Discussions on the five-year-Farm Bill continue, and Senator Roger Marshall expects adjusted legislation could be ready for a vote by early next year.
Marshall also says the current plan involves no changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, often referred to as SNAP or food stamps.
Speaking of ag matters, Marshall recently held a hearing in Colorado on the continuing drought issues for the High Plains. Marshall currently serves on the Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry and Natural Resources. He says Congress is looking at ways to get high-speed internet technology across more rural areas and to install policies to that end in the Farm Bill. Marshall also the western third to half of Kansas have seen drought conditions 10 of the last 15 years, which has depleted the Ogallala Aquifer.
This comes as all area counties have been cleared of drought, according to the US Drought Monitor, but abnormally dry to severe drought remains in place for much of central and southwest Kansas. It also follows Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s adjustment of the state’s drought declaration, putting all area counties in a drought watch, 35 counties in a drought warning and four in a drought emergency.
