|
Open Space and Farmland Preservation
 Bruce
has the concerns of local farmers foremost in his mind:
"Open space and farmland
preservation are close to my heart and are among the core issues of
my campaign. Growing up in a small farming hamlet north of
Downingtown, in Chester County, I came to realize at an early
age how important the woods, the fields and streams are to my own
being.
"Conserving open space
and working for farmland preservation are much more than just about
preserving a pretty view. The farmlands of Chester, Berks, and
Lancaster Counties are a robust economy. And a variety of support
industries depend on farming for their existence.
"Too often, farmland is
looked upon as undeveloped land. The opposite is true: farms are
developed, and in service to our most basic needs.
"We in the 16th
Congressional District have some of the most productive farmland in
the United States. Much of the food products we consume comes from
the land in this District. We cannot continue to allow it to be
bulldozed for housing and retail establishments. We cannot allow it
to be paved for the mere convenience of transportation. To do so
would be to destroy productive land forever. To do so would
be making us more reliant on food producers in distant locations
where we have little or no control over content and cost and
safety. If we take away productive farmland, we destroy our own
economy. We inhibit our own choices about the food we eat.
"Because our bountiful
farmlands are so close to the eastern production markets, we must be
aware of rising shipping costs and other impacts on our national
infrastructure. Thus, we must be aware of the impact of these
issues on others in the agricultural support industries as well.
"Another issue for us to
face going into the future is preserving and enhancing our streams
and watersheds. I support efforts to develop and effect plans to
clean up our waterways while working with our farmers to implement
smart farming practices. We must protect our waterways. We must be
a good neighbor to our downstream neighbors, today, and we must preserve and protect our
watersheds for the generations to come.
"I believe that the 16th
District’s farmers are the first line of defense in ensuring
environmental integrity. Congress has a moral imperative to fund
programs that aid the agricultural community in addressing and
solving issues such as:
-
Composting and
mulching
-
Organic farming
-
Bio fuel and other
alternative and renewable energy sources such as solar and wind
energy
-
The need for energy
independence
-
Problems of runoff,
from both animals and fertilizers
-
Local, sustainable
farming
-
The dangers of Avian
influenza
-
Switch grass
Read press release "Slater
Attends PA's Agricultural Progress Days Event at Penn State"
|
