Agriculture
As the U.S. Senate’s only working farmer, Jon knows that agriculture is the backbone of Montana’s economy.
Jon farms the same land in northcentral Montana that his grandparents homesteaded over a century ago, and he understands firsthand the challenges facing family farmers and ranchers.
As a member of the Senate’s Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Jon knows Montana producers need a Farm Bill that strengthens safety nets and allows family farms and ranches to survive periods of low commodity prices. The Farm Bill needs to be a tool that farmers and ranchers can use to increase competition in the marketplace, invest in new research, and increase access to ports along the northern border.
Jon is also fighting to expand access to markets so farmers can sell their products in countries like China and Cuba while maintaining and expanding market access in Mexico and Canada. Jon is committed to working with the Administration on trade agreements that meet the needs of producers while keeping jobs here in Montana.
Jon is also fighting to cut taxes for Montana’s farmers and ranchers, ensuring that they can keep their equipment up to date.
Above all, Jon is fighting to ensure Montana producers have access to the resources they need to grow their bottom lines, strengthen their communities, and pass down their operations to the next generation—just like Jon hopes to pass his farm down to his grandkids.
Related News
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July 28, 2020| View More
After Reports of Unidentified Seeds Arriving Unsolicited to Montanans, Tester Urges Administration to Take ‘swift action’ to Curtail Potential Invasive Species Outbreak
U.S. Senator Jon Tester today called on U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrator Kevin Shea to quickly investigate and produce findings on multiple instances of Montanans receiving unsolicited packages of unidentified seeds that appear to have originated …
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July 22, 2020| View More
Tester Statement on USDA Update on Tyson Beef and Coronavirus Pandemic Investigation
U.S. Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) report on its ongoing boxed beef and fed cattle price spread investigation following the closure of the Tyson beef packing plant in Holcomb, Kansas and the coronavirus pandemic:
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July 17, 2020| View More
After Tester Push, USDA Announces $38 Million in Food Assistance to Tribes
After pressure from U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is disbursing $38 million in Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) purchasing funds to help Tribal communities combat food insecurity during the coronavirus crisis.
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July 10, 2020| View More
Tester Urges Perdue to Quickly Finalize Agreement Allowing Yellowstone River Access at Fort Keogh
Following Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement that the State of Montana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached an agreement to allow the public to access the Yellowstone River at Fort Keogh in Miles City, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is urging USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to quickly give the decision …
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July 10, 2020| View More
Banks Must ‘treat hemp producers like the legal businesses they are,’ Following Tester Push
After months of efforts to expand banking services for Montana hemp producers, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has updated its guidance to expand financial services available for hemp businesses.
