On the recordJune 11, 2019
Madam President, I came to the floor last week to talk about the challenges facing farmers right now. While the broader economy is thriving, a combination of low commodity prices, protracted trade disputes, and natural disasters and weather-related issues have left many farmers and ranchers struggling. In my home State of South Dakota, farmers and ranchers are dealing with the aftermath of severe winter storms, heavy rainfall, bomb cyclones, and spring flooding. Planting is behind schedule, and many farmers will not be able to plant at all this year. Yet, while the news has generally been tough for farmers and ranchers lately, there are a couple of recent happenings that are worth celebrating. Japan's announcement that it was lifting age limits on U.S. beef imports is a win for America's ranchers, who will be able to substantially increase their sales to Japan. Also, the administration's move to lift the ban on the year-round sale of E15--15-percent ethanol- blended fuel--went live in the Federal Register yesterday. This is great news for corn producers in South Dakota and around the Nation. I have been advocating for higher blends of ethanol for more than a decade, and I have spent a lot of time advocating for the year-round sale of E15. Year-round E15 is a win-win-win-win situation. It is a win for consumers and for our economy. It is a win for the environment. It is a win for our Nation's energy security. It is also a big win for our Nation's agriculture industry.…
Source
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