Sen. Smith fought for a spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee because ag is the backbone of Minnesota’s economy.
All Minnesotans are impacted by the Farm Bill, and Sen. Smith heard from Minnesotans with backgrounds in farming, rural development, rural health, and nutrition to make sure that all voices were reflected in the final 5-year bill that passed in 2018. That legislation included many provisions that Sen. Smith authored and championed, including improvement to the dairy safety-net program, the legislative roadmap for the energy title, and improvement to USDA conservation programs. It also included many provisions that benefit Minnesota’s native communities and new American communities, like permanent funding for beginning and traditionally under-served farmer outreach programs.
Sen. Smith understands that it’s been a very difficult few years for agriculture, and she believes that the federal government should be giving farmers more support. She’s heard from farmers about the high cost of health care, including access to health care providers and access to mental health care resources, which is why Senator Smith championed the creation of the rural health liaison at the USDA as well as funding for local mental health resources and to expand access to stress reduction and suicide prevention programs.
As Chair of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade she will advocate for provisions that benefit Minnesota farmers and use the platform to promote the importance of agriculture exports, which account for over 1/3 of Minnesota’s total exports. Additionally, she will push for more open foreign markets and strong crop insurance and commodity programs that help farmers in Minnesota and around the country manage uncertainties in the market.
You can learn more about Senator Smith’s efforts to make economic development in rural America a priority here.
Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Celebrates U.S. Trade Mission to Colombia
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) celebrated Lamex Food, Inc.’s participation in a trade mission to Bogota, Colombia, led by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand foreign market access for American agricultural products. The Bloomington, MN based food group is one of 23 businesses and organizations who joined the trip from August 13-15 with USDA Under Secretary Alexis M. Taylor to discuss policy and business partnerships that will boost American agricultural exports to Colombia. “Agricultural exports support farming in Minnesota and provide economic benefits to the state,” said Sen. Smith.“This trade mission is a great opportunity to expand market access for American goods in Colombia, and for Lamex Food to create new business partnerships overseas.” Senator Smith, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has been a strong advocate for expanding agricultural market access globally. Earlier this year, she supported a USDA trade mission to India focused on Indigenous food products. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding to Help Grow Global Export Markets for Minnesota Producers
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced funding from the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) to help grow export markets for American farm and food products around the world. The additional $300 million investment will go to organizations across the U.S. to implement market development projects focusing on a wide range of products and agricultural markets. “Boosting America’s agricultural exports is great for Minnesota farmers and rural economies,” said Klobuchar. “This funding will help farmers enter the global export market and maintain America’s leadership in agricultural exports.” “Minnesota has long been a linchpin in America’s agricultural market, and I’m proud to advocate for projects that enable farmers in Minnesota to expand their production and stay competitive in the global market,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will help to expand our export policies worldwide, allowing farmers in Minnesota to establish, build, and maintain their partnerships in international markets.” Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tom Vilsack announced in October 2023 that USDA would establish RAPP to help U.S. exporters expand their customer base beyond markets such as China, Mexico and Canada, which account for nearly half of all current exports. In this round of funding, USDA is allocating $25 million specifically for Africa, which has the some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. For more information about RAPP and how to apply, click here. Applications are due on October 4, 2024. ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Applauds Senate Passage of Her Bipartisan Amendment to Improve Farm Service Agency Staffing to Better Serve Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) celebrated the Senate passage of her bipartisan amendment to improve staffing at local USDA offices, which are often the first point of contact for farmers looking to make use of federal services. Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices are critically under-staffed and too often unable to meet the needs of farmers. This bipartisan amendment, which is co-led by Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and cosponsored by Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), would help improve staffing at these local offices and improve
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Significant Federal Funding to Support Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture
WASHINGTON, [10.25.23] – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced over $150 million in new funding for climate-smart agricultural and conservation programs in Minnesota. The investments are part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which offers payments and other incentives to address climate change and achieve natural resource benefits. “The Conservation Reserve Program helps equip our farmers with the tools to conserve and improve soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat. And Minnesota farmers and landowners’ participation rates are among the highest in the country,” said Klobuchar. “This critical funding will not only increase economic opportunities but will
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Root Out Discrimination and Increase Accountability For USDA Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.27.23] – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced legislation to root out discrimination and increase accountability within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the important programs under its purview. A companion bill is being led in the House of Representatives by Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). The USDA Equity Commission was authorized under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act with the intention of addressing systemic discrimination within USDA programs. The agency has a documented history of discriminatory practices against black farmers and farmers of color, denying them loans and access
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape, Help Families Access Nutritious Food, and Expand Markets for Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.26.23] – This week, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (D-MI 3) introduced bicameral legislation to make it easier for families to use nutrition assistance at farmers markets by helping farmers participate in federal nutrition programs. Small and independent farmers are often unable to sell directly to customers using USDA food assistance programs at farmers markets and roadside stands. This is due to burdensome application processes to become vendors for those nutrition programs and the lack of harmonized payment processing technology and equipment. The Enabling Farmers to Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act would
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