Kansas is more than just rolling hills and open sky — it’s the heart of America’s breadbasket.
From wheat to cattle and everything in between, our state’s agricultural tradition runs deep, generating tens of billions of dollars in total economic output each year. That doesn’t happen overnight. It takes generations of hardworking farmers using the best available technology to continue producing high-quality crops at this scale.
Having farmed and ranched for 30 years, I know what it takes to run a family operation and deliver the harvests this country relies on. Because of this, I also know firsthand how critical American-made crop protection tools are to making those harvests possible.
That’s why I’m alarmed to see these tools under attack by out-of-state special-interest groups who have never set foot in a field and have no idea what removing these products would mean for farmers or for our food supply.
The consequences would be severe. Without access to proven crop protection tools, crops will die long before the harvest. Weeds and pests will invade, leaving farmers with little or nothing to sell, and no reliable way to support their families.
That’s a devastating prospect for farm operations that are already navigating fluctuating commodity prices, extreme weather and higher input costs. Our farmers cannot afford another setback, especially one this big.
For everyday shoppers, the outlook is equally bleak. Lower yields create higher prices at the grocery store on essentials American families count on, from bread to meat. With inflation still weighing on household budgets, the added cost of taking away American-made pesticides could push grocery budgets to the breaking point.
What these special interests fail to realize is that eliminating American-made crop protection products from the market doesn’t eliminate the need for them. It simply shifts where they come from. If domestic pesticide manufacturing is sidelined, our farmers will have no choice but to turn to China as the only remaining supplier.
As a proud Kansan and a senator, I can’t accept this as a viable option.
At a time when geopolitical tensions are on the rise, America can’t afford to cede its pesticide manufacturing to a foreign adversary. If we do, we risk destabilizing our entire food supply. Food security is national security, and forcing American-made pesticides off the market puts both at risk.
The good news is that Kansas has a straightforward fix within reach. House Bill 2476 has already passed the House, and now we need our senators to finish the job.
The bill is simple and sensible: it confirms that the EPA-approved pesticide standards our farmers have followed for decades meet Kansas’ requirements as well, giving our farmers the certainty they need to keep doing what they do best.
One of the reasons I ran for the Senate was to make sure farmers have a voice. Every day, our family farmers take on the responsibility of feeding America without asking for much in return. But right now, they need our help to protect the tools that make their work possible and pass HB 2476.
Our farmers know what it takes to do their jobs. It’s time for the Senate to do ours and make sure our farmers have the tools they need to continue growing the nutritious, abundant and affordable food our nation depends on.
