West Virginia State Democratic Party

West Virginia Democratic Party Platform

Agriculture and Forestry

West Virginia Democrats recognize and appreciate economic contributions made to the state from agriculture and forestry. We place a high priority on traditional agricultural sectors such as family farms and cottage industries.

We continue to support environmentally sound efforts in agriculture between producers and those interested in maintaining a safe environment.

To help secure the future of West Virginia family farmers,  Democrats must back provisions for a safety net in the form of strengthened crop insurance and other measures so farmers may best deal with droughts and other natural disasters as well as fluctuations in economic conditions that place undue hardship on family farmers.

The Democratic Party expects the West Virginia Agricultural Department to find ways to maintain a safe food supply. The present national Republican administration and Republican Congress seem far more interested in protecting huge international food industry than in caring for consumers. This administration and Congress refused to enforce a law passed while Bill Clinton was president, requiring the labeling of food with the country of origin, which is necessary information for homemakers as they seek to purchase safe food for their families.

Democrats trust West Virginia Agricultural agents to investigate beef to prevent infected meat from coming to our tables. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made poor decisions concerning mad cow disease by allowing questionable beef into the United States and by refusing to test cattle for this and other conditions.

Lax USDA control of livestock feed containing banned ingredients has allowed cattlemen to continue to use cattle feed suspected of causing mad cow disease. Democrats depend on West Virginia Agriculture to pick up the slack caused by the Republican controlled USDA for our protection and good health. Democrats must demand that laws protecting our food supply be enforced now.

We believe it is crucial for the future that we continue research, development, and delivery of innovative techniques of agriculture and forestry production. Our forest products should be harvested in an environmentally sound manner. Timber should be milled and refined into finished products in West Virginia whenever possible.

We support environmentally safe methods of pest control of gypsy moths and other insects, and diseases that threaten farms and forests.

We depend on Agriculture and Forestry to eradicate wildlife rabies in West Virginia as soon as feasible. Serum against raccoon and skunk rabies has been dropped over many western and northern counties with some success. We expect the same for southeastern West Virginia counties.

The Democratic Party pledges to help farm and forest industries, however possible, to make financial success possible. This includes a common sense approach to environmental regulations.