I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress and find common ground where possible with Sec. Rollins to make sure we take care of our producers and rural communities.
Questions & Answers w/Sec. Rollins:
youtu.be/f4JS1xvbelA
Closing:
youtu.be/5xEMvJF-hpk
The economic stress from the cost of military strikes and cuts to agricultural, healthcare, housing, and nutrition programs has affected everything from the cost of putting food on the table to being able to afford housing and having quality healthcare close to home.
In the last year, prices have skyrocketed – especially since the start of U.S. military strikes in Iran – for everything from fuel and diesel to the inputs our farmers need to grow the food and materials America needs.
Last week, I wrapped up my most recent round of meetings in the Second Congressional District with agricultural producers, ag industry groups, and rural community organizations.
Also, I noted that Sec. Rollins is building on the achievements of previous Administrations, both Democratic and Republican, to address disaster relief and other safety net issues.
During yesterday’s hearing, I let Sec. Rollins know about my constituents’ dismay with drastic cuts and shocking eliminations to USDA programs and staff on which farmers and families rely.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to raise some concerns with USDA Sec. Brooke Rollins when she testified before Congress about the President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget.
Opening Remarks:
youtu.be/fBFJ2BqcBB0
These discussions help inform my work in Congress on behalf of GA which has over 22 million acres of timberland. Our state exports almost $4 billion each year in forest products, the most of any state in the nation. The booming industry also provides almost 150,000 jobs to hardworking Georgians.
And, last week, I met with the Georgia Forestry Commission in Marion County as part of a series of meetings that I had with ag producers across several counties in the Second Congressional District.
We discussed issues currently facing forest landowners and timber producers, including fixing an unworkable definition of woody biomass under the Renewable Fuel Standard which would create uses for otherwise discarded timber byproducts like wood chips and sawdust.
On Tuesday, I met with members of the National Alliance of Forest Owners.
www.farmers.gov/recover
www.farmers.gov/protection-r...
An Honorable Mention award goes to Jemiah Hall from Dougherty Comprehensive High School, Albany, Georgia, whose artwork is titled, “Soul of the Orchid.”
The 3rd place winner is Makayla Bailey, an 11th grade student at Monroe High School in Albany, Georgia, whose work is titled “Rooted in Remembrance.”
This year’s 2nd place winner, Brianna Edward, is an 11th grade student at Thomasville High School in Thomasville, Georgia, whose work is titled “Moving Forward.”
This year’s 1st place winner is Queasia Arnold, a 12th grade student at Westover High School in Albany, Georgia, whose work is titled, “Chin Up.”
These young artists contribute to the rich fabric of our community, and I am grateful for our schools, art faculties, community art organizations, museums, parents, and others who all play a crucial role in nurturing their talent and success.
bishop.house.gov/media-center...
I am happy to have hosted the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for high school students in Georgia’s Second Congressional District. Participants and winners were recognized this past Saturday at the Albany Museum of Art.
But Democrats and Republicans were in the room to talk through these challenges and find ways we can work together – in government, industry, and academia – to meet these challenges and help Georgia continue to grow!
Tariffs, wars, and disaster relief along with federal cuts to basic needs, like healthcare, housing, education, and energy programs are making it more expensive to live and work in agriculture and rural America.
I was honored to emcee and deliver an update from Congress at yesterday’s Ham & Eggs Legislative Breakfast at Fort Valley State University. Every year it brings together local, state, federal, and agricultural leaders along with educators and students.
We need strong farmers, families, and rural communities to keep America great.
Georgia is a powerhouse when it comes to agriculture, especially Middle & Southwest Georgia. We produce the highest number of peanuts, pecans, & broilers in the country. Our state is one of the top producers of cotton, eggs, watermelon, & other food & fiber that helps feed, clothe, & build America.
The work that I do in Congress, alongside Senators Ossoff and Warnock, complements the work being done at the state level by Governor Kemp and the state legislature to help keep hospitals open and healthcare affordable and accessible close to home.
We also talked about the vital importance of rural healthcare and how cuts to healthcare and infrastructure impact affordability. Unfortunately, many of our neighbors are skipping meals to pay for rising medical costs and insurance premiums.
I was able to share the work I am doing in Congress to protect programs and funding that support our hardworking ag producers weather these uncertain times. I talked about some of the legislation I have introduced and the work I am doing across the aisle to help.
I heard from them about how tariffs, high agricultural input costs, and military conflicts are affecting the cost of doing business and the cost of living.
I met with agricultural producers, local Farm Bureaus, the Georgia Peanut, Pecan, Cotton, and Forestry Commissions as well as Georgia Green Industry, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Randolph County Hospital Administration.
This week, I was in Quitman, Clay, Early, Calhoun, Randolph, Marion, Schley, Macon, Taylor, Thomas, Grady, Decatur, and Mitchell Counties.
We are putting USDA operations at risk while divesting the federal government of valuable and ideally situated real estate for pennies on the dollar.