Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney announced a new part of his campaign: the Farmers and Ranchers for Romney Coalition. “Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of America,” according to Romney. Native Hoosier and Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner says the coalition is an extensive group ranging from senior ag leaders in Congress, former ag secretaries, and farmers and ranchers representing all walks of American agriculture.
Conner says this group will serve as a counsel to Romney, and they have one common theme in mind, “That is a better recognition of the needs of American agriculture than we have seen out of the present administration.” Conner says Romney has identified three areas where he believes the current Administration has failed to address the needs of American food and agriculture. Those areas include trade, regulatory reform, and taxation.
Conner says Romney is especially interested in doing away with the death tax, “On January 1, the estate tax will go to 55%, and Governor Romney thinks that is a terrible thing.” He said, if elected, Romney will work to eliminate the estate tax. Conner says death should not be reason the government should get half of a farmer’s estate. Romney has also indicates that, if he were elected President, in his very first days he would seek an approval of trade promotion authority from Congress to begin negotiating trade agreements around the world that open up access for U.S. farm products.
Conner says Romney believes these changes in policy would better help farmers and ranchers meet the challenges of the future. The coalition will be the boots on the ground to deliver Romney’s message, according to Conner, but more importantly, members of the coalition will play a vital role in advising Romney on American agriculture and getting the U.S. back on the right track for the future.
[audio:https://www.hoosieragtoday.com//wp-content/uploads//2012/08/farmers-forromnie.mp3|titles=Farmers Back Romney]