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United States Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition & Forestry

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  • 113th Congress (2013-2014)

    Cochran Opening Statement for Mark Up of the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013

    Madam Chairwoman, thank you very much for your leadership in the drafting of this Farm Bill. It’s going to save off the baseline $24 billion over the life of the bill.  The bill reflects fiscal responsibility but provides a workable and strong safety net for families and producers of food and fiber that we hope they never need. We’ve made some reductions.  We’ve streamlined and consolidated programs.  There is also significantly less mandatory money authorized f...

  • Senator Cochran: Democratic Sequester Plan Falls Squarely on the Backs of Defense & Agriculture

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today issued the following statement regarding the plan issued by Senate Democrats to address the  across-the-board spending cuts—or sequester—that will take effect on March 1.  The plan recommends $27.5 billion in cuts from the agriculture sector and another $27.5 billion in defense savings. “I’m disappointed that the Senate Democratic sequester package falls squarely on the backs of our defense and ...

  • 112th Congress (2011-2012)

    Senator Roberts: USDA Grants Flexibility on School Meals; Waste and Cost Remain a Concern

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) today said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has agreed with his request to grant schools flexibility in implementing the new guidelines for the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs, but significant concerns remain on waste and costs of the new policies. “Providing flexibility is a key component to implementing such dramatic changes to school meals, and I applaud Secretary Vilsack for responding to my request,” R...

  • Senator Roberts Issues Statement on CFTC’s “Swaps Definitions” Rules

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry which is tasked with oversight of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), today released the following statement on the implementation of the CFTC’s new “Swaps Definitions” rules: “On the heels of the federal district court’s decision to block the CFTC proposed ‘position limits’ rule on trades of derivatives an...

  • Senator Roberts Concerned School Nutrition Programs Don’t Meet Needs of Active Students

    WASHINGTON, DC – Following considerable public outcry over the implementation of new nutrition guidelines for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs,  U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today sent a letter to USDA requesting justification of the new policies and further analysis of their effects on active students, on school participation in the program and on the industry and economy as a whole. Senator Roberts is ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutritio...

  • Senator Roberts Encourages FDA to Swiftly Approve Aflatoxin Waivers

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today sent the following letter to the Food and Drug Administration to encourage swift approval of waivers to blend corn with aflatoxin to increase feed supply for livestock producers hard hit by ongoing drought. The following is text of the letter, dated today: Dr. Margaret Hamburg Commissioner Department of Health and Human Services US Food and Drug Administration 10903 New Hampshire Avenue NW Silver Spring, MD  20993 Dear Dr. Hamb...

  • Senator Roberts: More Assistance Needed on Drought

    WASHINGTON, DC – Following today’s announcement by the Obama Administration of new efforts to help farmers and ranchers suffering from historic drought, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry applauded these actions but called for still more assistance to help those in need. “I am glad the Administration agreed to several of our recommendations on how to aid farmers and ranchers hit hard by this drought,” R...

  • Republican Ag Senators Call for Ag Hearings on LIBOR

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today sent a letter signed by key Republican members of the committee to Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) calling for a hearing on the reported manipulation of the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR). The Senate Agriculture Committee has jurisdiction over the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Senators signing the letter include: Roberts, D...

  • Senator Roberts Says Democrats Fail to Provide Drought Assistance

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today said critical assistance to the nation’s livestock producers devastated by historic drought conditions was ignored by Senate Democrats for partisan gain. “I am outraged the Senate Democrats left town without even considering the House passed disaster package,” said Roberts. “They are playing politics with a devastating drought. Ma...

  • Senator Roberts’ Opening Statement at Ag Hearing on MF Global and Futures Markets

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry today made the following remarks at a hearing of the Agriculture Committee entitled, “Continued Review of MF Global: Accountability in the Futures Markets.” “Today’s topics are serious matters,” Roberts said. “I know there are folks out there that believe the CFTC is moving too slowly – they’re asking why aren&rsqu...

  • Senator Roberts: How Will this Agreement Affect the Price of Eggs for Struggling Consumers?

    WASHINGTON, DC – At a hearing of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on the Egg Products Inspection Act, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today said he was concerned the act would cause a dramatic increase in the price of eggs for consumers already struggling in this economy. “At a time when stalled economic growth continues to force many families to count every penny in their food budget, why would the federal government want to drive up costs on one of sta...

  • Senator Roberts Leads Republican Effort in Asking for Drought Relief

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, led efforts today with Republican members of the committee, in asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for assistance for producers suffering from drought conditions. “While several states are experiencing the effects for a second year, today’s drought impacts reach a larger portion of our nation’s agricultural producers, rural commun...

  • Senator Roberts: Kansas Farmers and Ranchers Face Drought Emergency

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, today launched efforts to ensure Kansas farmers and ranchers have access to all available assistance due to severe drought across the nation and much of the state. “Lack of rainfall and high temperatures has had a devastating impact on the corn and soybean crops in Kansas,” Roberts said. “Ranchers in Kansas are also facing severe hardship due to a lack of available...

  • Senator Roberts’ Statement for Agriculture Hearing on Dodd-Frank: 2 Years Later

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee today delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing examining the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection act after its second year as law. Witnesses testifying before the Agriculture Committee today include: Chairman of the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Gary Gensler, and Mr. Robert Cook, Director of the Division of Tradin...

  • Senator Roberts to USDA: Taxpayers Deserve Details on Dubious Ad Campaign

    WASHINGTON, DC – In response to news reports that USDA is encouraging increased participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through Spanish soap operas, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack demanding a full accounting of the scope and effectiveness of taxpayer funded promotional campaigns on the SNAP program. The following is the text of the letter: “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ...

  • Senator Roberts’ Statement on USDA Improvements to Disaster Assistance

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today applauded U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s efforts to improve federal disaster assistance by cutting red tape and reducing delays for this critical aid. “At a time when Kansas and other states are suffering from ongoing severe drought, this is welcome news,” Roberts said. “The bureaucracy and red tape which producers must navigate will be reduced...

  • Senator Roberts: Medical Marijuana Use Should Not Boost SNAP Benefits

    WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today introduced a bill to prohibit the deduction of medical marijuana when determining federal nutrition benefits. “Federal nutrition assistance, provided by American taxpayers, should not be boosted due to one’s use of medical marijuana," said Roberts. "Marijuana is illegal to use or distribute in the United States and certainly has no place in the ca...

  • Senator Roberts Applauds Senate Approval of the Farm Bill

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, today applauded Senate approval of the Farm Bill and called for swift House consideration to provide America’s farmers, ranchers and consumers with certainty before the current law expires September 30th. The Senate approved the bipartisan Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012, S. 3240, also known as the Farm Bill, with a vote of 64-35. The House Ag...

  • Senator Roberts Urges Senate to Pass Farm Bill; Saves Taxpayer $23 Billion, Reforms American Agriculture

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry today said the Senate should approve the Farm Bill because it reforms American agriculture and saves the taxpayer $23 billion. The full Senate began debate on the bill late Tuesday. The Farm Bill, written by Senator Roberts and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), is called The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs act of 2012. In Apri...

  • Senator Roberts Issues Statement on Trustee’s Report on MF Global Collapse

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today released the following statement regarding MF Global Bankruptcy Trustee James Giddens’ report: “In December at our hearing, when John Corzine and witness after witness could not imagine what happened to segregated and sacrosanct customer accounts under their control, I suggested a simple scenario -- that the firm tapped its customer accounts ...