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 north central Montana that his grandparents homesteaded over a century ago, and he understands firsthand the challenges facing family farmers and ranchers.

That’s why Jon is taking on consolidation in agriculture, where he’s seen unfair practices from multi-national corporations squeeze Montana’s family farmers and ranchers out of business while making record profits at their expense.

Jon understands that capitalism only works with competition, so he’s working across the aisle to get more market transparency and competition in the industry with bills to put some real teeth in the Packers and Stockyards Act, to ensure only American beef is labeled “Product of USA,” and to get fair prices for farmers and ranchers.

Jon is also fighting to open Montana producers up to new markets, and to protect their bottom lines by saving them time and money with the right to repair their own farm equipment.

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..

Tester, Braun Introduce Bill to Cut Red Tape, Support Industrial Hemp Producers
Senators’ bill would reduce the burden on farmers growing grain and fiber hemp U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) today introduced their bipartisan Industrial Hemp Act to ease the burden on farmers who grow grain and fiber hemp, or...
Tester, Senate Republicans Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Stop Foreign Adversaries from Buying U.S. Farmland
The Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act would prohibit China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing or leasing U.S. farmland U.S. Senator Jon Tester today joined his Republican colleagues Senators Mike Braun (R-IN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Tommy Tuberville...
Tester Secures An Additional $9.7 Million to Expand Meat and Poultry Processing in Montana
Funding will come from Tester’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured $9,752,250 for Bear Paw Development to finance expanded meat and poultry processing in five regions across Montana. In order to reach markets across the state, Bear...