Congressman Mike McIntyre was the keynote speaker at this year's Farm-City Week Banquet, held Tuesday night at the Powell-Melvin Agriculture Service Center in Elizabethtown.

In his address, he emphasized the importance of residents communicating with their representatives and senators on issues of importance to the agricultural community.

He said local residents should contact friends and residents who live in other areas of the country and ask them to contact their legislators on behalf of issues important to the state and region's economy.

He specifically discussed the tobacco bill he has submitted to Congress that would provide a tobacco buyout program. He said he believes the bill would be beneficial to everyone involved in the industry.

McIntyre, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, commended the agricultural community for its impact on the wellbeing of the nation and the bountiful supply of food that the nation enjoys. He pointed out that Americans pay a small part of their income-less than 11 percent-for food compared to other nations.

He pointed out that many do not appreciate how blessed the nation is to have such a bountiful supply of food, and the importance of the agricultural community in providing that food supply.

He also emphasized the importance of agriculture to the security of the nation.

"Without those involved in agriculture, our nation could not survive," McIntyre said.

He outlined some of the provisions of the Farm Bill recently passed by Congress and said that the body would reconvene in January to hammer out appropriations.

He pointed out that farm policy accounts for only a very small part of the national budget.

"Farm policy will amount to about one-half of one percent of our national budget this year," he stated.

He said that winning support for programs, such as the tobacco buyout, depended on the building of coalitions to gain support.

He compared gaining support for farm programs to winning in basketball.

"I challenge you tonight to challenge those you know (by contacting them and encouraging their support) to get the points on the board to win," he said.

He said that individuals must not only be concerned about the future of agriculture and policy that impacts that future of the industry, but also, to be committed to supporting legislative efforts to have a viable farm policy in the nation.

The Farm-City Week Banquet is held annually on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to make rural and urban people more aware of their interdependence.

It is sponsored jointly by the Elizabethtown Kiwanis and a number of Bladen businesses.

The Bladen County office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension coordinates and hosts the banquet.

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