The Utah Farm Bureau reached out to candidates for the 2024 General Election for U.S. House District 2, Rep. Celeste Maloy of the Republican Party (incumbent), and Nathaniel Woodward of the Democratic Party. Utah Farm Bureau does not endorse candidates, and simply provides these answers to questions to help voters when making election decisions.

Rep. Celeste Maloy (Republican) on the left, and Nathaniel Woodward (Democrat) on the right.


TAX POLICY

Agriculture operates in a world of uncertainty. From unpredictable national situations to commodity and product market instabilities to fluctuating input prices, from natural disasters and damaging weather events to insect or disease outbreaks, running a farm or ranch business is challenging under the best of circumstances. Farmers and ranchers need a tax code that provides certainty and recognizes their unique financial challenges.

In Congress, what provisions would you support to help farmers and ranchers remain on the land and producing food, fuel and fiber?

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Nathaniel Woodward: The vast majority of the produce and meat that is sold at grocery stores is owned by only 3 companies. Typically, we see most tax considerations and breaks passed by Congress are geared towards lowering the costs of groceries by incentivizing those large corporations and their conglomerate owners. Not surprisingly, that strategy has done nothing to actually make anything more affordable.

Of course, I would support any measure that would significantly reduce or entirely eliminate income tax for family famers, but I would also propose an incentive program geared specifically to family-owned farms that will allow them to also process and distribute their own products without having to sacrifice their current tax rate.

Additionally, I believe we must encourage the coming generations to continue in the trade, to accomplish that I suggest a new incentive program built as a type of “Legacy Tax” which provides a progressively lower tax rate for each new generation of farmer who either inherits their family’s farm or is the child of a farming family and begins their own.

Working closely with local County Assessors to establish clear guidelines for breaks such as the Green Belt and others, as a member of Congress I can find out what is working, what needs change, and what the farmers have brought to the Assessors’ attention. Farmers deserve solutions that come from the ground up, beginning with the people who actually grow and raise our food.

Celeste Maloy: I champion tax policies that recognize the financial challenges of our farmers and ranchers. This includes supporting provisions that provide tax relief and incentives for sustainable practices, allowing our agricultural sector to thrive even in the face of uncertainty. I am committed to ensuring that our farmers and ranchers, the backbone of our economy, can continue to produce food, fuel, and fiber for our nation.


REGULATORY REFORM

All Americans have an interest in a regulatory process that is transparent and fact-based, respects the will of Congress, and observes the separation of powers in the Constitution. Federal regulations have a direct impact on farmers and ranchers, and over the years, the breadth and extent of that regulatory landscape have changed.

What actions would you take to ensure that the federal government’s regulatory burden on businesses such as farming and ranching is consistent with congressional intent? Would you support regulatory reform to ensure that federal regulations meet a cost/benefit test and make the process of writing new regulations more transparent, and if so, how?

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Celeste Maloy: I'm committed to taking actions that ensure federal regulations do not unnecessarily burden our farmers and ranchers. I support regulatory reform that includes a cost/benefit analysis and a transparent process for drafting new regulations. I believe we can build a system that both respects the rule of law and acknowledges the unique challenges of the agricultural sector.

Nathaniel Woodward: Under our system of Federalism we are supposed to have a clear and equal separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches but each of us know that that division of authority is not anywhere near as equally shared when it comes to the regulations that effect working class Americans, which usually come from either federal agencies or the courts. This is an obstacle that can be overcome only if those who we send to Congress are committed to doing ALL of the hard work that comes with proposing, drafting, advocating, and passing our laws and regulations. Typically, when Congress manages to agree on something the regulation has gone through so much revision through bargaining and exchange that even if it was affective or helpful it is now bloated and disingenuous. We need leadership that is willing to draft our laws and regulations in the light of day with the input of the people and businesses to be affected most and in concert with representatives from the federal agencies that will be tasked with overseeing the measure. Then as the Bill makes its way through our democratic processes, that leader needs to be willing and able to fight for it without compromising the components that matter most – the voice of the people.

If a policy, law, or regulation comes directly from us and not from the swamp of political power brokering and corporate special interests, I strongly believe that the agencies tasked with oversight will have much more clear direction.


ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Privately owned land provides habitat for the majority of our nation’s endangered and threatened species. As a result, landowners often face harsh regulatory restrictions on their ability to use the land or, worse, lawsuits or enforcement actions. Meanwhile, few species have actually been recovered under the law.

Is it time to think about incentive-based programs that create a positive role for landowners in species recovery? What recommendations do you have for reforming the Endangered Species Act, and what role would you assign America’s landowners?

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Nathaniel Woodward: Nobody cares more for the well-being of the natural resources of an area than the men and women who live and work there and when it comes to Farmers there is even more of an argument for this point as they are the ones with the most intimate understanding of what makes the land healthy and sustainable. Of course, we need to ensure that every native species of plant and animal thrive in their natural habitat, but we cannot pay for their protection with the currency of human lives, so we need to be willing to think just a little bit harder and worker a little bit longer to come with solutions to these problems. If anyone claims that there are not compromises to be made, they simply do not deserve a seat at the table where the rest of us adults are working towards something that benefits everyone. The Endangered Species Act is a good policy on paper, but in practice it has caused much more of a problem than its value seems to justify, so I would propose a significant overhaul to the policy that reverses its practices. Chiefly, I would swap the stick for a carrot when it came to the “incentives” offered the landowner and instead of listing all of the penalties and problems that a landowner will suffer we must have a program that pre-emptively provides them with benefits and resources such a tax breaks and payments. If we as a people in the form of a government wish to protect an endangered species, it is us, not the farmers, who should foot the bill and inconvenience.

Celeste Maloy: It is indeed time to consider incentive-based programs for species recovery. I propose reforms to the Endangered Species Act that encourage landowners to participate actively in conservation efforts. As America's landowners, our stewardship can make a significant impact on protecting and restoring habitats, and I believe that they should be recognized and rewarded for their contributions to species recovery.

The Endangered Species Act was meant to protect, not to be used as a weapon against farmers and ranchers. I recommend reforms to the act that encourage landowners' active role in conservation, acknowledging the vital part farmers and ranchers play. By fostering a more cooperative rather than restrictive approach, we can effectively protect and restore habitats. Rewarding landowners for their contribution to species recovery can motivate proactive rather than reactive conservation actions.


AGRICULTURAL LABOR

Farmers and ranchers need a reliable, skilled workforce. Farm work is challenging, often seasonal and transitory, and with fewer and fewer Americans growing up on the farm, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find American workers attracted to these kinds of jobs. Farm labor can’t all be replaced by machines, either.

What role can Congress play in addressing the critical labor shortages that many farmers and ranchers face each year? How optimistic are you on finding workable (and passable) solutions to the labor crisis?

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Celeste Maloy: As Congresswoman, I believe Congress can play an instrumental role in addressing labor shortages by reforming immigration policies to provide a steady, legal labor force for our agricultural sector. I'm optimistic about finding solutions, such as temporary worker programs, that both respect our immigration laws and meet the needs of our farmers and ranchers. I'm committed to working across the aisle to develop and pass such solutions.

Nathaniel Woodward: I am very optimistic on this issue and it’s because I live in a rural area and am actively seeing solutions being implemented. I love college, I strongly believe it is the absolute best place for anyone to gain a invaluable education about the world and universe. However, we must also recognize that the cost/benefit ratio is shockingly skewed and that many of our youth are attending college under the mistaken notion that its purpose is to obtain employment. But here in Price where I live the local university and a wonderful local company called Intermountain Electronics have partnered in a program where they will hire new employees, pay for their education, and provide a stable and good paying career once they graduate. We need a similar program for our rural youth who want to pursue their family trades, especially in farming and ranching. Our state land grant universities, like Utah State University here, have language built into their mission statements and charter that include this very concept, to promote rural agriculture by making the proper education accessible. Establishing a program that provides the training and education for our youth while also allowing them to have the “traditional” college experience is the best way to ensure we stop losing our youth to more urban areas.


PUBLIC LANDS

The federal government often changes policies regarding the management of public lands that impact agriculture and the multiple-use principle of public lands. More than 2/3 of Utah is public land in one form or another.

What will you do in your office to ensure that public lands can be used for the multiple uses they are designed for, including agriculture?

