Joco Today

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., has issued a statement regarding the newly released Republican Farm Bill framework, emphasizing its focus on agricultural priorities.

“Today’s Republican Farm Bill Framework is an excellent proposal that puts ‘Farm’ back in the Farm Bill,” Senator Marshall stated. “For years now, we have been fighting to ensure our Kansas farmers and ranchers’ voices are heard at the highest levels of government; I believe this framework reflects those efforts and Kansans’ priorities. Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman and House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson have done an excellent job listening to groups in the barnyard and grain bin, putting together a proposal that prioritizes our rural communities.”

Senator Marshall contrasted the new framework with previous Democratic proposals: “Unlike the Democrats’ bill, we do not force farmers to choose between crop insurance and Title One funding while providing farmers with increased coverage levels for crop insurance. We also meaningfully increase the reference prices for ARC and PLC to ensure those programs actually help full-time farmers. We remove Biden’s climate guardrails on conservation funding to allow the real conservationists, our farmers and ranchers, to make decisions that best fit their farm.”

He further highlighted additional benefits of the framework: “This proposal also empowers farming communities by bolstering rural broadband funding and improving access to rural health care and childcare. This framework promotes trade access and doubles agricultural research funding, a huge success for Kansas State and our state’s research universities like Fort Hays, Wichita State, and our Kansas community colleges. We enhance the integrity and oversight of the nutrition title to ensure these dollars are allocated to the communities who need it most, with zero cuts to SNAP benefits. I am truly impressed by how each title of this farm bill framework reflects our deep commitment to Kansas farmers and outlines viable pathways to fund those commitments responsibly.”

Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry added his support: “Our framework is a team effort to put more farm in the farm bill. I appreciate Senator Marshall’s leadership as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources to find workable common-sense, science-based solutions to challenges farmers face on issues ranging from drought to wildfire prevention and beyond.” He continued by affirming Senate Republicans' dedication: “Senate Republicans remain committed to passing a farm bill that reflects the needs of rural America and addresses the challenges farmers and ranchers face. Senator Marshall’s efforts toward that end are greatly appreciated.”

A summary of Senate Agriculture Committee Republicans’ Farm Bill framework is available online.

###