Congressman Sanford Bishop

Representing the 2nd District of Georgia

Agriculture

Georgia’s farmers, ranchers, and producers are the backbone of our state’s most important industry: agriculture. As the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Co-Chair of the Congressional Peanut Caucus, I am a staunch supporter of the agricultural community in Georgia's Second Congressional District and the entire nation. I support assistance to farmers affected by drought, wildfires, and other natural disasters that occur each year. In addition, I have worked to ensure that the peanut support program remained strong in the 2014 Farm Bill; strengthen our nation's nutrition programs; reform the H2-A program for non-immigrant agricultural workers; bolster child nutrition programs in our nation’s schools; prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing burdensome regulations on agriculture; ensure that Mexican tomatoes and chicken do not drive down the prices of U.S.-produced tomatoes and chicken due to illegal dumping; and advance agricultural research, food safety initiatives, and broadband services to rural communities.

More on Agriculture

RANKING MEMBER BISHOP’S OPENING STATEMENT AT USDA INSPECTOR GENERAL HEARING

Mar 16, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, delivered the following opening statement yesterday during the subcommittee’s hearing on the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA).
 
Video and background on the subcommittee hearing can be found here. Hearing witnesses included:

RANKING MEMBER BISHOP APPLAUDS AGRICULTURE SECRETARY PERDUE FOR EXPANSION OF COTTON GINNING COST SHARE PROGRAM

Mar 6, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, applauds U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for his announcement on Saturday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will expand the Cotton Ginning Cost Share program to cover the 2016 crop year.
 

ADVISORY: USDA LAUNCHES RESOURCES WEBSITE TO HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES ADDRESS OPIOID CRISIS

Feb 26, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched a new website highlighting available resources to assist rural communities responding to the ongoing opioid crisis. The new website can be found here (www.usda.gov/topics/opioids).
 

CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT ON WHITE HOUSE’S FY19 BUDGET REQUEST AND ITS PROPOSAL TO REORGANIZE THE NUTRITION SAFETY NET

Feb 14, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) released the following statement regarding the White House’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.

“On Monday, the President released his FY 2019 Budget Request. Similar to last year, it proposes increases to defense spending at the expense of vital domestic programs. Having a better equipped and more prepared military is integral to our national defense; however, we must prioritize both our non-defense and defense needs.
 

ADVISORY: USDA DISASTER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR SEMINOLE COUNTY AND GRADY COUNTY

Feb 5, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, in accordance with Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, sent a letter on February 2, 2018 designating Seminole County and Grady County in Georgia’s Second Congressional District as contiguous disaster areas. The designation follows a review of crop losses caused by Hurricane Irma, which struck the region during September 9-12, 2017.
 

CONGRESSMAN SANFORD BISHOP ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY TELEHEALTH NETWORK IN RURAL GEORGIA TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY

Jan 22, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) is pleased to announce that the Rural Development agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $310,950 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant for Augusta University Research Institute to implement an Emergency Telehealth network in rural Georgia. Congressman Bishop spearheaded the creation of a telehealth network with language in the FY2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill (Public Law 115-31).
 

CONGRESSMAN SANFORD BISHOP ANNOUNCES RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Jan 18, 2018 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02), is pleased to announce that the Rural Development agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a $62,979 Housing Preservation Grant for the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission and a $50,000 Housing Preservation Grant for SW Georgia Community Action.
 

CONGRESSMAN BISHOP STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE BILL AND CONTINUING RESOLUTION

Dec 21, 2017 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) released the following statement regarding his support for the disaster assistance bill and the continuing resolution to fund the government. The disaster assistance bill includes $81 billion in assistance for communities impacted by recent storms, fires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. It passed the House by a vote of 251 to 169. The continuing resolution, which will fund the government through January 19, 2018, passed the House by a vote of 231 to 188.
 

RANKING MEMBER BISHOP’S OPENING STATEMENT ON USDA DISASTER RECOVERY ROLE

Nov 29, 2017 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, delivered the following opening statement earlier today during the subcommittee’s hearing on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) role in current disaster recovery efforts.
 
Video and background on the subcommittee hearing can be found here. Hearing witnesses included:

ADVISORY: USDA DISASTER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR FARMS IMPACTED BY HURRICANE IRMA

Nov 15, 2017 Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, in accordance with Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, sent a letter this week designating 83 counties within the State of Georgia as primary disaster areas due to the impacts of Hurricane Irma.
 

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