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Senate Ag Committee pledges to support rural America in farm bill

Senate Ag Committee leaders promised to keep rural communities at the forefront of the 2023 Farm Bill during a hearing Tuesday.

Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow says the energy and rural development titles within the legislation can improve the quality of life and prosperity in rural areas.

“Both titles present bipartisan opportunities to not just address challenges rural communities face, but also to enhance the strengths that make them great places to live,” she says.

Ranking Member John Boozman echoed her call to support rural needs in a bipartisan way.

“How do the programs and the policies of the federal government help or hurt life in rural America? Because if one part of America is not living up to its potential, then all of America is held back,” he says.

During testimony, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small stressed how programs need to be more accessible.

“That means improving our own internal infrastructure so we can help rural communities build their infrastructure,” she says.

She also spoke on how energy, infrastructure, and other current efforts are responding to the needs of local communities.