Dan Meuser for Congress Announces Farm Families for Meuser Steering Committee
POTTSVILLE– Meuser for Congress is pleased to announce the Farm Families for Meuser Steering Committee:
Keith Eckel is a board member of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association and served as member of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board. Mr. Eckel has served as a board member and executive committee member of the American Farm Bureau Federation and served as Vice President of the Pennsylvania Council of Cooperative Extension Associations. He served as President of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau for 15 years and the Lackawanna County Cooperative Extension Association. He received the Master Farmer award from Penn State University in 1982.
Mike Firestine has spent his career specializing in the agricultural banking industry. He serves as the chairman of the Agricultural Republican Committee and the Pennsylvania Bankers Association’s Agricultural and Rural Issues Commission and the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Mike also serves as a Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission.
Keith Masser is Chairman/CEO of Sterman Masser, Inc. in Sacramento, Pennsylvania, a family owned and operated farming operation, which produces, packages and ships potatoes, grows cash grain and hay, and processes dehydrated and fresh cut potato products at its Keystone Potato Products facility. He serves on the Penn State Board of Trustees and is a Master Farmer.
Barron “Boots” Hetherington is co-owner with his wife Robin of B & R Farms in the northwestern corner of Schuylkill County known as the Ringtown Valley. He is currently a board member of Pa. Vegetable Growers Assn. Boots served on the Penn State University Board of Trustees. He received his Master Farmer Award in 1996 and served on the Board of Directors. Boots was the chairperson of the Pennsylvania State Committee for the USDA Farm Service Agency during the Bush Administration and this week he was appointed as a member to the same board to serve President Donald Trump. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Briar Creek Mutual Insurance and is an active member of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. Boots also served as Special Advisor in Agriculture to Governor Tom Corbett.
To read Dan's position paper on Agriculture, please click here.
"Agriculture is the leading industry in the 9th Congressional District and I want to get to work with actions focused on positive outcomes for the agriculture community, that will grow the economy and disposable incomes, keep the American Dream alive for the next generation and ensure the success of future generations of farmers," said Meuser, "We are honored to have a steering committee with such depth of knowledge and experience in agriculture supporting our campaign. This experienced steering committee, consisting of farmers and agriculture stakeholders, all know I will work tirelessly to support an America First Agenda that's in the best interest of our nation and our family farms. Farmers are some of the hardest working Pennsylvanians, getting up every day to nourish this nation with life-sustaining products and I will go to work every day to help create an environment that best ensures their success."
As Secretary of Revenue for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Dan Meuser helped push efforts to eliminate the state inheritance tax on family farms. "The final tax reform bill, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, increased the exemption for the federal inheritance tax which virtually eliminates the tax on family farmers. My support of farmers will continue if given the opportunity to serve in US Congress."
"These areas come up again and again as what farmers wish us to prioritize. As we continue to meet with and listen to farmers, we will incorporate their additional input into our priorities," said Meuser, "And then, importantly, we will get to work on solutions, as our farmers deserve better."
In addition to receiving the support this steering committee, Dan Meuser was recently endorsed by Congressman GT Thompson, who serves as the current Vice-Chair of the Agriculture Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Nutrition.
Dan Meuser is the Republican nominee for US Congress in the 9th District. Dan has served both as a private sector businessman responsible for helping create thousands of jobs and as Secretary of the Department of Revenue for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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