Farmers Prepare For Changes In National Politics
Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell, left, with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., at the 2020 Young Farmers Conference in Mobile.
By Jimmy Parnell, President Alabama Farmers Federation hange is the one thing we can C count on. Farmers know this better than most.
Through natural disasters, new technologies or just the changing of seasons, one thing remains constant: Alabama Farmers Federation members are still farming. In 2021, change is certain — especially in Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden moved swiftly to name new members of his cabinet. His choice for Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack of Iowa, is a familiar face. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new chief is a known quantity, having led the agency eight years during the Obama Administration. There will be changes at USDA, but I believe Secretary Vilsack is someone we can work with to advance the interests of Alabama farmers. Congress also will look different from an Alabama and agricultural perspective. With Democrat candidates sweeping the runoff elections in Georgia for two U.S. Senate seats, the Democratic party now controls both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, albeit by the narrowest of margins. This is quite a blow to Alabama as Sen. Richard Shelby will no longer chair the powerful
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Appropriations Committee. Also in the Senate, longtime farm advocate Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., retired, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., replaces him as chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., will serve as the highest-ranking Republican on the committee. Leadership of the House Committee on Agriculture also changed. Rep. David Scott, R-Ga., assumed the gavel, and Rep. Glen “G.T.” Thomson, R-Pa., is the new ranking Republican member. Alabama welcomes three new members to its Congressional delegation. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has been embraced by Federation members and has put in the work to build relationships and learn about their policy needs. Sen. Tuberville was appointed to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and will be a loyal supporter of Alabama farmers. He is building a strong team of staffers led by Chief of Staff Stephen Boyd, a veteran of Alabama politics. Sen. Tuberville also brought on Mike Albares as a senior policy advisor for agriculture. Albares is former chief of staff to former Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery. Boyd and Albares are both Alabama natives and know their way around Capitol Hill.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Alabama voters elected two new faces to fill open seats of retiring advocates for agriculture. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile, will take over for Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Mobile, in District 1. Rep. Carl has retained a number of employees from Rep. Byrne’s team. We’re pleased to continue working with these great staffers, including Chief of Staff Chad Carlough. Rep. Carl will serve on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Natural Resources. Rep. Barry Moore, R-Enterprise, and will be serving Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District following Rep. Roby’s retirement. He will serve on the House Committee on Agriculture and the Veteran Affairs Committee. Rep. Moore has built a team with a strong understanding and appreciation for agriculture. Chief of Staff Shana Teehan brings a wealth of political experience, and Rep. Moore’s district director, Bill Harris, knows our organization well. Retired Federation employee Louis Coles will serve as an agricultural advisor to Rep. Moore. While we anticipate a shift in direction for federal policies, I am optimistic about agriculture’s future. With the COVID-19 vaccine becoming more available, I look forward to getting our economy back on track. We’re hopeful commodity prices will continue an upward swing due, in large part, to increased exports. However, we must remain vigilant and push back against attempts of government overreach we anticipate from this administration. We will work to help Congress and the Biden Administration to ensure farmers are seen as part the solution rather than the problem. If the administration is willing to work with agriculture to tackle the challenges of feeding a growing population — in a manner that is economically sustainable — I am confident we can meet any challenge head on. Yes, change is constant, but so is the strength, persistence and optimism of the American farmer. alfafarmers.org
