Thompson selected as GOP’s ranking member on Agriculture committee

Rural broadband development and carbon reduction are expected to be among U.S. Rep. Glenn "G.T." Thompson's main priorities when he becomes the House Committee on Agriculture's Republican leader during the upcoming 117th Congress.

Thompson, who represents the 15th Congressional District that includes part of Cambria County, was recently selected as the minority party's ranking member.

He hopes to develop policies in a myriad of areas, including farming, ranching, the economy, utilities, facilities, land grant universities, research, health care and education.

"It's about bringing the vision, the goals to the committee," said Thompson, a 12-year member of the ag committee.

"For me, that is making sure that the types of policies that we do result in a robust rural economy. A lot of that does start with making sure that there are market opportunities for all of our farmers. I know our farmers and ranchers – whether its crops or livestock – in Cambria County they need good sound markets."

Thompson drew special attention to rural broadband during a telephone interview earlier this week.

"That is one of my primary goals," Thompson said. "We are long past due for that final connectivity. People that live in the county there – quite frankly – and in rural Pennsylvania and across the country, we deserve to have that high-speed broadband connectivity that is sufficient to support the platforms that have become so important in our lives, especially during this pandemic time."

He also credits rural communities for working to reduce carbon emissions through precision agriculture, healthy soil techniques such as planting cover crops and rotating crops, and forest management.

"Quite frankly, our farmers and ranchers in rural America have not gotten the credit for the only things that are really documented as being successful in taking carbon out of the air," Thompson said.

"If you reduce enough carbon out of the air and you stay ahead of carbon emissions – and couple that with obviously the natural gas development – it's really rural America that's contributing to a cleaner environment."

Major work also will soon begin on the 2023 Farm Bill.

"We have to start now with those hearings and listening sessions, field visits," Thompson said. "I'm looking forward to getting those started back up."