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Support Of Session Limits
The NC Agribusiness Council urges the General Assembly to limit
legislative sessions to a specified number of calendar days for
both the long session and the short session. The “short session”
should be limited to budget matters and legislation needed to
address critical issues. |
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Support Funding of Export Infrastructure
The NC Agribusiness Council supports funding of highway, railroad,
airport, waterways and ports for the exporting of agribusiness
products. This includes support of the N.C. Ports Authority,
as well as NC highways and bridge infrastructure. |
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Support Responsible Electric Power
Legislation and Regulations
The NC Agribusiness Council encourages that any legislation or
regulation enacted by Congress or federal agency should protect
the interests of all electric consumers. These interests dictate that
all consumers should receive affordable, reliable and safe electric
power on an equitable basis. In recent years, there have been
significant changes in electric markets and the regulation of
wholesale power. These changes have impacted wholesale
and end-use consumers on a global basis. Continued uncertainty
cloud current markets and in many regions of the
United States have experienced increase price volatility either
by market demand or manipulation. Congress, federal agencies
and state utility commissions are concerned and have initiated
studies, hearings and in some cases policy recommendations
for legislative or regulatory changes. Any changes
made to the delivery of electric service or rules governing the
nation's electric grid should be implemented without placing
an undue burden on residential and agribusiness consumers.. |
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Support Right to Work
The NC Agribusiness Council supports North Carolina’s Right
to Work law. The Council will continue to work with the
Department of Labor on issues of concern to ensure a healthy
and safe work environment for all agribusiness employees. |
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Support Right to Farm
The NC Agribusiness Council supports the Right to Farm Act.
The Council will continue work with the various state agencies
on issues of concern to ensure a conducive work environment
for all North Carolina citizens engaged in agriculture. The
Council supports producer’s right to contract his service in an
integrator or contractor setting. |
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Support For Funding Of Security
Programs To Prevent Ag-Bioterrorism
The NC Agribusiness Council supports increased funding for
preventative and response activities resulting from the deliberate
introduction of dangerous contaminants, which could
threaten the production of agricultural products, public health
and national security.. |
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Support H2A and H2B Labor Reform
The NC Agribusiness Council supports H2A and H2B labor
reform. Agribusiness is largely dependent upon semi-skilled
and unskilled workers to perform the hard work necessary to
produce our nations’ agricultural products. However, agribusiness
professionals find it difficult to obtain a sufficient legal
workforce to meet their labor needs. Despite diligent domestic
worker recruitment efforts and legal compliance initiatives
undertaken by those in agribusiness, the combination of the
verification programs of SSA and INS enforcement activity
show that shortages of legal US workers at unprecedented levels
persist. Furthermore, these problems are having serious negative
consequences on the agricultural industry and the agricultural
workforce. Less than 2% of the nation’s seasonal workforce
needs are met through the current H2A program, which is
50 years old. With labor intensive crops representing 43% of
farm receipts from all crops, enactment of labor reform would
not only help our farms, but also reduce the pressure of illegal
economic migration into the US by controlling and monitoring
the admission and departure of temporary foreign workers. In
addition, the Council supports a program that would address
problems with the existing work force including a process to
regularize the status of experienced farm workers already in the
United States. |