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Nathaniel Woodward: I am the only candidate for federal office in Utah that is actually from and lives in a rural area and I’ve spent more time on our public lands than every other candidate combined. The federal government owns more than 95% of the land in my valley and I know the challenges that come from having someone from so far away attempt to manage the complexity of such an agriculturally diverse place. Here, I would again reiterate my point that the federal government needs to enact policies that originate from the source – the people who actually live, work, and play there. With so much federally owned land in Utah we should advocate for more of the vast mineral lease revenue be allocated to our Schools and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA). In Congress, I will make it a priority to transfer most, if not all, the mineral rich public lands currently being utilized back into the hands of Utahn’s so that our communities may receive the benefit of our resources. I understand the fear that our beautiful natural landscapes may then be subject to the sale or whims of developers, but I have confidence that rural Utah will simply not allow that to happen because the reality is, nobody cares for or appreciates this land more than the people who actually live on it.

Celeste Maloy: Utahns should have more control over the resources they depend on to make a living. Federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. don’t understand how to manage our lands and resources better than we do. I will fight to make sure Utahns have more control over the land and resources they depend on to make a living because I know no one cares more about protecting and preserving our lands and natural resources than the farmers and ranchers who live and work on them.


TRADE

After decades of ag exports being a mainstay in our national balance of trade, the United States has been a net importer in agricultural trade since 2021.

  1. Does this raise national security issues?
  2. What can be done in your role to help this?
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Celeste Maloy: We talk a great deal about energy independence, but agricultural independence is just as vital to American prosperity. The shift to the U.S. being a net importer in agricultural trade raises national security concerns. In my role, I will advocate for policies that support our domestic agricultural industry and promote fair trade agreements that benefit our farmers. It's crucial that we incentivize innovation, sustainable practices, and the development of new markets for our agricultural products.

Nathaniel Woodward: Yes, this is a significant problem for national security. When I was earning my history degree at Utah State I studied the formation of civilizations, which was always either based on or entirely dependent on agriculture. Further, looking back as recently as World War I it is easily understood that Germany did not lose militarily, the reason they surrendered was because they ran out of food. If the United States hopes to remain a superpower we cannot rely exclusively on our military spending and might, which is all completely useless if we cannot feed out people. The fact that we are an importer now is another major symptom of a greater problem when it comes to our country relying on buying rather than producing.

As a member of congress, I will not support any policy that does not 1. prioritize American produced ag products, and 2. Incentivize our farmers to continue producing quality produce and meat by ensuring that they are taxed at a rate that demonstrates our government’s commitment to them rather than foreign counterparts.


GENERAL

Outside of agriculture, what are some of your main issues that you hope to address if elected?

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Nathaniel Woodward: I hope my message can help refocus the people of Utah back on issues that actually affect our daily lives. I hope we talk less about the border and other national hot-topics until we all are properly outraged at the “smaller” issues in our own neighborhoods, like how many children go home from school to empty an refrigerator, or your neighbor who just lost his house and credit rating due to hospital bills, or why it’s nearly impossible to find a locally-owned grocery store to shop at. I’m willing to discuss those bigger national issues, but not until I see real progress to those “smaller’” problems that I know for a fact each and every one of us voters can make an impact on. Getting upset about the presidential election is only distracting us from these important issues and my message is one of refocus and waking up.

A major project I believe our government should be undertaking and one I intend on championing is the renewal of the Homestead Act. We have vast public lands that do not fall anywhere near the natural wonders we all must agree to preserve, and we have a housing and debt crisis that the housing/developer market cannot possibly sort out since it’s the actual cause of this disaster. So, I propose we do what our ancestors did, we manifest our own destiny and build new towns where we can find homes, jobs, and purpose. Our government need only make the land accessible and provide a few safety nets along the way, otherwise we the American people have always proven that we are capable of accomplishing incredible feats. .

Celeste Maloy: Inflation is the top issue for my constituents; we simply cannot afford another four years of Joe Biden’s spending spree. Utahns need financial stability. Wage earners should be able to support a family. I will work to get inflation under control by reining in our out-of-control federal spending and regulations that are driving up our cost of living. I will fight for balanced budgets to stop the out-of-control reckless spending in Washington.

In addition, there’s no denying our southern border is in crisis with nearly 3 million illegal border crossings and 66 aliens on the terror watch list caught at the border in 2022 alone. I will fight to secure our border, finish the wall, fully fund our border patrol, and keep dangerous drugs like fentanyl out of our communities.