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Rural communities are the heartland of this country and we must not leave them behind economically or technologically. In order to stabilize rural economies, we need to encourage measures to support small businesses, improve local infrastructure and modernize rural telecommunications systems. I also support young and beginning farmer programs which provide assistance to new farmers in the start up of their operation. These programs ensure that American farms will continue to produce food for the generations to come. In the agricultural economy, I hope to see expansion in the local and organics market. The purchase of local products reduces transportation costs and also directly connects consumers with producers, giving them the security of knowing exactly where their food comes from.

U.S. producers are poised to lead our nation in the pursuit of energy independence with the production of biofuels, ethanol and solar and wind energy. Colorado has already established itself as a pioneer in the implementation of alternative energy technologies and I support further exploration and investment in these areas in order to decrease our dependency on foreign oil.

At the global level, I believe in fair trade policies that take into account our country’s economic needs and hold partnering countries to the same environmental and labor standards as those that we maintain here at home. This provides a level playing field for American producers to compete in the international market and also protects the quality of food sold to the U.S. consumer. 

The bottom line is that we need to support U.S. farmers and ranchers; they work everyday to provide our nation with an invaluable resource – the food we eat. Without them, we risk dependency on foreign countries for our food supply which is unacceptable. An investment in agriculture is an investment in America’s future.

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