Davids Wraps Farm Bill Listening Tour, Advocates for Kansas Agriculture Community: Here’s What They’re Saying
As we near the Farm Bill reauthorization deadline, Representative Sharice Davids recently completed her Farm Bill listening tour. Throughout her tour, Davids visited farms, ranches, businesses, and schools across Kansas’ Third District to hear Kansans’ priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill, which contains provisions expiring on September 30, 2023, is a package of legislation reauthorized about every five years that includes several critically important agriculture, conservation, nutrition, and trade programs. Davids serves on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee.
“As Kansas’ Third District became more rural last summer, I immediately joined the House Agriculture Committee and made it my mission to learn from as many Kansas agricultural professionals as possible,” said Davids. “Our state’s farms and agricultural businesses play a vital role in our state's economy, history, and future. During the Farm Bill reauthorization process and beyond, I will continue supporting policies that will benefit Kansas producers and the millions of people around the world they feed. I’m looking forward to visiting more agricultural operations across the Third District soon!"
WATCH: Earlier today, Davids spoke on the importance of passing a bipartisan Farm Bill to support Kansas producers
As part of her Farm Bill listening tour, Davids previously visited a poultry and livestock operation in Anderson County, a co-op in Franklin County, a goat farm in Miami County, an organic vegetable farm in Johnson County, and an educational community farm in Wyandotte County. Davids also toured a Garnett-based renewable ethanol producer, participated in FFA activities at Spring Hill High School, served a school lunch at Black Bob Elementary in Olathe, spoke with industry leaders on financial support programs for farmers, and toured a dairy farm in Garnett.
Kansas farmers, ranchers, producers, and business leaders joined Davids on her Farm Bill listening tour. Here’s what they’re saying:
“I commend Rep. Sharice Davids for getting out to farms and ranches to better understand agriculture and how important Farm Bill programs are to a safe, affordable and abundant food supply,” said Joe Newland, President, Kansas Farm Bureau. “I look forward to continue working with Rep. Davids and her colleagues in Washington to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill to support Kansas farmers, ranchers and consumers.”
“We are honored that Congresswoman Davids selected Kansas Farmers Union state board director Rosanna Bauman’s family's Cedar Valley Farms as the kick-off of her Farm Bill listening tours,” said Donn Teske, President, Kansas Farmers Union. “The Baumans are the perfect example of true family farming, and of everyone pulling in the harness together to better their farm and their community. The Farm Bill discussions should be focused on ensuring such family farms can thrive and prosper in the years ahead.”
“I commend Rep. Davids for taking the time to visit with a wide scope of farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses across her district,” said Mike Beam, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture. “Hearing their stories and getting their input will be instrumental as she works toward passage of a Farm Bill that will benefit Kansans.”
“USDA Rural Development Programs are essential to the future of our state’s rural communities,” said Christy Davis, Kansas State Rural Development Director, U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Our programs, which account for 1% of Farm Bill funding, assist with housing, infrastructure, healthcare, broadband, business, and community projects in rural Kansas. Every day, these programs make a clear statement that rural America matters, that our underserved communities deserve time, attention, and investment.”
“We appreciate Representative Davids’ interest in agriculture in her district. As a member of the House Ag Committee, she has made an impressive effort to be informed and active on our issues,” said Josh Roe, CEO, Kansas Corn Growers Association. “We were happy to help with some of her stops where she learned about sustainable farming practices with KCGA member Hayden Guetterman at Bucyrus, visited the East Kansas Agri Energy ethanol plant in Garnett, and stopped by Kansas Corn’s Garnett office to learn about our Kansas Corn STEM education program that reached over 100,000 Kansas students last year.”
“We appreciate Rep. Davids for taking the time to visit several agribusiness and producer constituencies in the last year,” said Ron Seeber, President and CEO, Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association, Renew Kansas Biofuels Association. “The diverse Kansas-based operations, agribusinesses and individuals Rep. Davids met with all highlighted the importance of agriculture in our state and shared the need for congress to support passage of a bipartisan 2023 Farm Bill.”
