Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Rural and Farm Infrastructure: Empowering Rural America

Modernizing Farm Power Infrastructure:

We must establish a grant and loan program to help farmers improve outdated power systems. This program would provide funding for critical upgrades to ensure that farms can support modern equipment.

For example, many large-scale milking machines require 480V power to operate efficiently. However, some older farms are still working with 208V systems that are incompatible with newer equipment. In these cases, farmers are often forced to invest in costly step-up transformers or switch to gas-powered generators—solutions that are expensive and inefficient. Federal support for infrastructure upgrades can help eliminate these barriers, reducing costs for farmers and boosting productivity.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Greener Dairy farm?

Methane Capture and Energy Generation:

Dairy farms can adapt methane capture technologies already used in the waste disposal industry. By collecting methane emissions from manure and other waste, farms can:

Burn methane to produce heat and energy, converting a more harmful gas into one that can be captured and disposed of using carbon capture technology.

Implement zeolite clay mixed with copper to absorb methane from the air and speed up its natural conversion into carbon dioxide. With adequate investment in research and development, farms could deploy devices capable of absorbing methane emissions directly from pastures.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Hydroponic Underground Farming: An Eco-Friendly Approach

By implementing hydroponic systems in underground, regulated settings, we can cultivate crops in optimal growth conditions, regardless of external weather. This innovative approach offers resilience against:

Extreme heat and cold

Severe weather events

Land availability constraints

In addition to increased yields, underground farming reduces the need for extensive pesticide, herbicide, and diesel fuel, enabling the production of food that is both more environmentally friendly and cost-effective for farmers and consumers alike.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Bio-polymer plastic and farms

Plastic pollution is a significant and escalating issue that continues to worsen as conventional plastics—known as olefins—accumulate in landfills and oceans, contributing to an environmental crisis. To address this growing problem, we must look toward sustainable alternatives, particularly in the packaging industry, one of the largest producers of plastic waste.

Biopolymers, derived from renewable agricultural sources, offer a promising path forward in the fight against plastic pollution. Common biopolymers used in sustainable packaging

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Regulation in Farming: A Collaborative Approach

Instead, we should ask, “Here is a new regulation—what support do you need to achieve compliance?” Whether it’s financial assistance, technical support, or additional labor resources, collaboration with family farmers ensures a stronger, more secure food supply chain while preserving independence from large corporate farming operations.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Agricultural Standards and Fair Support for Farmers

While I support these standards, it is crucial to recognize that regulations requiring farmers—especially small, family-owned farms—to make costly upgrades should be accompanied by government assistance. If the federal government were to adopt regulations similar to Proposition 12, it must also provide financial support to help farmers meet the requirements. This could include subsidies, grants, or low-interest loans to offset the costs of necessary infrastructure improvements. It is only fair that if the government mandates change, it also shares in the cost of implementation.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

An Acknowledgement of climate change

We can choose to be proactive—investing in solutions that mitigate the impacts of climate change—or we can remain reactive, paying more and more to recover after devastating storms, droughts, wildfires, and floods. The cost of inaction will always exceed the cost of prevention.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

wind and Solar power

In addition to infrastructure improvements, we must continue to subsidize clean energy incentives in urban areas and expand these efforts in rural communities. Ensuring that both urban and rural areas have access to affordable, sustainable energy will strengthen our economy and reduce our collective carbon footprint.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Plastics: A Path Toward Sustainability

Transitioning away from olefin-based plastics and polymers is the next big step in addressing the global plastic crisis. It is essential that we prioritize this shift to reduce the environmental harm caused by synthetic plastics.

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Recycling: A System That Needs Fixing

Let’s be honest—it’s unlikely that everyone will thoroughly wash their recyclables. Instead of expecting perfection, we should focus on upgrading recycling facilities to handle contaminated materials. Modern advancements have made it possible to sort and purify shredded plastic ("regrind") to 98% purity—a level acceptable for reuse in production. However, these machines are expensive and require federal investment to achieve widespread implementation.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Methane Capture Tech

Zeolite Clay with Copper Additive: Zeolite clay (commonly found in cat litter) mixed with a small amount of copper has been shown to absorb methane from the air, significantly speeding up the natural conversion process. With adequate investment in research and development, it is feasible to create devices that can be placed in pastures to passively absorb methane emissions from livestock.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

The Rainforest: Earth's Natural Defense Against CO₂

he Earth’s atmosphere and oceans share a unique symbiotic relationship, where carbon dioxide (CO₂) is absorbed and stored in deep pockets beneath the ocean’s surface. This natural process helps regulate the planet’s climate. However, the Earth can only maintain this balance if it retains the tools necessary to do so—one of the most powerful of these tools is old-growth forests.

