WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran – a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – applauded the Senate Agriculture Committee’s passage of the Farm Bill, which includes a number of key priorities to support Kansas agriculture, according to a statement from his office.
The legislation now heads to the full Senate for consideration.“This is a critical step to advance a Farm Bill that provides certainty for farmers and ranchers in Kansas and across the nation,” said Sen. Moran.
“The Farm Bill is one step closer to delivering the certainty Kansas farmers, ranchers, and rural communities have been waiting for,” said Senator Roger Marshall.
“For over a month, Senate Democrats blocked this bill, and then every single one of them voted against it — turning their backs on farmers, ranchers, and rural families to score political points. Kansans don’t have the luxury of playing politics with their livelihoods, and neither should Washington.
This Farm Bill strengthens the farm safety net, expands market opportunities, invests in rural America, and modernizes the programs producers rely on every day. I‘m especially proud that 22 Kansas priorities are included in this legislation. At its core, this Farm Bill is about keeping the family farm in the family and ensuring the people who feed, fuel, and clothe America have the tools they need to succeed for generations to come.”
“The legislation secures several important priorities to benefit the agriculture community, including year-round E-15, modernized farm loan limits, strengthened conservation programs, expanded trade promotion and the permanent transfer of Food for Peace to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When farmers and ranchers are successful, rural America is successful. I will continue working with my colleagues to get this Farm Bill across the finish line and to the President’s desk to be signed into law.”Kansas priorities secured in the Senate Farm Bill:
- Year-round E-15 sales – Sen. Moran has long supported the year-round sale of E-15, which will help grow markets for producers and lower prices at the pump for Kansans and Americans.
- Bolstering the Conservation Reserve Program – Sen. Moran introduced the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Improvement and Flexibility Act to increase flexibility for livestock grazing on conservation land.
- Increasing Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan limits – Better reflects lending conditions in farm country and modernizes loan limits to support the needs of farmers and ranchers.
- Doubling funding for USDA trade promotion programs – Strengthens the ability of U.S. producers to market their products globally.
- Permanently transferring Food for Peace to USDA – Sen. Moran led an amendment that was approved during the markup, securing the inclusion of his legislation in the Farm Bill to permanently transfer administration of the Food for Peace program to USDA.
- Rural Hospital Revitalization Act – Sen. Moran introduced this legislation to provide temporary zero percent interest loans for the construction or renovation of qualifying rural healthcare facilities.
- Farm to Fly Act – Sen. Moran introduced this legislation to accelerate the production and development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through existing USDA programs to allow further growth for alternative fuels to be used in the aviation sector and create new markets for American farmers.
- Expanding career opportunities in agriculture for veterans – Sen. Moran’s Colonel Gary LaGrange AgVets Act establishes a USDA program to provide veterans with resources and opportunities to pursue careers in the agricultural industry.
In August, during initial committee consideration of the Farm Bill, Sen. Moran spoke about the importance of bipartisanship by members of the Senate Agriculture Committee to advance a Farm Bill that supports American farmers and ranchers.“My favorite people in the world are my farmers and ranchers and people who live in rural communities,” said Sen. Moran. “My favorite people in Congress are those who represent those kinds of people because we almost exclusively represent their values and their character and what they do for a living.”“In the Senate and in Congress, there’s been these special places and the Committee on Agriculture has been one of them,” continued Sen. Moran.
“And we ought to recommit ourselves. I think we need to reestablish the trust that this committee is about this committee’s work – and it’s not about the broader political implications that occur in all of our lives about who gets the majority next year after the election