Tester Holds Farm Bill Listening Sessions & Law Enforcement Roundtable in Eastern Montana

Senator was joined by ag producers, local officials in Glasgow, Plentywood, Sidney to discuss 2023 Farm Bill;

Joined by federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement officials in Glendive

U.S. Senator Jon Tester this week held three in-person, public Farm Bill listening sessions in eastern Montana to hear directly from ag producers, community leaders, and local officials in preparation for negotiating the 2023 Farm Bill. Tester also hosted a law enforcement roundtable in Glendive to discuss funding for public safety, securing the border, and combating fentanyl trafficking.

On Tuesday, Tester hosted the first listening session in Glasgow, and on Wednesday, Tester hosted two more forums in Plentywood and Sidney with panelists from the Montana Farm Bureau, Montana Farmers Union, and the Montana Stockgrowers Association, among others. After each panel, Senator Tester and the panelists took questions and comments from the audience. On Thursday afternoon, Tester held a roundtable with the Dawson County Sheriff, members of the Eastern Montana Drug Task Force, and law enforcement leaders from across eastern Montana.

“Hearing from Montanans is the most important part of my job as a U.S. Senator,” said Tester. “I’m glad to be here in eastern Montana talking to producers and local leaders about what they need out of this year’s Farm Bill, and visiting with local law enforcement to learn about the biggest challenges they are facing when it comes to public safety, including securing the border and combating the fentanyl epidemic. I look forward to bringing their feedback to Washington, D.C. and getting to work on legislation that boosts Montana’s small businesses and provides local law enforcement with the resources they need to keep our communities safe.” 

“It’s great to have Senator Tester here in Glasgow to hear directly from producers about our greatest challenges and needs going into 2023,” said Lochiel Edwards, Montana Grain Growers Association. “The Farm Bill helps make sure that Montana farms like ours have the resources to stay competitive, so I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that we have the chance to give our input to the folks who will be crafting these policies in Washington.”

“I appreciate the opportunity to visit face to face with Senator Tester. The choices made in Washington have a direct impact on producers in rural Montana,” said Lesley Robinson, First Vice President, Montana Stockgrowers Association. “Our part of the state has been experiencing an ongoing drought. The programs within the Farm Bill have helped producers weather the storm through programs like ELAP to cover part of the cost of hauling feed to our cattle or our cattle to feed. That’s why it is important that Senator Tester came to Glasgow to hear in person the concerns and suggestions on how to improve the next Farm Bill from local producers, business owners, and community leaders.”

“The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback to Senator Tester regarding our priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill,” said Whitney Klasna, Vice President, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association. “Our members regularly utilize Farm Bill programs – from disaster assistance to risk management, conservation to animal health. The 2023 Farm Bill is a chance to improve existing programs and get creative with new offerings. As a farmer himself, we know Senator Tester also understands the importance of these programs and USCA looks forward to continuing the conversations had at today’s listening session in the months ahead.”

“We appreciate Senator Tester coming to northeast Montana to meet with farmers and ranchers in advance of the upcoming Farm Bill,” said Tom DePuydt, President, Phillips County Farm Bureau. “These conversations are key to passing a Farm Bill that includes Farm Bureau priorities like protecting and expanding crop insurance and making sure that conservation programs work for producers.”

“Thank you to Senator Tester for holding these Farm Bill listening sessions in eastern Montana,” said Ty O’Connor, Vice Chair, Montana Organic Association. “Agriculture in Montana faces many issues. Whether it’s crafting the Farm Bill, addressing workforce issues, or responding to drought and other disasters, the policy that comes out of Washington has a direct impact on ag producers here in Montana.” 

“MSGA was excited to participate in Senator Tester’s Farm Bill listening tour and share our goals in passing the next Farm Bill,” said Jim Steinbeisser, Past President, Montana Stockgrowers Association. “I applaud Senator Tester for his efforts in hosting the listening sessions because as we all know, agriculture is the number one industry in Montana and the legislation made in D.C. should help us in our businesses and ability to make a living.” 

“I’d like to thank Senator Tester for coming to Plentywood to get input from farmers and ranchers on the upcoming Farm Bill,” said Blake Rasmussen, Northern Pulse Growers Association. “I also appreciate him hearing the concerns about the reduced hours at the port of Raymond. Without a 24-hour port, producers have a harder time getting equipment and responding to emergencies, and businesses on both sides of the border suffer. Senator Tester has been a leader on this issue, and I appreciate his commitment to keeping the pressure on until these hours are fully restored.”

“I would like to commend Senator Tester for starting off the new year right by meeting face to face with family farmers and ranchers in eastern Montana” said Walt Schweitzer, President, Montana Farmers Union. “It is critical for our state’s elected representatives to hear directly from the producers who are on the land working day in and day out. As a producer and as President of the Montana Farmers Union, Senator Tester has my thanks for leading the charge on passing a Farm Bill that promotes fair and competitive markets and provides opportunities to people in Montana.”

“We’re grappling with a real public safety crisis here in Montana,” said Dawson County Sheriff Ross Canen. “From reducing crime rates to combatting fentanyl trafficking, to securing our border, Senator Tester understands that we’ve got work to do. It’s important that we got the chance to sit down with him and discuss what resources we need as law enforcement officers to do our jobs and keep our communities safe.”

Leading up to the 2018 Farm Bill, Senator Tester held seven public listening sessions across the state in Billings, Missoula (2), Kalispell, Glendive, Lewistown, and Great Falls. These forums focused on a variety of topics covered in the Farm Bill, including agribusiness, conservation, timber, and nutrition. Tester took this feedback to Washington D.C. and was responsible for securing significant wins for Montana in the 2018 Farm Bill, including:

• Reauthorizing and keeping intact both Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Ag Risk Coverage (ARC) insurance.
• Amending the Environmental Quality Incentive Program to better work for Montana producers. Increasing the maximum acreage of the Conservation Reserve Program.
• Directing the USDA Secretary to more actively fight the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease.
• Protecting the Sugar Program, which provides support to Montana beetgrowers.
• Reauthorizing the Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, which is vital to the mission of the Northern Plains Research Lab in Sidney.
• Mandating funding for the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
• Removing hemp from the list of controlled substances, enabling it to be sold as a commodity.
• Reauthorizing critical USDA Rural Development Grants that are used to rebuild and construct water and wastewater infrastructure and expand access to high-speed internet in rural areas.

Tester has also been Montana’s leading champion for law enforcement and public safety. Tester was the only member of the delegation that supported the 2023 government funding bill, which included $770 million for Byrne-Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) and $662 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) – two critical sources of funding for state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies across Montana. The bill also included his Putting First Responders First Act to ensure first responders do not have to pay taxes on their injury-related compensation.

Tester has also worked aggressively to secure the southern border and push for additional border security funding and technology to stop illegal drugs like fentanyl from entering the US. Tester secured $80 billion in the government funding bill to support the DHS’s national security efforts, including $65 million to hire more CBP agents and $7.3 billion to improve security operations between ports. Tester also successfully fought to include provisions from his bipartisan Securing America’s Borders Against Fentanyl Act and his PREVENT Act in the NDAA to research and implement new technology to prevent fentanyl trafficking at the source.