricultural communities that you have served so well, we simply want to say, “Thank You,” for your dedication, service, and tremendous contributions to American agriculture.
Sincerely,
Daren Coppock, President & CEO
Agricultural Retailers Association
Zippy Duvall, President
American Farm Bureau Federation
Andy LaVigne, President & CEO
American Seed Trade Association
Todd Van Hoose, President & CEO
Farm Credit Council
Steve Censky, CEO
American Soybean Association
Corey Rosenbusch, President & CEO
The Fertilizer Institute
Luther Markwart, Executive Vice President
American Sugarbeet Association
Barb Glenn, CEO
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Dana O’Brien, Executive Vice President
Biotechnology Innovation Organization
Chandler Goule, CEO
National Association of Wheat Growers
Chris Novak, President & CEO
CropLife America
Colin Woodall, CEO
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Jim Mulhern, President & CEO
National Milk Producers Federation
Jon Doggett, CEO
National Corn Growers Association
Neil Dierks, CEO
National Pork Producers Association
Gary Adams, President & CEO
National Cotton Council
Tim Lust, CEO
National Sorghum Producers
Chuck Conner, President & CEO
National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Tom Stenzel, President & CEO
United Fresh Produce Association
Rob Larew, President
National Farmers Union
Betsey Ward, President & CEO
USA Rice Federationof Agriculture), Treasurer
