By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Kansas U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall expresses deep disappointment in how the Biden Administration has handled agricultural policy.
“To some extent, this White House has declared war on agriculture and American energy,” Marshall tells farm broadcasters during a meeting in Washington, D.C.
Marshall, a Republican, criticizes President Biden for prohibiting drilling on federal land and for opposing permits for new oil pipelines.
He’s also isn’t pleased with the Biden Administration 30-30 plan, a proposal to place 30% of the country into conservation programs by the year 2030.
“First and only meeting I’ve had with our Secretary of Agriculture that was what the discussion was about is what does 30-30 mean to him? And he said, don’t worry, it just means more CRP,” Marshall says. “And I said, Mr. Secretary, wait a second, if we put all the corn land in Iowa into CRP what would that do to those small, rural communities?”
Marshall also opposes the Biden Administration resurrection of the Waters of the United States rule that is strongly opposed by agricultural groups.
Marshall says the immigration system is broken and that has had a negative impact on Kansas manufacturing and agriculture.
“Long before COVID, the number one concern for the Kansas economy was a lack of the people for the jobs that we had and not the proper education for the jobs that we had as well,” according to Marshall. “Though I am committed to securing the border, I’m also committed to a reasonable fix to the agriculture immigration issues as well.”
Marshall says a comprehensive immigration policy would secure the border to reduce illegal immigration, but also pave the way for legal immigration to supply needed workers.
Trade also is an issue, according to Marshall, who says leadership is lacking on trade, especially in the United States Department of Agriculture.
“I think the silence is deafening out of this administration out of USDA when it comes to trade,” Marshall says. “I can’t tell you the last time I saw a positive trade article when it comes to agriculture. Agriculture’s not a priority. They’re going to throw us under the bus is what they’re going to do.”
Marshall worries the Biden Administration will cut a deal with the European Union that will be unfavorable for United States agriculture.
Marshall says President Biden has yet to appoint a Trade Representative for Agriculture and that trade reps for the United Kingdom, India, and the European Union have yet to be appointed.
KFEQ Agriculture Director Dionne Bertling contributed to this article.