Sen. Smith fought for a spot on the Senate Agriculture Committee because ag is the backbone of Minnesota’s economy.
All Minnesotans are impacted by the Farm Bill, and Sen. Smith heard from Minnesotans with backgrounds in farming, rural development, rural health, and nutrition to make sure that all voices were reflected in the final 5-year bill that passed in 2018. That legislation included many provisions that Sen. Smith authored and championed, including improvement to the dairy safety-net program, the legislative roadmap for the energy title, and improvement to USDA conservation programs. It also included many provisions that benefit Minnesota’s native communities and new American communities, like permanent funding for beginning and traditionally under-served farmer outreach programs.
Sen. Smith understands that it’s been a very difficult few years for agriculture, and she believes that the federal government should be giving farmers more support. She’s heard from farmers about the high cost of health care, including access to health care providers and access to mental health care resources, which is why Senator Smith championed the creation of the rural health liaison at the USDA as well as funding for local mental health resources and to expand access to stress reduction and suicide prevention programs.
As Chair of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade she will advocate for provisions that benefit Minnesota farmers and use the platform to promote the importance of agriculture exports, which account for over 1/3 of Minnesota’s total exports. Additionally, she will push for more open foreign markets and strong crop insurance and commodity programs that help farmers in Minnesota and around the country manage uncertainties in the market.
You can learn more about Senator Smith’s efforts to make economic development in rural America a priority here.
Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Announces $22.3 Million in USDA Funding Available to Organizations Helping Veterans, Non-traditional Farmers Get into Agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making up to $22.3 million available to fund efforts that help non-traditional farmers and veterans in Minnesota and across the country get into agriculture. “Too often, Minnesota residents from communities who traditionally have not been involved in agriculture, as well as veterans, find barriers to getting into farming,” said Sen Smith. “The 2501 Program helps to remedy that, and I’m proud to champion its reauthorization in the Senate. These funds are available to groups, organizations, and higher education institutions that want to assist them in getting started. I encourage those eligible to apply for this opportunity.” Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, leads the bill in the Senate to reauthorize the “Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Grant Program” – or the 2501 Program – that is funded by USDA and set to be included in the Farm Bill. Smith has long been a champion of the 2501 Program and pushed to reauthorize and expand the funding during the debate over the 2018 Farm Bill – which was ultimately signed into law. Information on how to apply can be found below: Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, community-based organizations, and a range of higher education institutions serving African-American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2024. See the 2501 Program page for more information on the 2501 funding opportunity. USDA Teleconferences to Help With Application Process USDA will host two teleconferences during
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Celebrates Red Lake, Inc. Trade Mission to India
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, celebrated that Red Lake Nation’s Red Lake, Inc. will be participating in a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agribusiness trade mission to New Delhi, India at the end of the month. 47 diverse businesses and organizations will join Under Secretary Alexis M. Taylor on the mission, and Red Lake will be the only representative from a Native or Tribal community. “We need to support all farmers—and that includes making sure we’re advocating for Native farmers who may face unique and challenging barriers to successfully owning and operating farms,” said Sen. Smith. “This trade mission to India will be a great opportunity for Red Lake to cultivate new markets for their agriculture products.” While on the trade mission, participants will engage in targeted meetings and site visits to build new trade linkages, strengthen existing partnerships, observe U.S. products in the marketplace, and discover the latest Indian consumer food trends. Participants will also receive in-depth market briefings from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service and industry trade experts. Dating back to 2018, Senator Smith has pushed for Tribal inclusion on USDA trade missions. She joined colleagues from New Mexico, Montana, and North Dakota to send a letter to then Secretary Sonny Perdue to more fully incorporate tribes into these trade missions. ###
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Applauds Senate Passage of Her Bipartisan Amendment to Improve Farm Service Agency Staffing to Better Serve Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) celebrated the Senate passage of her bipartisan amendment to improve staffing at local USDA offices, which are often the first point of contact for farmers looking to make use of federal services. Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices are critically under-staffed and too often unable to meet the needs of farmers. This bipartisan amendment, which is co-led by Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and cosponsored by Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), would help improve staffing at these local offices and improve
U.S. Senators Klobuchar, Smith Announce Significant Federal Funding to Support Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture
WASHINGTON, [10.25.23] – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced over $150 million in new funding for climate-smart agricultural and conservation programs in Minnesota. The investments are part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which offers payments and other incentives to address climate change and achieve natural resource benefits. “The Conservation Reserve Program helps equip our farmers with the tools to conserve and improve soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat. And Minnesota farmers and landowners’ participation rates are among the highest in the country,” said Klobuchar. “This critical funding will not only increase economic opportunities but will
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Root Out Discrimination and Increase Accountability For USDA Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.27.23] – This week, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) introduced legislation to root out discrimination and increase accountability within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the important programs under its purview. A companion bill is being led in the House of Representatives by Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). The USDA Equity Commission was authorized under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act with the intention of addressing systemic discrimination within USDA programs. The agency has a documented history of discriminatory practices against black farmers and farmers of color, denying them loans and access
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape, Help Families Access Nutritious Food, and Expand Markets for Farmers
WASHINGTON, D.C. [7.26.23] – This week, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) and U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten (D-MI 3) introduced bicameral legislation to make it easier for families to use nutrition assistance at farmers markets by helping farmers participate in federal nutrition programs. Small and independent farmers are often unable to sell directly to customers using USDA food assistance programs at farmers markets and roadside stands. This is due to burdensome application processes to become vendors for those nutrition programs and the lack of harmonized payment processing technology and equipment. The Enabling Farmers to Benefit from Processing Nutrition Programs Act would
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