Issue Position: Agriculture
Issue Position
U.S. Representative Todd Rokita- Fighting for Indiana Farmers
Helped win emergency disaster zone designation from U.S. Department of Agriculture
o At the request of Central Indiana farmers, Todd Rokita led an Indiana Congressional delegation letter to AgricultureSecretary Tom Vilsack to designate Indiana as an emergency disaster zone due to the drought.
o Secretary Vilsack subsequently granted emergency disaster zone relief.
Stopped Obama administration plan to ban youth labor on farms
o Indiana youth have worked on family farms for generations, which is why Todd Rokita challenged these misguided Labor Department regulations.
o In April 2012, the Labor Department announced that it would not pursue these regulations for the duration of the Obama administration.
o To make sure this never happens again, Rep. Rokita co-sponsored HR 4157, the Preserving America's Family Farms Act, which passed the House in July 2012.
Blocked Environmental Protection Agency regulations on "Farm Dust"
o These regulations would cost Hoosier agriculture dearly, that's why Todd Rokita battled these regulations, and in October 2011 the EPA announced it would no longer pursue the farm dust regulations.
o To make sure this never happens again, Rep. Rokita co-sponsored HR 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, which passed the House in December 2011.
House passed HR 872, Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011, ending need for duplicative permitting
o EPA implemented costly, duplicative permitting requirements for pesticide applications. These would place a significant burden on small businesses for little obvious environmental benefit.
o That is why Rep. Rokita co-sponsored H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, which passed the House in March 2011.
Defunded Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rules
o GIPSA attempted to place heavy regulations on animal producers' sale of animals to packers.
o These rules would have cost the agriculture industry $400 million annually, which is why Todd worked to successfully defund and block this regulation in the annual agriculture appropriations bill.
Pushed back against OSHA sweep auger rules
o OSHA proposed a new design that would have effectively outlawed sweep augurs.
o Todd Rokita challenged OSHA to explain, clarify, and defend their ambiguous regulations.
Worked to win an exemption for agriculture from Department of Transportation rules
o Vehicle operators with class A CDLs are required to obtain a hazardous material endorsement while operating vehicles that carry more than 1,000 gallons of fuel -- an overbroad and often unnecessary requirement.
o That is why Rep. Rokita cosponsored H.R. 2429, which would exempt class A CDL drivers such as drivers of custom harvesters, agriculture retailers, and co-op employees from the requirement.
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