Old-growth forests, particularly rainforests, play a critical role in absorbing and storing massive amounts of CO₂. These ancient ecosystems are irreplaceable, acting as the planet’s "lungs" by taking in approximately 2 billion tons of CO₂ per year. Protecting what remains of the world’s rainforests is not just important—it is essential to the planet’s survival.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Free Higher Education: An Investment in Our Future

The current student debt landscape underscores the urgency of this issue:

The average graduate owes $30,000 in student loans.

1 in 6 borrowers owes over $50,000.

40% of students drop out of college to avoid taking on more debt, yet they leave with significant financial burdens.

This issue isn’t limited to young people—three million older Americans are still burdened by student loan debt. Women, in particular, bear a disproportionate load, holding $929 billion of U.S. student debt as of 2019.

Furthermore, 73% of student debt negatively impacts the bottom 80% of the population, making it a significant barrier to economic mobility.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Mental Health in School

To address this issue, we must implement improved mental health counseling in schools as a primary mechanism for supporting troubled youth. Providing access to licensed mental health professionals ensures that students have a safe, constructive outlet to navigate the stress and anxiety that come with our modern lifestyle.

Increased Access to Mental Health Counselors: Every school should have enough mental health professionals to ensure students receive timely support. A recommended ratio is one counselor for every 250 students to provide adequate care.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Teacher Pay: Investing in Our Future

I advocate for increased funding dedicated exclusively to raising teacher pay nationwide. Competitive compensation not only recognizes teachers for their hard work and expertise but also helps attract and retain top talent in the profession.

Teachers deserve the same respect and recognition as doctors, engineers, and other highly valued professionals. After all, they are the ones forging the future engineers, doctors, and leaders in today’s classrooms. By ensuring that teachers are paid fairly, we acknowledge their role as the foundation of our nation’s progress and prosperity.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Mental Health in America: Turning Talk into Action

Increase Funding for Community-Based Mental Health Facilities: Every community in America should have access to outpatient mental health services, providing affordable and timely care close to home. Expanding community-based care ensures that mental health services are accessible to people where they live, breaking down barriers like distance and cost.

Incentivize Mental Health Professionals: To meet the growing demand for mental health services, we need to address the workforce shortage by encouraging more people to enter the mental health profession. This can be achieved by:

Offering free community college programs for mental health-related fields to reduce the financial burden of education.

Providing student loan forgiveness for those who enter and remain in mental health careers, particularly in underserved areas.

Increasing salaries and benefits for mental health workers to reflect the critical role they play in public health.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Taking Back Our Healthcare System: Reducing Corporate Medical Costs

If we can achieve these two reforms, the U.S. will not only have the world’s best healthcare system but one that is accessible to all—regardless of wealth, status, or creed. This would lead to a higher standard of living for every American, ensuring that no one has to choose between financial security and their health.

Together, we can take on the medical oligarchs and build a healthcare system that truly belongs to the people—not to corporate interests. By reclaiming our healthcare system, we pave the way for a healthier, more equitable future for all.

Austin Winkelman 9/10/25 Austin Winkelman 9/10/25

Unions and Labor: Protecting Workers' Rights and Safety

Unions alone cannot be responsible for ensuring workplace safety—that is where strong oversight and regulation come in. To protect all workers, we must improve and fully fund the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure that workplace safety standards are enforced consistently across industries and regions.

Increased Funding for Inspections: Provide OSHA with the resources needed to conduct frequent and thorough workplace inspections to prevent accidents and enforce compliance.

Modernized Safety Standards: Update outdated regulations to reflect the realities of today’s work environments, particularly in industries prone to accidents and health risks.

Whistleblower Protections: Strengthen protections for workers who report unsafe conditions, ensuring they can speak out without fear of retaliation.