03/29/2024
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WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, August 3rd, 2018 at 9 a.m., U.S. Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC), U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX), and North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler will convene a National Agriculture Leaders Roundtable to discuss the threat that nuisance lawsuits pose to the U.S. agriculture industry, rural America, and farm families nationwide.  The roundtable will be comprised of federal officials, state officials, economists, and national agriculture industry representatives, including the President of the American Farm Bureau, Zippy Duvall.

“Today’s nuisance lawsuits that are destroying livelihoods and communities in North Carolina are the tip of the iceberg for what is to come absent a well-informed public and good public policy.  A ‘nuisance’ is very much in the eye of the beholder and every single farm family that is in compliance with all applicable regulations – no matter what they are growing – should have a safe harbor from legal action being brought against them.  This is a very slippery slope that threatens the very existence of every form of agriculture nationwide,” said Congressman David Rouzer.

“I want to thank Congressman Rouzer for hosting this roundtable to hear directly from North Carolina’s farmers about how the nuisance lawsuits could affect their livelihoods. The influence from outside lawyers in this case has the potential to decimate our state’s vibrant agriculture industry and the countless rural communities supported by it. Agriculture is the number one industry in North Carolina, and it is important to hear from those affected by this threat. These lawsuits have the potential to affect the agriculture community and farmers nationwide, and I look forward to participating in this event to learn how North Carolinians could be affected and how we can help,” said Senator Thom Tillis.

“Agriculture is a blessing that most of us count on at least three times a day.  Not a nuisance.  People need to understand that every food item starts on a farm, not a grocery store shelf.  When we take our farmers and food production for granted, we stand to literally lose the hand that feeds us. I am grateful that others are paying attention to this issue which could affect farmers everywhere,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

WHO:

Chairman David Rouzer, U.S. House Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture
Chairman Michael Conaway, U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
Senator Thom Tillis
Commissioner Steve Troxler, North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
President Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation
Commissioner Hugh Weathers, South Carolina Department of Agriculture
North Carolina State Senator Brent Jackson
North Carolina State Representative Jimmy Dixon
North Carolina State Representative Ken Goodman
Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest
North Carolina House Majority Leader John Bell
Dr. Kelly Zering, North Carolina State University
U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Bill Northey, Farm Production and Conservation
Barb Glenn, CEO of National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Commissioner Gary Black, Georgia Department of Agriculture
Secretary Michael Scuse, Delaware Department of Agriculture
Commissioner Sid Miller, Texas Department of Agriculture
Dr. Howard Hill, Past President of National Pork Producers Council
Kerry Doughty, CEO of Butterball
Brad Cornelius, CEO of Cape Fear Farm Credit
Dave Corum, CEO of AgCarolina
Vance Dalton, Jr., CEO of Carolina Farm Credit
Gary Floyd, Executive Vice President of L. Harvey Inc.
American Soybean Association
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Cotton Council
National Corn Growers Association
United Egg Producers
NC Peanut Growers Association
North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
National Chicken Council
American Feed Industry Association
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Turkey Federation
Agricultural Retailers Association
National Pork Producers Council

WHAT:

Roundtable with state and national agriculture leaders to discuss nuisance lawsuits

WHEN:

Friday, August 3, 2018

9:00 A.M. EST

WHERE:

Gov. James G. Martin Building, North Carolina Fairgrounds

1025 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607

The Martin Building is located inside the Fairgrounds, and can be accessed from any open gates into the State Fairgrounds – best accessed from Gate 9 (Turn from Blue Ridge Road onto Trinity Road – after entering Gate 9, the rear of Martin Building will be straight ahead with parking around the front.

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