Since day one in the Senate, I have fought to pass a Farm Bill that stands up for North Dakota’s farmers, ranchers, and low-income families. 

A recent letter to the editor incorrectly stated claims about my work on this issue.  I have been vocally opposed to extreme cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – a crucial program which provides nutrition assistance for struggling families. 

The Senate-passed Farm Bill, which I strongly supported, responsibly cuts $4 billion of waste, fraud, and abuse from the program, while protecting low-income families who rely on this lifesaving program during times of need. 

Let’s be clear about who’s trying to pull the rug out from under low-income families.  The House Republicans’ Farm Bill slashed $40 billion from SNAP.  It would kick nearly 4 million Americans off the program -- including working parents, children, seniors, veterans and disabled Americans -- and 210,000 children would lose school lunches.  These benefits average less than $1.50 per person per meal, and half of SNAP participants are on the program for 10 months or less.

Just last month, I spoke on the Senate floor and penned an op-ed about how we cannot play politics with the lives of American families.  And I’ve also worked to make clear to anyone who will listen that efforts to separate farm programs from SNAP are part of a not-so-secret effort to end the rural-urban coalition that has made the Farm Bill a non-partisan effort for years.

And another important part of the Farm Bill is to make sure our farmers and ranchers are able to do their jobs and feed our country.  A Farm Bill would enable young farmers to get the support they need to build their businesses and continue grow the food all of us eat.  Without that support, many of them could go under.

We have also seen how the devastating fall snowstorm killed tens of thousands of cattle across the region.  Because the Farm Bill expired, many of these ranchers are unable to get disaster assistance, and are in danger of losing their businesses.

As I have continued to say, we need a Farm Bill that gives farmers and ranchers the certainty they deserve, while protecting nutrition assistance programs for struggling families.  I will keep fighting to make that happen.