The United States House of Representatives Thursday passed the crucial five-year Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, also know as the Farm Bill. The House now awaits Senate action ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline.

Since his election, First District Congressman Roger Marshall has said the Farm Bill was a top priority. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee he has advocated on behalf of Kansas producers and the ag community. 

“This legislation has been years in the making,” Marshall said. “We’ve hosted hundreds of hearings and made stops across the country to listen to rural America’s needs.”

The mission is accomplished, he said. “We passed a budget-neutral farm bill that takes care of our farmers and ranchers.”

The bill as passed by the house protects crop insurance, simplifies conservation programs, and rolls back heavy-handed federal regulations placed on farmers, ranchers, Marshall said. And, the legislation strengthens our farmers’ safety net, expands rural broadband access, restores funding for trade promotion programs, invests in animal health, and includes programs designed to help young and beginning farmers. 

“After a month of hesitation, today the House proved that we are committed to rural America’s prosperity,” Marshall said. He’s seen first-hand how harsh mother nature has been on our Kansas producers and how crops are struggling, making access to crop insurance and other tools important.  

“We can pray for the weather to cooperate all day long, but I came to Washington to do more than a rain dance, I came here to deliver certainty to our producers who are struggling, and this bill does that,”   Marshall said.

As the Senate waits to vote on the measure, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan, congratulated the House and House Ag Committee Chairman Mike Conaway for passing the Farm Bill. Roberts is chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

“I congratulate Chairman Conaway on successfully navigating his Farm Bill through the House,” Roberts said. “I look forward to working with him and his colleagues in conference once the Senate passes our Farm Bill. Our farmers and ranchers need certainty and predictability. They are counting on us.”