NEW PARIS — A key speaker at U.S. Congressman Warren Davidson’s annual Farm Forum was U.S. Congressman and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson.

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge introduced Thompson at the Farm Forum held at National Trail High School in March.

Thompson is the descendant of a long line of dairy farmers and lifelong resident of Howard Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s Fifteenth District.

As an active Member of the House Committee on Agriculture for more than a decade, Thompson formerly served as Ranking Member of the full committee during the 117th Congress and as Vice Chairman during the 116th Congress. He’s also served as Chairman of the Subcommittees on Conservation and Forestry and Nutrition, and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.

Thompson is also a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee.

Prior to being elected to Pennsylvania’s Fifteenth District, Thompson spent 28 years as a therapist, rehabilitation services manager, and a licensed nursing home administrator.

Thompson is a graduate of Penn State and Temple University, where he earned a B.S. and a Master of Education, respectively. He and his wife, Penny Ammerman-Thompson, have three adult sons; Parker, Logan, and Kale, and two grandchildren; Noem and Gabriel.

“It’s such an honor and privilege to be invited somewhere to come and share to speak and it’s a surprise when I get invited back,” he said.

“Our number one industry in Pennsylvania, just like here in Ohio, is agriculture. This absolutely is the the industry, that every family in this great nation, and quite frankly, quite a few around the world, rely on more than three times a day, you know, because it’s more than just the food on your plate,” Thompson said. “These hardworking families provide us food and fiber and building materials and energy resources. It’s the economic impact on our communities, our states and our nation. t’s the impact of American agriculture in a positive way on the environment and on climate. There’s no better climate heroes in the world.”

“My definition of American agriculture is pretty straightforward — it’s three words, it’s science, technology, and innovation. You know, it always has been. When those first settlers came into the United States, they gathered all their belongings and wagons and they took off. They stopped in Pennsylvania. They stopped in Ohio. And some of them kept going until the wheels fell off,” Thompson said. “And even those early settlers used science. It was crude and rudimentary, but it was trial and error. And it was for righteous and pure purposes. They did trial and error, even the the first farmers, because they wanted to be able to raise more food so fewer family members were dying.”

“When you look at what we have now — science, technology and innovation — the great part is it’s not static, we’re not standing still, it’s dynamic. We’re moving forward. We’ve got great, great universities and agricultural researchers. And I’m looking at the future of agriculture in all those blue coats along the back wall there. You know, with our FFA program, or 4-H programs, it is an amazing time to be in the agriculture industry,” Thompson said.

Thompson called the Farm Bill the “probably the single most important piece of legislation that we do.”

“Ag is the number one industry because everything that we provide, in terms of agriculture, is essential,” he said.

“We have a farm bill that expires at the end of September and really there are three options,” Thompson said. “Number one, we can leave it andlet it expire. That is not an option. If we let this one expire, we will revolt, we will return to dust bowl era legislative language. And that will hurt every American farmer and every American family. That is not an option.”

The second option is an extension, according to Thompson. “And the third, we just do our jobs. And so that’s where we’re going, where we’re at today. We’re in the listening mode,” he said.

“Hearing from you all is such an important part of this. You know, you don’t want us writing the Farm Bill, just listening to voices inside the beltway in Washington. Trust me, it wouldn’t work out well,” he added. “I’ve been over, I guess, close to 40 states is what they tell me. But I’m there to listen, you know. I’m there to bring the voices back, just like I’m here with Warren today to bring your voices back to Washington. So the Farm Bill, we do it with you in mind. Because quite frankly, you’re what matters. This country is not going to exist unless we have a a robust American agriculture industry.”

“This farm bill is about about producers. It’s about processors, and it’s about consumers,” Thompson said.

Thompson also touched on the topics of crop insurance and its importance, as well as emergency assistance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

(Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of articles highlighting some of the discussion at this year’s Farm Forum.)

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on Twitter @emowenjr.