Sen. Sasse Earns Nebraska Farm Bureau 'Friend of Agriculture Designation

KEARNEY – U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse has been designated a “Friend of Agriculture” by NEFB-PAC, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s political action committee. Sasse who is seeking re-election to U.S. Senate received the designation based on his work on several policy issues of high priority to Nebraska farmers and ranchers, according to Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

“Trade and reducing regulatory burdens on farmers and ranchers, including the nomination of agriculture friendly judges, are priorities for our members and Sen. Sasse has provided leadership on these and other important issues in Washington, D.C.,” said Nelson.

Sen. Sasse pointed to the strong partnership with Farm Bureau when working on behalf of farm and ranch families in showing his appreciation for the designation.

“Agriculture makes our state great and that’s why the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s endorsement is huge. Washington gets a lot of stuff wrong, and everyday the Farm Bureau and I work together to push back against bureaucratic overreach in the fight to protect Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers. That also means advocating for expanded trade, slashing red tape, and confirming judges that believe in the Constitution. I’m grateful to stand with Nebraska’s hardest-working families, and humbled to have the endorsement of Nebraska’s largest farm and ranch organization,” said Sasse.

With nearly one out of every three U.S. farm acres being planted for export and roughly 30 percent of Nebraska’s total agriculture receipts consistently coming from exports to foreign countries, international trade is critical to farmers and ranchers.

“Sen. Sasse is unapologetically supportive of agricultural trade and supports opening new markets for Nebraska agricultural products,” said Nelson. “He understands the future of agriculture is heavily tied to our ability to move Nebraska commodities and agriculture products into international markets.”

In his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Sasse has also confirmed more than 150 judges to the federal bench since 2017, an area of interest to farmers and ranchers as more and more groups opposed to agriculture have turned to the courts to implement activist agendas.

“Now more than ever, farmers and ranchers are being impacted by decisions being made on the federal bench. Sen Sasse’s efforts to vet and support judicial nominees who understand and practice judicial restraint rather than viewing themselves as, to borrow a phrase from Sen. Sasse, ‘super-legislators’, has been extremely important,” said Nelson.

Sasse has also championed efforts to reduce unwarranted regulations on Nebraska farmers and ranchers that needlessly increase the costs of doing business, in addition to pushing back on regulations that would infringe on private property rights.

“Whether it’s pushing back on the federal government’s overreach with EPA’s misguided ‘Waters of the U.S.’ Rule or pushing forward with initiatives to reduce regulations on livestock haulers who are critical to our state’s livestock sector, Sen. Sasse has listened and been a strong voice for our farm and ranch families,” said Nelson.

Sen. Sasse provided a strong voice for agriculture on federal tax policy and helped deliver the first major revisions to the federal tax code in more than 30 years.

“Sen. Sasse worked to help deliver federal tax reform that lowered rates, doubled the estate tax exemption, maintained the ability for farmers and ranchers to deduct their property taxes, and helped increase the ability for farm and ranch families to reinvest hard-earned dollars back into their operations,” said Nelson.