I am proud to announce that the Maryland Farm Bureau has endorsed my reelection to the House of Delegates in legislative district 33. I have always sought to praise and protect property owners right to farm without undue regulation and burden by government and I greatly appreciate this recognition for my support of farmers.
“Our endorsements are made based on a candidate’s voting record, stated positions, actions taken in the past and on the recommendations of Candidate Evaluation Committees of the local farm bureaus”
“An endorsement is recognition of a candidate’s commitment to the important issues of the agricultural community in Maryland,” said Pam Saul, Chairperson of the Maryland Farm Bureau PAC. “The support highlights that we are powerful and strong constituent within the halls of Annapolis.”
The Maryland Farm Bureau PAC is non-partisan. The endorsement process is intended to draw attention to farm issues in an election year, increase voter turnout and build a stronger relationship between local farmers and their elected officials. Much of the direction for the endorsement decisions comes from county Farm Bureaus.
“The endorsement process is truly a grassroots process,” Saul said. “Candidate surveys include concerns raised by Farm Bureau members. Each county creates a Candidate Evaluation Committee (CEC) that solicits input from their members, and in some cases, meets with the candidates. The CECs review the surveys and make recommendations on endorsements and contributions. The PAC Board relies heavily on the CECs and reviews the voting records of incumbents.”
Direction is taken from the grassroots – relying on the counties to determine which candidates would best serve the interests of farmers and rural Maryland. Saul said that those chosen have shown that they understand the importance of agriculture in Maryland. “The farming community plays an integral part in the state’s economy, not just in economic terms, but also in the number of direct and indirect jobs our sector provides,” she said. “We want to be supported and acknowledged for the work accomplished in meeting and surpassing sediment reduction goals for the 2017 milestones as we clean up the Bay. Maryland farmland accounts for over 2 million acres in the state and farmers work hard to protect it and the Bay. The candidates selected recognize that agriculture deserves to be supported.”
The mission of the Maryland Farm Bureau is to promote and protect Maryland agriculture and rural life. MFB is a private, non-profit membership organization that is financed by voluntary membership dues. Its strength comes from the active participation of over 37,000 member families that belong to the state’s 23 county Farm Bureaus.
Click here to view the Maryland Farm Bureau website
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