WASHINGTON – Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Wednesday spoke on the Senate Floor about the importance of passing a new Farm Bill and providing immediate support for the ranchers, farmers and producers across Kansas and the United States.
“Decisions not to get a farm bill done have come home to roost,” said Sen. Moran. “Farm income has declined 43% over the past 5 years, and net farm income is expected to be 27% lower this year than it was in 2022. Our agricultural trade deficit, something we were always proud about as we exported more than we imported in agriculture, it’s at a $42.5 billion deficit. We import more than we export. That puts our farmers even more at risk, and it threatens the stability and security of our national economy.”
“The current Farm Bill is not adequate to provide relief or safety nets for our nation’s farmers, nor is it reflective of the current state of the farm economy,” continued Sen. Moran. “With financial pressures building across the agriculture industry, and due to increased production costs and weakened market prices, the overall financial situation of the farm economy is bleak.”
“The status quo is unacceptable,” concluded Sen. Moran. “We must pass a long-term farm bill this year, and we must also consider immediate relief for farmers with a supplemental. Our farmers deserve and need better, and in the absence of successful farmers, the future of the places many of us call home is bleak.”