Pete Ricketts: “I am proud to represent the great State of Nebraska. Agriculture is our No. 1 industry in Nebraska. I am also proud to…”

“I am proud to represent the great State of Nebraska. Agriculture is our No. 1 industry in Nebraska. I am also proud to represent our farmers and ranchers, who are the best in the world. Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in the State of Nebraska. We produce the finest products and the safest food. We feed and fuel our great Nation. Now, it is no secret that our farmers and ranchers have had some challenges. We have seen low commodity prices and high input costs. We have also seen a drought in my State as well as wildfires that are the worst in our State's history--burning over 1 million acres. But our farmers and ranchers, they are tough and resilient. They find ways to come together and get through the tough times, and they contribute to their communities. Despite all of this, they continue to invest to make sure that we have a strong agricultural sector in Nebraska. This is also important for our country, as food security is national security. Last week, the Senate passed my resolution to proclaim May as Beef Month throughout the entire country. Again, this is our leading industry in Nebraska: the beef industry. We are the leading State for exporting beef--$1.7 billion worth. We are a leader in every category of beef production. In fact, we have over 6 million head of cattle, and the 3 highest beef-producing counties in the country are in Nebraska.”