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WASHINGTON — Congressman Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) has been tapped to serve on the House Committee on Agriculture.

“Agriculture issues affect everyone and have a profound impact in Ohio’s Twelfth Congressional District, where the agriculture sector creates thousands of jobs,” said Balderson through a news release. “These issues are not isolated to America’s farms and ranches.

“Considering my own personal background in agriculture and the work I’ve done to support the agricultural community in my district, this move is a particularly rewarding one. I’m honored to become the only Ohio Republican on the House Agriculture Committee and will fight for the priorities that matter most to the Buckeye State.”

Balderson speaks with the Central Ohio Agriculture Advisory Council he assembled, in September 2019. The council meets on a quarterly basis.

The House Committee on Agriculture oversees legislative priorities related to the farm economy, rural broadband internet access and expansion, land conservation, food transparency, innovation in agriculture, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and more.

“Coming from a farm background, Congressman Balderson understands the challenges that Ohio agriculture and Ohio Farm Bureau members face,” said Adam Sharp, executive vice president of Ohio Farm Bureau. “This new role on the House Agriculture Committee gives Mr. Balderson a seat at the table in Washington for issues that are important for Ohio farmers and everyone involved in agriculture. He will be a terrific addition to the Committee.”

Balderson has long championed the need for the expansion of rural broadband internet access, an issue overseen by the Agriculture Committee. He has continuously pushed for enhanced broadband infrastructure – especially during the pandemic – and for improved internet access across all sectors and in all areas of the state and country. Balderson has also pushed for the responsible, permanent expansion of telehealth to serve rural and low-income Ohioans, through legislation such as his KEEP Telehealth Options Act.

Balderson’s passion for agriculture stems from his childhood, when he worked on his family’s farm, growing corn and soybeans and raising cattle. He participated in the Muskingum County 4-H Club and continues to support 4-H, touting its mission of empowering young people who “learn through doing.”

Balderson currently also sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House Committee on Small Business – in which he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Innovation and Workforce Development – and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.