Hi John --

I hope you and your family are doing well!

Last week, I embarked on a listening tour of local Kansas farms and businesses all across the district to prepare for the upcoming Farm Bill discussion in Congress.

I'm excited to share some of what I learned with you below >>

“We were grateful to have Sharice come to our family farm to educate her on some of the key agriculture issues we face today.” Hayden Guetterman, Guetterman Brothers Family Farms

Every five years or so, Congress passes a Farm Bill full of agriculture, conservation, nutrition, and trade programs.

I will be considering this legislation as a new member of the House Agriculture Committee.

Given the expansiveness of the Farm Bill, it is all the more critical to hear from farmers directly.

Agriculture drives Kansas's economy, so I’m hoping we will find common ground to pass a Farm Bill that supports our entire state.

That starts with an understanding of where Kansans’ priorities are, from all corners of our district.

We have an amazing diversity of agricultural businesses in our community, and I saw that last week — from poultry to row crops to Pygmy goats.

At each stop in Anderson, Franklin, and Miami Counties, I convened local producers and agriculture leaders to hear their priorities.

Every five years or so, Congress passes a Farm Bill full of agriculture, conservation, nutrition, and trade programs.

This farm tour was an essential way to hear from Kansas farmers and businesses about their Farm Bill priorities.

Day 1: Anderson County

One of the first stops we made was to Bauman's Cedar Valley Farms in Anderson County.

Bauman’s is a great example of the type of family-owned operation that really drives our economy here in Kansas.

At this stop, I was joined by representatives from the Kansas Farmers Union, Kansas Rural Center, and the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, as well as local farmers and producers in Anderson County.

Bauman’s Cedar Valley Farms is a first-generation farm established in 2001 by John and Yvonne Bauman and their six children, raising pasture-based beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, and duck.

Since then, they have expanded to employ 40-60 people across various enterprises, including non-GMO grains and cow-calf operations at Bauman Brothers Farms, an on-farm, USDA-inspected poultry slaughter and processing service as well as an off-site USDA-inspected beef and pork slaughter and processing plant, a full-service diesel truck and equipment repair shop for local farms and businesses, and more.

I was grateful for the chance to tour Bauman's Cedar Valley Farms and hear directly from the Bauman family about their priorities.

Day 2: Franklin County

In Franklin County, I got to meet with the board members of the Ottawa Co-op. They are a full service cooperative helping farmers with everything from seed, fertilizer, chemicals, fuel, feed, and so much more. They showed me around their facilities in Ottawa, which support a trade territory spanning 150 miles.

The folks at the Ottawa Co-op showed me around their facilities.

We were also joined by representatives from the Franklin County Farm Bureau, Conservation District, and Farm Service Agency, as well as the Kansas Cooperative Council.

I learned a lot from our discussion at the Ottawa Co-Op -- we discussed everything from crop insurance to Market Access Programs.

We discussed key topics in this year’s Farm Bill, including protecting crop insurance policies that farmers rely on and supporting Market Access Programs so Kansas producers can get their products to global markets.

“We are grateful to Representative Davids for coming to Franklin County to discuss the importance of the upcoming Farm Bill to Franklin County farmers and ranchers. This legislation is vital to providing a safety net for production agriculture, implementing conservation practices and offering nutrition assistance for urban and rural residents. We look forward to working with Rep. Davids to create the best bill possible to support agriculture locally and across the country. And as Rep. Davids continues to serve on the House Agriculture Committee, we look forward to being a conduit for her agricultural inquiries going forward.”

Aaron Dunbar & Matthew Rossi, Franklin County Farm Bureau Association Advocacy Committee Chairpersons

Day 3: Miami County

In Franklin County, I got to tour Madd House Hill in Paola, a family-owned goat farm that produces artisan goat milk products.

In Paola, I got the chance to speak with Cynthia, who runs Madd House, and her husband John.

We then traveled to Bucyrus and toured Guetterman Brothers Family Farms, where I hosted a roundtable conversation with representatives from the Miami County Conservation District, Kansas Corn, Kansas Soybeans, and Farm Service Agency.

Hayden Guetterman showed me around Guetterman Brothers Family Farm in Bucyrus.

Kansas farms are small businesses that play a vital role in our state’s economy, history, and future. I look forward to the chance to work on the major issues facing farmers and ranchers in our state, including reducing costs and expanding into new markets for our world-class agricultural products.

Whether you’re concerned about specialty crops, nutrition assistance programs, conservation, livestock, crop insurance, or something else, I want to encourage you to share those thoughts with me.

As the Farm Bill moves forward, my priority will always be representing the best interests of Kansans and Kansas farms.

I am deeply grateful I had the chance to speak with Kansas farmers and businesses on this tour, and I am eager to continue building strong relationships with Kansas agriculture.

My warmest regards,

Sharice L. Davids
Member of Congress

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