“I appreciate and respect the effort Rep. Davids committed to hearing the priorities of Kansans regarding reauthorizing the Farm Bill,” said Mike Beying, Branch Manager, Ottawa Cooperative. “I trust that Rep. Davids will utilize her experiences from the listening tour to strengthen the Farm Bill that is so critical to our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural services.”
“The Farm Bill is essential for American agriculture and everyone who eats,” said Chelsea Good, Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs, Livestock Marketing Association. “We appreciated Congresswoman Davids visiting a livestock auction market in district to learn more about the critical role sale barns like these pay for the producers and communities they serve.”
"It has been great to have Rep. Davids come to KC Farm School to learn from community members about how the Farm Bill can impact us,” said Lydia Nebel, Farm Director, KC Farm School. “She is always so open to hearing everyone's stories, sharing her own, and willing to balance the big picture along with the important details. I can tell she and her team have really leaned in during this tour to listen deeply with strong intention of supporting her constituents of all kinds. We look forward to hearing how Rep. Davids takes our stories back to D.C. to ensure an equitable and impactful Farm Bill."
“Representative Davids has listened to farmers and ranchers in Kansas, demonstrating her commitment to agriculture and a strong farm bill,” said Shane Tiffany, board member, Frontier Farm Credit. “We thank her for taking time to deepen her understanding of crop insurance and safety net programs that secure our food system. The conversations she has had with producers will be important to her work on the House Agriculture Committee as it continues to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill.”
“Making good farm policy starts with knowing the needs of farmers,” said Tom Buller, Executive Director, Kansas Rural Center. “The Kansas Rural Center applauds Representative Davids for investing the time to really get to know more about farmers and agriculture in her district. Kansas farmers and communities rely upon the support of the Federal Government, and we encourage Congress to move quickly to pass a bi-partisan Farm Bill that boosts food access for all Kansans and strengthens farm viability for all farmers across the state.”
"I appreciate Representative Davids for wanting to be on the House Ag Committee then stepping up to learn as much about agriculture as possible in her district and how that relates to the entire state,” said Bill Pracht, CEO, East Kansas Agri Energy. “She is learning the ethanol industry and her visit to East Kansas Agri-Energy was a chance to educate her on the importance of the ethanol plant to farmers, livestock producers, and consumers in this district."
“There is no legislation passed by Congress that has a bigger impact on the food security of our nation than the Farm Bill,” said Stephen Davis, President and CEO, Harvesters. “We are proud to work with Congresswoman Davids to develop and pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that will create healthier communities and support both farmers and families.”
“I appreciate Rep. Davids’ efforts of reaching out to the diverse agriculture producers and business across the district,” said Hayden Guetterman, owner, Guetterman Brothers Family Farms. “I hope she continues to maintain the connections and relationships she has built among us. I hope through this tour she gained much insight it takes to produce agriculture products and get them to the table.”
“School meal programs are a key support pillar for public schools in Kansas,” said Steven Newman, Assistant Director of Operations, Olathe Public Schools Food Services. “We want to ensure Olathe Public Schools meals remain healthy and reasonably priced for our students and families. We appreciate being given the opportunity to be a part of this process. We are hopeful that our comments lead to improvements that will ultimately positively impact students in the lunchroom as well as the classroom.”
"To pass a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill, all roads lead to Kansas,” said Haley Kottler, Thriving and Integrated Voter Engagement Director, Kansas Appleseed. “We must ensure Kansans across the state- and across our entire country- can put food on the table for themselves and their families. Representative David's Farm Bill listening tour highlighted the struggles farmers are experiencing to produce their crops and the struggles Kansans are facing to feed their families. We must work together to close this gap and ensure a strong bill."
“We appreciate the inclusivity of Rep. Davids’ listening session for specialty crop growers and KC area ag business representatives that was held at K-State’s OHREC,” said Dr. Cary Rivard, Director, K-State Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center (OHREC). “It was important to have all segments of Kansas agriculture included in listening sessions to fully understand how the Farm Bill impacts agriculture as a whole industry.”
Last year, Davids hosted U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretaries Jennifer Lester Moffitt and Xochitl Torres Small for visits to the Third District to learn about the area’s meatpacking and dairy industries, respectively. She was also named a Friend of the Farm Bureau by the Kansas Farm Bureau in 2022.