| abstract | - Phil English - is a congressman representing the 3rd congressional district of Pennsylvania.
- Farming is a time-honored way of life for many in the 3rd Congressional District. I have worked hard in Washington to help give 3rd District farmers the help they need to thrive within their livelihood. In the Spring of 2002, President Bush signed into law the Farm Security and Rural Investment Acts of 2002. I voted in support of this legislation and believe it serves a fundamental guide for the farm and rural related policies in the upcoming years. I have continued to work hard on behalf of the district’s dairy farmers. I remain committed in the fight to help close the current loophole being used by processors to import milk protein concentrates (MPC) and casein to help stimulate our domestic dairy market. A MPC is a milk derivative that is produced by filtering milk to remove lactose, minerals and other ingredients which are then dried leaving a product with high protein content. Produced solely overseas, MPCs enter the United States with virtually no tariff and no volume quota, allowing them to serve as an extremely low-cost alternative to domestic milk. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1160 – The Milk Import Tariff Equity Act, legislation that would impose tariff-rate quotas on certain MPCs and casein. America was recently confronted with a food safety scare involving bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or “mad cow disease.” I have taken an active concern with the outbreak and serve as a cosponsor for H.R. 3546 – The Tracing and Recalling Agricultural Contamination Act (TRACE). This legislation will authorize the USDA Secretary to establish a system to track meat products from their origins to the grocery store, enabling an easier recall. If passed, consumers will have more confidence in U.S. produced meat products. In another effort to promote food safety among Americans, I serve as the leading Republican cosponsor for The Meat and Poultry Pathogen Reduction and Enforcement Act of 2003 (H.R. 2203), also known as Kevin’s Law, to improve the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) enforcement of food safety standards for meat and poultry. The agricultural community is continuously developing. In an effort to better understand the issues affecting the industry of today, I have joined the Congressional Rural Caucus as well as the Congressional Food Safety Caucus. It is up to Congress to work to protect America’s agricultural community and while I’m here in Washington, I will continue to help preserve the farmlands of Pennsylvania’s 3rd district.
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