The views and opinions expressed in this editorial article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Salina Post or Eagle Media. The editorial is intended to stimulate critical thinking and debate on issues of public interest and should be read with an open mind. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple sources of information and to form their own informed opinions.
By: SCOTT HILL
Kansas Senate, 24th District
Kansas is often brushed off as a “flyover state.” However, that label misses what really defines us. Look out the window anywhere across our great state, and you’ll see farms, rolling hills, and sunflower fields stretching as far as the eye can see. As the nation’s leading wheat producer, our farmers sit at the heart of America’s breadbasket, helping supply a significant share of the almost one billion bushels of wheat Americans rely on each year.
That doesn’t happen by accident. As a farmer myself, I’ve seen firsthand the long hours and careful decisions it takes for family farmers to grow the crops that turn into affordable, everyday staples for American families. I also know how important American-made crop protection tools are to making those harvests possible, year after year. But right now, those tools—and the farmers who depend on them—are at risk.
Special interest groups are trying to force proven crop protection tools off the market through meritless lawsuits disguised as public service. In reality, these groups only care about profits, not protection. The people behind these efforts don’t understand modern farming or what it takes to manage a crop from planting to harvest—much less what it means to carry on a farming legacy built over generations. They don’t see the planning, the risk, or the consequences—they just see a chance to make money.
If lawmakers don’t step in and close the legal loopholes being exploited, American manufacturers will be forced to stop producing these products altogether, leaving our farmers without a viable alternative or further driving our reliance on foreign adversaries.
Without access to these tools, many crops won’t make it to harvest. Weeds and pests will take over, leaving farmers with little or nothing to sell, and no reliable way to support their families. That reality comes on top of already razor-thin margins, and unpredictable commodities markets.
For many farmers, taking American-made crop protection tools off the table wouldn’t just make things harder—it would push them past the breaking point. And at a time
when family farm bankruptcies are already rising nationwide, that risk is especially real in Kansas, where nearly 95% of farms are family-owned.
But this doesn’t just affect farmers, it affects consumers, too. Poor harvests mean higher prices at the grocery store for basics like bread, flour, cereal, and other typically affordable staples millions of Americans rely on.
There’s also a national security risk we can’t ignore. If American-made crop protection tools disappear, our farmers will be forced to turn to China as the only remaining supplier. That’s not a position we should be putting ourselves in. As a state senator, I can’t accept a future where a foreign nation has leverage over our food supply.
The time to act is now. The House has already passed HB 2476, and now it’s up to the Senate to do its part to get this legislation over the finish line. Every year, we trust our farmers to grow the crops that feed America and power Kansas’ economy. Now they’re trusting us to have their backs.
This bill is a common-sense fix. It simply confirms an assumption our farmers have long operated under: that EPA-approved pesticide regulations meet Kansas’ standards, too.
Our farmers know their land, their crops, and the tools they need to succeed. It’s up to us to make sure they can keep using high-quality, American-made crop protection tools, and keep Kansas at the heart of America’s breadbasket
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