Majority News
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on President Trump’s Plan to Keep Meatpacking Plants Open
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement after reports that President Donald Trump plans to use the Defense Production Act to order meatpacking companies to stay open during the pandemic. "The way we keep our food supply chain safe is to keep our workers safe. Last week, I called on the Trump Administration to implement a proactive plan to protect workers and our food supp… Continue Reading
04.22.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on the Fourth Bipartisan Coronavirus Package
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement after Senate passage of the fourth Coronavirus package, the Paycheck Protection and Health Care Enhancement Act: "COVID-19 is causing unprecedented hardship for many small businesses, including America's farmers. This bill includes urgent funding for our health care providers and small businesses, and will help ensure that businesse… Continue Reading
04.20.20
Senate Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Protect Food Supply, Essential Workers During COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON - Today, a group of 36 Democratic Senators led by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, urged Vice President Mike Pence and other members of the Trump Administration to take action to help ensure the safety of the nation's food supply and protect essential workers in the food supply chain. "It is vital that we do everything we can to protect food supply workers," wrote the Senators. "Breakdowns in … Continue Reading
04.13.20
Senators to Secretary Perdue: Provide Assistance to Specialty Crop Producers During Pandemic
Washington-Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) today led 27 additional senators on a bipartisan letter calling on Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to ensure that specialty crop producers receive financial assistance from losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act established a $9.5 billion disaster fund and specifically included producers of specialty crops as eligible for assistance," the senators wrote. "… Continue Reading
04.13.20
Brown, Murkowski, Stabenow, Bipartisan Senators Press USDA to Provide Relief for Local Farmers during COVID-19 Pandemic
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AL), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) led a bipartisan group of senators in urging the Trump Administration to provide relief for local farmers who are struggling as the nation works to combat the spread of COVID-19. In a letter sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, the senators urged USDA to ensure that a portion of the $9.5 billion they secured in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CA… Continue Reading
04.13.20
Leahy And Stabenow Lead Letter Urging USDA To Take Immediate Action To Support Dairy Farmers
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the most senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the Committee's Ranking Member, on Monday led 23 other senators in sending a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue urging immediate action to support the nation's dairy farmers and stabilize dairy markets amid the sharp decline caused by COVID-19. The health emergency's impact on dairy prices has already translated to an estima… Continue Reading
03.25.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on the Third Bipartisan Coronavirus Package
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement after the Senate passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which includes relief for farmers, consumers, and rural communities. "This health care crisis is affecting every family across the country. The relief package will provide stability for our farmers and ensure the American people have a safe a… Continue Reading
03.18.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Bipartisan Coronavirus Bill Passed by the Senate
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement after the Senate passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes more than $1 billion to provide nutritious food to pregnant women and mothers with young children, help food banks, and provide meals to families and seniors. "During this public health crisis, it is vital that we ensure families in Michigan and … Continue Reading
03.12.20
Stabenow Joins Thune to Introduce Legislation to Provide Flexibility for Harvesting and Grazing Cover Crops on Prevented Plant Acres
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, to introduce the Cover Crop Flexibility Act of 2020 (S. 3479), legislation to permanently remove the prohibition on harvesting or grazing cover crops on prevented plant acres prior to November 1. This legislation was inspired by Stabenow and Thune's 2019 efforts that led the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) … Continue Reading
03.12.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing on Agriculture Innovation and Biotechnology
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement at the hearing titled "Agriculture Innovation and the Federal Biotechnology Regulatory Framework." Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to our witnesses and thank you for providing valuable testimony. Innovation is the foundation of American agriculture. From breakt… Continue Reading
03.11.20
Following a Request from Stabenow and Grijalva, USDA Inspector General to Investigate Grant Used to Weaken Protections for the Tongass National Forest
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Representative Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ-3), Chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General will investigate whether the U.S. Forest Service improperly granted funds to the State of Alaska that were used to weaken protections for the Tongass National Forest. "The Tongass is America's l… Continue Reading
02.18.20
GAO Launches Stabenow-Requested Investigation into USDA Trade Aid
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, announced the Government Accountability Office (GAO) opened an investigation into the integrity of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aid to farmers affected by the Trump Administration's trade policies. "It's clear that the Trump Administration's trade assistance payments pick winners and losers rather than help the farmers who have been hit the hardest by th… Continue Reading
02.13.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Applauds USDA Farm Bill Implementation of Regional Conservation Partnerships
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) interim final rule to implement improvements to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program in the 2018 Farm Bill: "In the Farm Bill, we strengthened conservation partnerships to expand the innovative work happening in Michigan and across the country to protect our land an… Continue Reading
02.12.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Questions Climate Censorship at U.S. Forest Service
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, raised concerns over alleged climate censorship in a U.S. Forest Service environmental review. According to recent news reports, a deputy official instructed an employee to remove all references to climate change and greenhouse gasses in a federal register notice. "I have repeatedly raised concerns about this Administration's attempts to suppress science and interfer… Continue Reading
02.10.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Trump Administration Budget
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration's fiscal year 2021 budget proposal. The Administration calls for a $21.8 billion cut to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), on top of a $239 billion cut to Farm Bill investments. "After three years of consistent cuts, the Trump Administration has continued to neglect agriculture an… Continue Reading
02.06.20
Ranking Member Stabenow: New Analysis Shows Continued Bias in Trump Trade Assistance
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released a new analysis revealing that the Trump Administration is continuing to show bias in distributing aid to farmers affected by their chaotic trade policies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the final installment of the second year of Market Facilitation Program payments without addressing vast disparities, which hav… Continue Reading
01.30.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on CFTC Position Limits Rule
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released a statement regarding the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) reproposed rule on speculative position limits, which protect consumers from irresponsible commodity trading that has caused unnecessary spikes in prices for gas and other products: "When Wall Street speculators meddle in our markets, consumers pay the price. Almost 10 year… Continue Reading
12.19.19
Ranking Member Stabenow Secures Investments for Farmers, Rural Communities in Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, issued the following statement regarding passage of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding bill, which largely rejects the Trump Administration's cuts to the Farm Bill and the USDA. "The funding bill we passed today makes critical investments for our farmers and strengthens our rural communities. I worked across the aisle to secure this funding and reverse… Continue Reading
12.18.19
Ranking Member Stabenow Supports USMCA Agreement for Farmers
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, today announced her support for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). As Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, Stabenow worked closely with other Democratic leaders in the House and Senate to modify the agreement proposed by President Trump to include strong trade protections and enforcement tools that are good for Michigan and good for American agriculture. "This trade agreement will provid… Continue Reading
12.17.19
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Business Meeting on NBAF, Lands Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement at a business meeting to consider legislation regarding the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) and a package of lands bills. Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: Thank you Mr. Chairman, for holding today's business meeting to consider two important pieces of legislation. All of us unders… Continue Reading
