Friends,
Great News from The Environmental Protection Agency
We received some great news from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week. They are going to be granting approval for gasoline comprised of up to 15% ethanol (E15) to be sold year round. This has the potential to increase the demand of corn by 100-200 million bushels in the short term, and up to 2 billion bushels in the long term.
EPA also announced they are finalizing regulatory changes to modify certain elements of the renewable identification number (RIN) compliance system under the RFS, in order to bring greater transparency to the market and deter price manipulation. The changes include public disclosure if a party’s RIN holdings exceed certain thresholds and additional data collections to improve EPA market monitoring capability.
This is all great news for rural America and I am extremely pleased that the Trump Administration followed through on this action that will be so helpful to our farmers and drivers across the country.
Trade Aid Update
President Trump and USDA Secretary Perdue recently authorized $16 billion in programs to further help farmers and ranchers impacted by the ongoing trade negotiations with China.
USDA is working overtime to finalize the rulemaking and I will continue to encourage them to release more details and specific payment levels to provide farmers more clarity as they move forward with planting and crop decisions. Below are the details we have been provided thus far:
The aid package includes $14.5 billion in direct payments to farmers through the Market Facilitation Program (MFP). USDA will combine all Title 1 crops planted to create one payment for all acres planted and certified with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) prior to July 15th. These acres cannot exceed total acres planted in 2018 and the payment will not be dependent on the output or production of those acres. Dairy producers will receive a per-hundredweight payment on production history. A second and third round of payments will be announced in November and early January, if the trade dispute continues.
In line with the U.S.’s continued mission of growing trade opportunities, USDA will also be allocated $100 million to help develop new markets for U.S. agriculture goods around the world.
Additionally, $1.4 billion in surplus commodities will be purchased for distribution in food pantries and school nutrition programs.
Serving Those Who Served Us
Every day my office works to protect our current and former service members.
Since taking office in 2017, my office has helped hundreds of constituents who are experiencing issues with the Veterans Affairs (VA) Administration or the Department of Defense (DOD).
My staff recently had the opportunity to help a son honor his late father, Murrell Thomas. Mr. Thomas was a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army during WWII. He was captured in Sicily and endured 960 days in a war camp and was eventually sent home with no recognition for his time as a POW. Earlier this year, my office helped Mr. Thomas’s son, Robert, obtain his late father’s Prisoner of War medal and military service records. The medal is now proudly displayed in the Cloud County Historical museum in Concordia. Second Lieutenant Thomas is an American hero and my staff and I were proud to assist in ensuing he received the recognition he earned in service to our country.
Making Sure We Are Prepared
Stories of natural disasters sweeping across the country, including devastating tornadoes and flooding right here in Kansas, have been front page news. Last Thursday, Katie Moore from my office visited the Federal Emergency Management Administration’s (FEMA) Regional Office in Kansas City. She had the opportunity to meet with Regional Administrator Paul Taylor, Defense Coordinating Officer Col. Isaac Johnson, who coordinates defense support of civilian authorities, and David Gervinho, the Federal Coordinating Officer for the recent Kansas declaration. They shared resources related to emergency declarations, emergency preparedness, and provided overviews of how the team in Kansas coordinates federal agencies with state and local partners for disaster response.
They also discussed FEMA’s cell phone app, which gives the user information on how to prepare in the event of a disaster. It also includes information about emergency shelter locations during a crisis, disaster recovery centers following an event, and provides real-time alerts for up to five locations nationwide. The app is available for free on both the Apple and Android app stores. Recent events have highlighted the need for all of us across the state and country to be weather aware and prepared, especially going into summer months with more extreme weather systems!
If you would like to get more information or want to download the app Click Here.
Meeting with the Kansas City Chamber
Katie Moore and Tyler Mason from my staff attended the Kansas City Chamber’s annual Spotlight on KC event. This program is designed to highlight the federal priorities and opportunities in this unique region for staffers from both the Kansas and Missouri delegations, focusing on issues related to workforce development, transportation, infrastructure, and trade. While there are many differences between Kansas City and the towns across Western Kansas, many of the challenges they’re facing also are impacting folks back home. From workforce shortages to the need for investments in roads, bridges, and other forms of infrastructure, these conversations are beneficial to finding a solution to problems facing all Kansans. Kansas City is an important partner for much of what we do in the district. It is important that we stay engaged, as these connections often have an impact on businesses, economic development, and opportunities throughout the Big First. It was a great forum and I’m glad staff from both my DC and district offices were able to participate!
Good Luck to Kansan Auctioneers
The 2019 World Livestock Auctioneer Championship will be taking place on June 7th and 8th and I am pleased to say that there will be three contestants from the great state of Kansas. Niel Bouray from Webber, Dakota Davis from Caldwell, and Lynn Langvardt from Chapman will be among the 31 contestants seeking to bring home the title.
The competition will have two parts, an interview portion and a live sale portion. For the interview competition contestants must prove their understanding of livestock marketing history and show that they are able to express what they know in a clear and concise manner. During the sale portion, contestants will actually sell to bidders and will be evaluated based on their presentations, chant, execution of sale, and how willing the judges would be to hire the auctioneer.
Good luck to our Kansas contestants! I will be routing for you and wish you all the best in the upcoming competition.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.