Ranking Republican tours local agricultural sites

ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) – On a tour of present agricultural companies, just like the McCormick Farm in Raphine, a take a look at the well-known McCormick reaper from the 1830s appeared an apt image.

“The reaper is a great example that American agriculture has always been about science, technology, and innovation,” mentioned Rep. GT Thompson (R-Pa. 15).

Thompson was getting a private tour of agriculture companies in our space as a part of a wider take a look at agriculture within the nation.

As the rating Republican on the House Agriculture Committee, he has affect on which payments transfer ahead, and which die.

“Getting him to see not only the beginnings of agriculture here in Rockbridge County at McCormick Farm,” mentioned Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va. 6), “but also the innovation at Virginia Tech now at this farm.”

Innovations that embrace the rising want for broadband in rural areas.

“We need broadband in rural parts of America like ours,” Cline mentioned.

“Whether it’s at the farmhouse or whether it’s at the barn,” Thompson mentioned, “precision agriculture requires good connectivity.”

And it’s one thing that Thompson feels isn’t being addressed within the present infrastructure invoice.

“There’s a lot of money there for the Commerce Department,” Thompson defined, “but the Commerce Department back under the stimulus 10 years ago had as much or more money then and they didn’t get it done in rural America.”

Just certainly one of a lot of considerations he’s studying about as he visits.

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