Senators, Commissioner Quarles among those participating in a discussion on the Farm Bill with state and local agriculture stakeholders at the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

LEXINGTON (June 27, 2023) – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, hosted the Committee’s Ranking Member, U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), today in Fayette County at the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

The Senators participated in a roundtable discussion on the upcoming Farm Bill with state and local agriculture stakeholders and spoke with local media to provide an update on agriculture issues of importance to the commonwealth and the nation. Every five years, Congress is charged with the urgent tast of passing legislation -- a Farm bill -- to strengthen a number of programs important to farmers, particularly when inflation is high and there is heightened market uncertainty.

“I have proudly served on the Agriculture Committee since my first day in the Senate and understand exactly how important the Farm Bill is to agricultural communities across Kentucky,” Senator McConnell said. “I’m glad the Committee’s Ranking Member, Senator Boozman, joined me in Fayette County with Commissioner Ryan Quarles and Dean Nancy Cox to hear farmers’ priorities for the Farm Bill firsthand. I look forward to continuing our conversations about how we can help keep America’s food supply abundant and affordable while empowering Kentucky’s farmers to do what they do best – feed our nation.”

“I share Leader McConnell’s commitment to the timely passage of a bipartisan, producer-focused Farm Bill. Stakeholder input is a vital part of the process. That’s why it is important to get out of Washington and hear directly from those on the ground who utilize Farm Bill programs to ensure their concerns are being addressed and their needs are being met,” Senator Boozman said. “We had an informative roundtable with very helpful feedback from Kentucky’s family farmers, agriculture leaders and industry stakeholders. I am grateful that Leader McConnell brought us together to visit and thank him for his steady leadership as we work to get the Farm Bill across the finish line.”

“I want to thank Leader McConnell for his influence on the Farm Bill and for all he’s done for Kentucky agriculture over the years,” Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles said. “As the Farm Bill progresses, I look forward to working with Leader McConnell and Ranking Member Boozman in playing an active role to address the issues important to Kentucky farmers and our agricultural community.”

“We are honored to host Leader McConnell and Senator Boozman for this important discussion on the Farm Bill,” said Nancy Cox, Vice President for Land-Grant Engagement and Dean of the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “As a land-grant university, we have a long history of supporting agriculture and providing education, research and outreach to help Kentuckians thrive. We believe that this discussion will be a valuable opportunity to hear from state and local stakeholders about their priorities for the Farm Bill and to share our own expertise, and we are grateful to our elected policymakers for this opportunity.”