Press Release from Bill Haslam for Governor; July 6, 2010:
Tennessee Farmers Across State Support Knoxville Mayor
KNOXVILLE – Nearly 50 farmers and agriculture professionals from across Tennessee joined together today to endorse Republican gubernatorial candidate and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam because they believe he has the proven leadership experience, conservative values, and commitment to every county to lead the state.
“Bill Haslam knows how important agriculture and farms are to Tennessee,” said Fayette County farmer Rube Rhea. “I like his experience in Knoxville, working with the assets there to grow jobs and strengthen the community. As a farmer, I want someone who is going to help me, not hinder me, and who has a plan to strengthen our rural communities.”
As governor, Mayor Haslam will work with farmers, local officials, and industry leaders to address agriculture issues, including making sure the specific items included or not included under the state sales tax exemption for farm-related items represents a consistent and common sense policy, ensuring every region of the state has a long-term strategy for accessing plentiful water, and supporting a Tennessee agriculture policy that is in the best interest of farmers in our state and uninfluenced by national interest groups.
Haslam has committed to creating a Director of Small Towns & Rural Development within the Department of Economic and Community Development, a position devoted solely to small town, rural, and agricultural issues. This leadership position will work closely with many of the regional jobs “base camps” Mayor Haslam will create and will offer communities dependent upon agriculture a direct line to the governor’s office.
“Bill Haslam knows how valuable agriculture is to Tennessee,” said Hulet Chaney, former CEO of Farm Bureau insurance, and co-chairman of Farmers for Haslam. “He knows how vitally important our farms are for the economic stability of our state. Bill Haslam is the governor we need at this critical time.”
“Bill Haslam has the proven executive experience needed keep our state moving forward. He as the right temperament, wisdom, and character to lead,” said Jimmy Moody, a Dyer County farmer and co-chairman of Farmers for Haslam. “Tennessee farmers need Bill Haslam.”
The two-term Mayor of Knoxville – who was reelected in 2007 with 87 percent of the vote – is the only candidate with proven experience needed to promote business and recruit and retain jobs in every sector of our economy, including agriculture.
“Crissy and I are very grateful for all the support we’ve received for this campaign, and especially thankful that these farmers would join our team to help make our great state even better,” said Haslam. “Not only is agriculture important to our economic well being, it’s an important part of our history, tradition and way of life here in Tennessee. It’s essential that state government recognizes that.”
Mayor Haslam is the two-term Republican Mayor of Knoxville. A hardworking, conservative public servant, Haslam led Knoxville to become one of the top ten metropolitan areas for business and expansion, while reducing the city’s debt, tripling the rainy day fund, and bringing property taxes to the lowest rate in 50 years. An executive leader with a proven record of success, he helped grow his family’s small business from 800 employees into one of Tennessee’s largest companies with 14,000 employees.
Farmers for Haslam Coalition with Home County
Bob Anderson (Loudon)
Rocky Anderson (Loudon)
Jack Battle (Shelby)
Jimmy Carter (Lincoln)
Hulet Chaney (Knox)
Brandon Cherry (Smith)
Howard Cotter (Marion)
Jerry Delap (Lincoln)
Gene Dennie (Fayette)
Bill Donnell (Madison)
Tom Eubank (Shelby)
Martha Fowler Eubank (Fayette)
Thomas Fowler (Fayette)
Sue Fowler (Fayette)
Larry Gibson (Dyer)
Howard Haley (Trousdale)
TJ Harrison (Hancock)
Alec Harvey (Fayette)
Lance Jenkins (Bedford)
Richard Kelley (Tipton)
Bill Lindamood (Lake)
Jerry Mansfield (Lincoln)
Iliff McMahan (Cocke)
Marcie Wildes-McMahan (Cocke)
Jack McMahan (Sevier)
Jimmy Moody (Dyer)
Hal Moore (Tipton)
Melvin Morris (Gibson)
Robert Murphy (Sevier)
Jim Nunn (Haywood)
Donnie Ogle (Lincoln)
Jack Purkey (Hawkins)
Larry Reeder (Pickett)
Rube Rhea (Fayette)
Campbell Ridley Jr. (Maury)
Randy Riley (Robertson)
Jerry Smith (McMinn)
Green Smitheal (Dyer)
Ed Stephens (Fentress)
Jai Templeton (McNairy)
Keith Turner (Madison)
Bob Walker (Fayette)
Bubba Watson (Grainger)
Bufford Watson (Grainger)
Davis Watts (Putnam)
Joey Williams (Fentress)
Tommy Wilson (Hawkins)
Heiskell Winstead (Hawkins)
For more information on Bill Haslam, please visit www.BillHaslam.com.
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