Joco Today

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall has expressed strong disapproval of Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow's recent actions regarding the Farm Bill. According to Marshall, Stabenow released a 1,400-page Farm Bill without prior notice or collaboration with Republican members of the bipartisan Agriculture Committee.

Senator Marshall stated, "This morning, Chairwoman Stabenow released her Farm Bill text—a 1,400-page document that no Republican committee member has reviewed or had the opportunity to collaborate on." He criticized the move as lacking sincerity and transparency in addressing the needs of rural America. He described it as a "last-minute power play" by Stabenow before losing her position as chairwoman.

Marshall further commented on what he perceives as a departure from traditional bipartisan negotiations within the committee. He said, "Today’s move shows that Senate Democrats have walked away from meaningful bipartisan negotiations that are a tradition in this committee and have opted to play politics with the livelihoods of hard-working farmers and ranchers at a time when Rural America needs real solutions."

Despite these developments, Senator Marshall reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for Kansas agriculture. He emphasized the importance of negotiation and cooperation in creating an effective Farm Bill. "Thoughtful negotiation and bipartisan cooperation are essential to delivering a Farmers First Farm Bill that Kansans deserve," he remarked.

Marshall also highlighted concerns about decreasing net farm income for farmers and stressed the need to improve crop insurance coverage and reference prices in the bill. He concluded by stating his dedication to reviewing the proposed legislation thoroughly.