Minority News
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Trump Administration Budget Cuts to Agriculture and Rural America
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry released the following statement in response to the Trump administration's fiscal year 2019 budget request. The proposal cuts the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) by 16 percent, on top of cutting Farm Bill investments by $260 billion - a $30 billion increase in Farm Bill cuts from the previous year's proposal. "The Trump Administration's budget proposal… Continue Reading
02.08.18
Stabenow: Senate Reaches Bipartisan Deal to Improve Dairy Safety Net
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today announced the U.S. Senate has reached a deal to provide immediate support for dairy producers. The bipartisan Senate budget agreement will provide over $1 billion to support dairy farmers. The deal will also return cotton to the commodity safety net and strengthen disaster assistance for livestock and specialty crop producers. "This is the support that d… Continue Reading
02.07.18
Stabenow Echoes Bipartisan Call to Confirm Northey
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today joined Senate colleagues on the floor to call for the immediate confirmation of Bill Northey, the nominee to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services. The Senate Agriculture Committee reported his nomination to the floor on October 19 with unanimous bipartisan support. For over three months, Northey's nomination … Continue Reading
12.21.17
Ag Committee Democrats Seek Information on Senior Career Employee Reassignments at USDA
WASHINGTON - Today, the ten Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry wrote a letter to Stephen Vaden, the Trump administration's nominee for General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to seek more information regarding the reassignments of several high-level career employees at USDA. Since January 20, USDA has reassigned at least a dozen Senior Executive Service (SES) employees. Recently, questions were raised to the Senate Agr… Continue Reading
12.20.17
Senators Press U.S. Forest Service on Greater Sage-Grouse Review
WASHINGTON - Today, 13 Senators wrote a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke to request information about the agency's role in the Trump Administration's review of 2015 plans to protect the imperiled greater sage-grouse. In a Federal Register notice last month, the U.S. Forest Service signaled that the agency may be seeking potential changes to the 2015 plans. Because modifying the plans could have a significant economic impact on rural communities, the Senators asked for details on … Continue Reading
12.13.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing on Agricultural Security
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at the hearing entitled "Safeguarding American Agriculture in a Globalized World." Stabenow's statement follows: Thank you Mr. Chairman for holding such an important hearing. I know you have long been a champion for a strong agro-defense system, and we are all grateful for your vigilance. I… Continue Reading
12.11.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Senate Agriculture Committee Vote to Advance Vaden
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today issued the following statement after the vote to advance Stephen Vaden, the nominee to be General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). "Though this has not been an easy decision, today I voted to report Mr. Vaden out of Committee. With the 2018 Farm Bill right around the corner, it is critical that the Agriculture Committee continues … Continue Reading
12.01.17
Senators: USDA Did Not Recommend Removal of Forest Service Land in Trump National Monument Review
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources, raised concerns to U.S. President Donald Trump regarding reports that his administration will significantly reduce the size of several National Monuments containing U.S. Forest Service land, despite not having a specific reco… Continue Reading
11.30.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Release of Final RFS Volumes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today issued the following statement regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) announcement. "The RFS is an important driver of Michigan jobs and our bio-based economy. If America wants to be a leader in renewable fuel production, the EPA must make stronger commitments across the board. Today's announcement falls sh… Continue Reading
11.09.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing to Consider USDA, Farm Credit Administration Nominees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at the nomination hearing to consider Glen Smith to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board, and Stephen Vaden to be General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: I am pleased to be here to conside… Continue Reading
11.02.17
Statement from Ranking Member Stabenow on the Withdraw of Sam Clovis's Nomination
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, issued the following statement on Sam Clovis: "Sam Clovis's decision to withdraw his nomination as Chief Scientist is a victory for science and our farmers who rely on agricultural research. From day one, it was clear to me that Sam Clovis was the wrong choice for our farmers and ranchers. His lack of qualifications and long history of politically di… Continue Reading
11.01.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Asks Clovis about his Involvement in the Russia Investigation
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, wrote Sam Clovis, Trump Administration nominee for Agriculture Under Secretary of Research, Education, and Economics, to ask additional questions regarding his actions as co-Chairman of the Trump Campaign. The letter comes after new information surfaced this week from criminal filings that were released against former Trump Campaign officials. This r… Continue Reading
10.18.17
Stabenow Offers Budget Amendment to Protect the Farm Bill from Cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, filed an amendment to the 2018 Senate Budget Resolution to protect the next Farm Bill from cuts in funding. "The 2014 Farm Bill streamlined over 100 programs and is already saving taxpayers $100 billion, while still investing in our farmers and ranchers" said Senator Stabenow. "As we write the next Farm Bill, we need to send a clear message to our farm… Continue Reading
10.17.17
Stabenow, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Conservation Partnerships in the 2018 Farm Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry joined her Agriculture Committee colleague U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) to strengthen the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) - an innovative approach to conservation authored by Senator Stabenow in the 2014 Farm Bill. The bipartisan Regional Conservation Partnership Program Improvement Act will provide more resources for partners to expand the… Continue Reading
10.05.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing to Consider USDA Nominees Ibach and Northey
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at the nomination hearing to consider Gregory Ibach to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, and William Northey to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)… Continue Reading
09.28.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Highlights Economic Importance of Farm Bill Investments at Rural Development and Energy Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at the hearing entitled "Rural Development and Energy Programs: Perspectives for the 2018 Farm Bill." Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: Thank you, Mr. Chairman for holding this hearing to discuss issues that are so critically important to small towns and rural communit… Continue Reading
09.19.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing to Consider USDA Nominees
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at the nomination hearing to consider Stephen Censky to serve as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and Ted McKinney to serve as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Stabenow's statement, as prepared fo… Continue Reading
09.14.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at Hearing on Nutrition
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today released the following opening statement - as prepared for delivery - at the hearing entitled "Nutrition Programs: Perspectives for the 2018 Farm Bill." Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: I want to start by recognizing the heartbreaking devastation that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have caused in the Southeast. These destructive storms und… Continue Reading
08.31.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Applauds New MPP Flexibility for Dairy Farmers
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today issued the following statement praising Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for allowing new flexibility for dairy farmers enrolled in the Margin Protection Program: "I applaud Secretary Perdue for providing additional flexibility for our dairy farmers. As we work to improve the dairy safety net in the next Farm Bill, this is an important first … Continue Reading
08.25.17
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Trump Administration Review of National Monuments
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry, today issued the following statement regarding the Trump administration's review of 27 national monuments, which includes thousands of acres of U.S. Forest Service land, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). "I am deeply concerned that the Trump administration has recommended removing protections for some of our most cherished national monum… Continue Reading
