Area congressmen demands Biden address crises facing U.S. Agriculture

Washington, D.C. – Today, Southeast Kansas Congressman Jake LaTurner and southwest Missouri Congressman Billy Long joined a letter to President Biden, led by Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, urging the Administration to reverse overly burdensome regulations and policy barriers to U.S. agriculture production that have caused needless uncertainty for farmers, ranchers, and working families.

The letter to the President outlines administrative actions which would immediately provide real, near-term solutions to address the ongoing crises facing American producers, including:

“Farmers and ranchers across Kansas face needless uncertainty and a laundry list of crises. As inflation and energy costs continue to skyrocket, total farm production expenses are expected to exceed $400 billion this year—the highest in American history,”said Rep. LaTurner.”I’m proud to join my colleagues to provide President Biden and his Administration with real, near-term solutions to bring down input costs, roll back burdensome regulations, and empower American farmers to meet the global food demand.”

In the letter, Republicans write,”Long before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, America’s farm families and consumers were struggling with fractured supply chains, skyrocketing input costs, and historic levels of inflation, each of which continue to contribute to increased food prices and diminished inventories. U.S. consumers are experiencing the largest price increase in nearly 40 years, with the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food rising by 9.4 percent between April 2021 and April 2022. The war between Russia and Ukraine, two of the world’s biggest suppliers of wheat and sunflower oil, further disrupted the global food system resulting in increased energy prices, fertilizer cost spikes and shortages, and worsening food shortages in developing countries.”

The Members continue,”Despite these impending crises, your Administration has neglected to take serious action to increase American production. In fact, you have proposed massive new tax liabilities for farmers, and your regulatory agenda would further limit American farmers’ ability to meet global food demand. America’s agriculture sector is vital to alleviating global food crises, and we urge your Administration to take the following actions to strengthen that role.”

To read the full letter to President Biden, click here.