Friends,
Last week U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a new department-wide initiative aimed at reducing the agriculture industry’s environmental impact while continuing to use innovation to increase production and output to meet growing global demand.
The Agriculture Innovation Agenda aligns USDA’s resources, programs, and research to position American agriculture to better meet future global demands while cutting the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. The strategy will set benchmarks for food loss and waste, carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions, water quality, and renewable energy.
This announcement comes one day after the unveiling of Farmers for a Sustainable Future, an initiative of 20 different farm groups to serve as a primary resource for policy makers as they consider sustainability and climate policies important to the agriculture industry.
Click Here to read more about the USDA’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda, and Here for more about the Farmers for a Sustainable Future initiative.
Managing Farmer Stress
Farmers and ranchers work day-in and day-out regardless of challenging physical conditions, unpredictable weather, and economic hardships. In most cases, they are the CEO, COO, and CFO of their family operation, bearing all the risk and decision making themselves. They dedicate their lives to caring for their crops and livestock, but in doing so, sometimes do not take time prioritize their own physical and mental health.
As the video below from K-State Research and Extension discusses, depression, mental illness, and suicide are becoming alarmingly more common among our ag producers.
Congress is working to address this issue through a variety of programs, including the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN, which provides funding for grants that establish behavioral health resources, such as telephone helplines and websites, mental health trainings, and support groups.
The first round of grants were awarded last summer, and already community mental health centers and ag extension offices in Kansas and across the country are mobilizing to educate farm families on the warning signs and the resources available to help.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. Call 1-800-273-8255, text “HOME” to 741741, or visit KansasAgStress.org for help.
Grant Opportunities Announced
Recently, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced funding opportunities through their Preparedness Grants Program.
FEMA has allocated over $4 million for Kansas under their State Homeland Security program, and this money will be awarded for programs to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism or other catastrophic events. The deadline to submit applications for FEMA grants is April 15, 2020 and you can find more information Here.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced funding for the Rural Business Development Grant Program. These grants will be awarded to provide rural communities with the training and technical assistance they need to improve their transportation services and facilities, increasing e-connectivity, and developing rural economies. Applications are due on May 14th to your nearest USDA office.
Finally, the U.S. Department of Transportation is making $1 billion dollars in grants available through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program. The funds are designed to foster local and regional partnerships to upgrade crumbling infrastructure, improving the safety, efficiency, and resiliency of our nation’s transportation systems. BUILD applications are open now will be accepted until May 18, 2020, and more information, including program details and eligibility, technical assistance, additional guidance can be found on the DOT website Here.
National Rural Health Association
Colleagues from the National Rural Health Association came by the office to give me their perspective on the some of the major issues our rural health providers are facing.
One of the biggest threats our rural communities are facing is the growing physician shortage.
We discussed how important it is to have policies and residency programs in place to help and encourage young minds to pursue careers in medicine.
On top of workforce issues they also struggle with outdated payment models from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and it is crucial that we find innovative and modern payment systems that will bridge the gap between cost and quality.
I served rural communities for over 25 years, and ensuring that our medical professionals have the support and resources they need to continue delivering the best care possible is extremely important to me. I want to thank the Rural Health Association for their efforts on behalf of our communities.
By the People
By the People is a virtual volunteering project created by the Library of Congress that gives everyone with an internet connection the chance to connect with the Library, one another, and history.
Anyone can volunteer to transcribe and review transcriptions of Library treasures online, including Civil War era materials such as the papers of President Lincoln, poet Walt Whitman, the papers of Rosa Parks, as well as leading suffragists Susan B. Anthony and Mary Church Terrell, and much more. Click Here for a full list of materials.
Volunteers’ transcriptions are published on the Library’s website alongside the original document images.
Everyone taking part makes a real and lasting contribution, by improving access to historical materials for those who are visually impaired, cannot read handwriting, or who search the Library’s website.
By the People is open to all ages and can be used by individuals or groups in classroom settings, libraries, senior centers and retirement homes, as well as from the comfort of a person’s own home. Visit the Resources page for more information.
Supporting Rural Water Systems
The EPA and the USDA announced a Memorandum of Agreement to help rural water systems face the challenges of aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, increasing costs, limited management capacity and declining rate bases.
This agreement will formalize ongoing collaboration between the agencies by focusing on four key areas:
- Supporting sustainability and resilience by providing training and education
- Supporting water system partnerships by educating communities and utilities on the array of tools that are available and can increase sustainability
- Supporting the water sector workforce by continuing to raise awareness of rural water sector careers through promotional initiatives
- Supporting compliance with drinking water and clean water regulations by making these rural systems a funding priority
Rural water systems face unique challenges and I applaud the EPA and USDA for their work to find strategic approaches for maintaining water quality for our rural communities.
Kansas Medical Society
It was great to have the Kansas Medical Society in town to discuss patient issues affecting western Kansas, including suicide prevention and addressing administrative burdens. We also discussed how to increase coordination of care to ensure patients get the resources and appropriate mental health care.
I was humbled to see their advocacy on a bill I’ve been championing, H.R. 3107, the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2019. This bill streamlines and modernizes provider health systems so physicians spend less time doing paperwork and more time with their patients.
They were also pleased that Trump administration addressed a long-standing issue by changing a formula known as the wage index to increase Medicare payments to rural hospitals, many of which have been paid less than their urban counterparts. This was an unprecedented initiative and demonstrates the administration’s commitment to helping rural Kansas communities.
Chicago Board of Trade
The Chicago Board of Trade is one of the oldest exchanges in the world, created in 1848 for the trading of agricultural commodities such as corn, wheat, and soybeans.
Today, the exchange offers options and futures contracts on a wide range of commodities as part of the broader Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and helps farmers and producers in Kansas manage risk and price uncertainty.
As a Member of the Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Subcommittee on Ag, it's important to understand these exchanges and how new regulations passed by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) might impact the ability of producers to manage and hedge risk through the use of these tools.
Advancing Coverage Options
I submitted a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services urging the agency to continue its work ensuring access to life-saving therapies for America’s seniors battling cancer.
I was proud to work with the Trump Administration on advancing the National Coverage Determination that provides coverage for these groundbreaking treatments, and I want to ensure that our seniors battling cancer don’t lose access because of an unsustainable reimbursement structure. Our letter asks CMS to ensure hospitals are appropriately reimbursed so they may continue to provide CAR T-cell therapies to Kansas seniors. To view the letter, Click Here.
Ivanka Working for Workers
Laina and I attended a ceremony hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers, at which Ivanka Trump was presented with the prestigious Alexander Hamilton award for her extraordinary support of manufacturing in America. Ivanka has worked to bring together leaders of industry, government, and academia to put in-demand manufacturing careers within reach for all Americans. She is doing stellar work on behalf of President Trump for the American people!
National Cancer Prevention Month
February is National Cancer Prevention Month and here are a few tips on how to decrease your risk of cancer:
- Maintain a healthy weight and be physically active: Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of certain cancers. Get at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity a week (60 minutes daily for youth)
- Eat healthy: Eat a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, lean meats and fiber.
- Learn your family medical history and get recommended screenings: Your family medical history may determine if you need to be screened for certain cancers at a younger age. Talk to your health care professional to see what’s recommended for you. Screening can find some cancers early, when they’re easier to treat.
Click Here to learn more.