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With Farm Bill on the Horizon, U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Slate of Legislation to Help Farmers and Address Workforce Shortages
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.20.23] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced legislation to help address workforce shortages in farming and boost economic growth and development in rural communities. The bills are set to be included as part of this year’s Farm Bill, a package of legislation passed every five years that is critically important for farmers, rural communities, and the environment. Specifically, Smith’s legislation will help increase access to capital for under-served farmers, boost training and economic opportunity for beginner farmers, and help make land more affordable for historically disadvantaged farmers. “The Farm Bill touches the lives of virtually every American and is vital to our state’s economy,” said Sen. Smith. “The bills that I am introducing today will help beginning farmers access land and develop markets for their products, two of the biggest issues I have heard during my Farm Bill listening sessions around the state. I will continue working to get them across the finish line and make this year’s Farm Bill as strong as possible.” Senator Smith’s bills include: “With millions of acres of agricultural land anticipated to change hands over the next decade, now is the moment for Congress to take action and ensure that the 2023 Farm Bill delivers material benefits for historically underserved farmers, ranchers, and forest owners striving to establish and grow their operations,” said Holly Rippon-Butler, Land Policy Director with the National Young Farmers Coalition. “Land access is the top challenge that young farmers across the country face. We are grateful for
Senator Tina Smith, Congressional Delegation Conclude Mission to Iceland to Advance Clean Energy and Diplomatic Initiatives
WASHINGTON – A United States Senate delegation has concluded its mission to Iceland, where Senators met with the nation’s leaders and clean energy experts on a range of topics including expanding renewable energy and strengthening NATO. The bipartisan delegation included U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The senators were briefed by U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Carrin F. Patman and U.S. embassy officials, met with host nation President Gudni Thorlacius Jóhannesson, Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Climate Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Foreign Affairs Minister Thórdís Gylfadóttir, and members of the national parliament to discuss their work on climate action and the importance of maintaining and strengthening U.S.-Iceland ties and the NATO Alliance. They also toured geothermal power plants and carbon removal facilities and met with experts, business, and clean energy leaders to discuss Iceland’s work to produce nearly 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources and remove and store carbon from the atmosphere. The delegation also met with American servicemembers rotationally deployed to Keflavík Air Base. “Climate change is no longer a future threat – we’re seeing the impact every day in the form of record-shattering heatwaves, floods, wildfires and more,” said Senator Smith. “We need all hands on deck if we’re serious about addressing this crisis, which is why working with our allies in Iceland and around the world is so important. I was encouraged to hear about the progress they have made leveraging geothermal resources for electricity and heating
Sen. Tina Smith Takes Stand for Minnesota Travelers Abandoned in Mexico by Sun Country Airlines
Today, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith took a stand for the Minnesota travelers who were effectively abandoned by Eagan-based Sun Country Airlines after the company cancelled return flights to the Twin Cities during the weekend snowstorm but failed to rebook or adequately refund the passengers. In a letter to the Department of Transportation sent today, she called on federal transportation officials to look into Sun Country’s failures and to explain what is being done to ensure that airline cancellation policies protect travelers. She also criticized Sun Country for how it mishandled the rebooking and refunding of passengers who have been forced
Klobuchar, Smith Demand Answers from Sun Country After Airline Cancels Flights and Strands Passengers in Mexico
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Sun Country Airlines CEO Jude Bricker to demand answers from the company after the airline cancelled flights from Los Cabos and Mazatlán, Mexico to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) due to severe weather, leaving approximately 250 passengers in a foreign country without flight options. Because these flights were the last of the season, Sun Country consumers in Mexico had no alternative travel options. Consumers were forced to purchase last-minute, one-way tickets through alternative airlines in order to return to Minnesota. While consumers were compensated for the
Senator Tina Smith to Host 8th Annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition
On Wednesday, April 25, Senator Tina Smith will host the eighth annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition. Sen. Smith is taking up the helm of Al Franken’s annual hotdish-off to determine which Minnesota Congressional Delegation member makes the best hotdish—a dish similar to what other states call a casserole, but indisputably better. Sen. Smith will be joined by the entire Minnesota congressional delegation: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Reps. Collin Peterson, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Tim Walz, Rick Nolan, Erik Paulsen, Tom Emmer, and Jason Lewis. Sam Brodey of the publication MinnPost will host the event and give opening remarks. “I’m continuing Senator Franken’s tradition
Sen. Tina Smith Exploring Legislation to Prevent Another Sun Country Airlines Fiasco
Today, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced she is exploring a legislative fix to prevent another Sun Country Airlines fiasco. Over the weekend, the Eagan-based airline stranded travelers in Mexico and around the country, leaving them to rebook new flights on their own and deal with insufficient refunds. “Sun Country stranded thousands of travelers around the country and in Mexico, leaving them to rebook on their own and front the money—hundreds, even thousands of dollars—for hotels and car rentals and other unforeseen costs. This type of confusion isn’t just bad business. It’s deeply unfair to Minnesota families. I’ve already asked Sun
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