Minority News
Ranking Member Stabenow Applauds Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today applauded the work of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance formed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, FMI - The Food Industry Association, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Union, and The Nature Conser… Continue Reading
10.22.20
Stabenow, Leahy Lead Call for USDA to Reverse Decision to Decrease COVID-19 Relief Available to Dairy Farmers
Washington - Today, a group of 15 Senators led by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the most senior member of the Committee, called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision to unfairly exclude dairy farmers from receiving COVID-19 relief to cover losses related to meat production. While milk is the primary income for dairy farms, they often are diver… Continue Reading
10.15.20
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) final rule on speculative position limits, which fails to go far enough to protect consumers and producers from irresponsible commodity trading that has caused unnecessary spikes in prices for consumers: "When Wall Street traders make reckless decisions, consumers end up fo… Continue Reading
09.22.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on Agreement to Help Families and Farmers in the Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON -Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued the following statement regarding the agreement on the continuing resolution. This agreement includes important nutrition provisions, including an expansion of Pandemic EBT for families for the next year and an expansion of this critical assistance to children in childcare. It also protects important flexibilities that allow states and schools to pr… Continue Reading
09.21.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on USDA Provisions in the Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provisions in the continuing resolution. "Farmers have been hurting due to multiple disasters - and those hit the hardest need support from USDA. Whether it's using USDA dollars to bail out Big Oil or favoring certain farmers over others, the Trump Administration has prove… Continue Reading
09.17.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Speaks Out Against Reports of Trump Administration Plans to Bail Out Oil Companies with USDA Funds
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, responded to reports that the Trump Administration is considering using U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds to bail out oil refiners. As reported by Reuters, the Administration is contemplating providing at least $300 million in relief to oil companies who were denied Environmental Protection Agency waivers to avoid the required biofuel blending ob… Continue Reading
09.14.20
Independent GAO Report Confirms Trump Administration Payments for Trade Damages Favored Certain Farmers
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade, announced a new report from the nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which found the Trump Administration's payments to farmers harmed by the President's trade turmoil ultimately created deep regional inequities, favored certai… Continue Reading
09.09.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on CFTC Climate Report
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued the following statement regarding a new report on the impact of the climate crisis on the financial sector. The report is the result of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Climate-Related Market Risk Subcommittee, which was established by CFTC Commissioner Rostin Behnam to identify climate-related financial risks. "The climate crisis poses ser… Continue Reading
08.31.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on USDA School Meal Flexibilities
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reversed its decision and will take action to provide healthy meals to students through December 31, 2020. For weeks, Senator Stabenow has urged the USDA to make this change and extend flexibilities that allow schools to feed children during the COVID-19 crisis. "I'm pleased the USDA … Continue Reading
08.26.20
Ranking Member Stabenow, Chairman Scott Denounce USDA Inaction to Provide School Meals to Children
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reverse its decision and take action to provide healthy meals to students for the duration of the school year. "The Department's refusal to extend all school meal waivers is inconsistent and b… Continue Reading
08.14.20
Ranking Member Stabenow, Chairman Scott Urge USDA to Take Action to Provide School Meals to Children in Need
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its full authority to provide healthy meals to students for the duration of the school year. In the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Congress granted authority to the USDA to provide w… Continue Reading
08.11.20
Senators Stabenow, Peters Call for Coordinated Federal Response after Michigan Residents Receive Seeds from China
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, called for a coordinated federal response to households in Michigan and across the country that received unsolicited packages of seeds in the mail. Foreign seeds could pose a serious threat to America's food supply and American agricultu… Continue Reading
08.05.20
Stabenow, Braun Introduce New Bipartisan Bill to Help Family Foresters Develop Climate Solutions, Access Economic Opportunity
WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources, introduced the bipartisan Rural Forests Markets Act to help small-scale, family foresters access new economic opportunities through climate solutions like carbon markets. This is the latest piece of bipartisan climate legislation from the Senators, wh… Continue Reading
08.04.20
Senators Stabenow, Murkowski Team Up to Reintroduce Bipartisan Food Supply Protection Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, reintroduced the Food Supply Protection Act with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) to help protect the food supply after the COVID-19 crisis has put an unprecedented strain on farmers, workers, food banks, and families. "The COVID-19 crisis has continued to disrupt our nation's food supply chain, creating a ripple effect that's harming our families, farm… Continue Reading
06.24.20
Leaders at Senate Ag Hearing Urge Passage of the Bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry hosted a hearing on the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act, where prominent agricultural leaders urged passage of the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act. U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Mike Braun (R-IN), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, and Natural Resources, introduced the bill earlier this month with Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S… Continue Reading
06.24.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement at the Growing Climate Solutions Act Hearing
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released the following opening statement at the legislative hearing to review S. 3894, the Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2020. Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: Thank you, Mr. Chairman for holding today's important hearing. Our world has changed drastically since the last time this committee met. The COVID-19 crisis has affected every … Continue Reading
06.24.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Opening Statement on the Grain Standards Reauthorization
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today released the following opening statement at the business meeting to consider the U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020. Stabenow's statement, as prepared for delivery, follows: Thank you Mr. Chairman for your leadership and bipartisan work on this bill. We know that our agricultural economy is struggling. Years of market instability and extreme… Continue Reading
06.17.20
Ranking Member Stabenow Statement on the Senate Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, which oversees the U.S. Forest Service, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed the Great American Outdoors Act. "Our public lands and forests are an integral part of our way of life. By investing in our national forests, the Great American Outdoors Act will expand recreation opportunities and conserve forestland that helps fight the climate c… Continue Reading
06.05.20
Senators Raise Questions about the Trump Administration’s Food Box Program
WASHINGTON - Today, a group of ten Senators led by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, raised questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program. "As you know, COVID-19 has caused great hardship for farmers and families across the country," wrote the Senators. "We need to do everything we can to ensure farmers can provide the food they … Continue Reading
06.04.20
Growing Climate Solutions Act Set to be Introduced in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) will introduce the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which will break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climate-smart practices. The bill has the support of the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, Environmental Defense Fund, McDonald's, Microsoft, and over… Continue Reading
