Update on Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
While making visits to communities across Kansas, I continue to hear concerns about the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Last week, I spoke with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director, Martha Williams to discuss concerns about her agency’s Request to Secure Water with the Kansas Depart of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources related to senior water rights of the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in south-central Kansas.

If FWS moves ahead to secure water rights, their action could retire critical junior water rights in the Rattlesnake Basin. This means nearly 800 water rights may be shut off by FWS’s action, impacting not just irrigation and livestock water but municipal and industrial water as well. Some stakeholders estimate that the state may lose $300 to $500 million in annual agricultural activity and as much as $1 billion in annual economic activity.

During our conversation, I reiterated the concerns and potential devastation this could bring to rural Kansas communities and the agricultural economy. I will continue working with local stakeholders and state leaders to find a solution that works for everyone.

Read more here in the Topeka Capital Journal.

Pure Imagination moves to K-State Salina
On Tuesday I joined community leaders and elected officials to celebrate and announce a partnership between Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus, Pure Imagination Studios, Salina Airport Authority, and the State of Kansas. Together, the Kansas Advanced Immersive Research and Emerging Systems Center (K-AIRES) will be established to teach and train the next generation with immersive technology in a new state of the art facility.

It was also great to receive an update on the General Atomics innovation ramp also on K-State Salina’s campus, which will be a teaching and research facility dedicated to advanced air mobility. This project is funded in part thanks to General Atomics generous donation to K-State Salina. This partnership with General Atomics is another example of the many businesses that are choosing to invest and build in Kansas.

Federal Investment for Hugoton Police Department
On Thursday, I announced new federal resources for the Hugoton Police Department. As the lead Republican on the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Department of Justice, I worked to help secure these resources for Hugoton and  other rural police departments across Kansas. This federal investment allocates funds to the Hugoton Police Department to purchase patrol vehicles.

I appreciated being able to meet and speak with members of the Hugoton Police Department about the importance of supporting law enforcement. Thank you to Police Chief Courtney Leslie, Mayor Jack Rowden, City Clerk Carrie L. Baeza, Ardith Dunn and Steve Morris for joining me for this announcement.

Touring Prairie Food Wednesday
On Wednesday, I was invited to tour PrairieFood Pratt County distribution plant. Prairiefood manufactures a soil additive which restores soil health and fertility using organic waste which would otherwise be discarded. I appreciated the opportunity to learn about a Kansas business helping farmers to raise crop yields and maintain rich ground. With their technical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit, PrairieFood helps keep Kansas on the cutting-edge in sustainable agriculture. Thank you to Jason and his team for their time and contribution to Kansas’ agricultural heritage.

Listening Tour Stop in Grant County
I am grateful for the Grant County Chamber of Commerce for hosting me for a listening tour stop in Ulysses on Thursday morning. It was a chance for me to meet with members of the community about topics important to southwest Kansas. . We discussed issues such as securing crop insurance that benefits agricultural producers and finding ways to protect markets and programs that allow Kansas farmers to feed the world. I also had the opportunity to hear about the importance of energy independence and how to help small businesses flourish. In many communities across Kansas, small businesses cannot remain competitive or viable when regulations increase the cost of doing business.

Thank you to Marietta Hauser for hosting this conversation, and thank you to Catherine Moyer, Pioneer Communications, Steve Alford and everyone who joined.

Visiting Hugoton High School
My first stop in Hugoton was at the local high school. I was given a tour by Superintendent Adrian Howie, Principal Melody Witt, and students Raeleigh Angell, Jewels Noland, Isaac Martin, and Griffin Heger. As the school year gets underway, it was great to hear from students about their plans for the upcoming year. I am grateful to our teachers who invest their time into instructing young Kansans. Thank you to the students, teachers and administrators for taking the time to meet with me and for sharing more about the great work being done at Hugoton High School.

Touring Southwestern Heights High School
While visiting Kismet on Thursday, I had the opportunity to tour the local high school. I was able to meet many student and teachers and hear about their plans for the new school year. I am always encouraged by my conversations with the bright students across Kansas. Thank you Superintendent Dan Frisby, Principal Ryan Kisner, and students Jaydon Vermillion, Rodrigo Sanchez, Amanda Thurakul, and Emma Stanfield who made a great tour of Southwestern Heights High School possible.

Keynote Speaker at the Liberal Kiwanis Club
I appreciated the opportunity to be the keynote speaker at the Liberal Kiwanis club on Thursday. I was also able to hear updates from the Kansas Department of Transportation and members of the community regarding the future of US 54 and 83 in Seward County. Commercial truck traffic in western Kansas moves valuable goods to locations across the heartland. Some area highways are nearly 50% truck traffic. I was glad to learn KDOT is taking opportunities to learn about traffic concerns from the community.

Thank you to Sarah Thompson and the Noon Kiwanis for allowing me to join. Thanks as well to April Warden, county administrator, Scott Carr, county commissioner, C.J. Wettstein, county commissioner, Ron Hall, KDOT District 6 engineer, Brad Bennett, Seward County Community College President, Rozelle Webb, member of the Liberal Chamber of Commerce, Sarah Thompson, Kiwanis President, Amy Thompson, Kiwanian, Becki Richardson, Epic Touch Communications, and Dr. Todd Carter, USD 480 Superintendent, for taking the time to talk with me.

Touring GE Aerospace
On Friday, I met with Aerospace leaders from GE Aerospace at Strother Field, between Arkansas City and Winfield. GE Aerospace produces components for some of our nation’s biggest regional commercial airlines like Horizon, Alaskan, American, Spirit, and others, as well as our armed forces. I appreciated the opportunity to speak with GE’s aviation mechanics, who took great pride in being a supplier for the military. The work these industry leaders do directly impacts our transportation sector and our national security.

Touring William Newton Hospital
My next stop in Winfield was to William Newton Hospital, where I was greeted by Gary Brewer and Joan Cales, who sit on the Board of Trustees. The staff showed me their new operating rooms, emergency room and developments to the rehabilitation department. Due to the significant challenges facing rural health care, Kansas has seen several rural facilities close in recent years. The pandemic aftermath combined with inflation and staffing shortages have hit rural hospitals the hardest. Solutions like the new Rural Emergency Hospital designation offer critical access hospitals a chance at a higher reimbursement rate while also narrowing the scope of their care to decrease costs. I will continue working with the CMS Administrator to ensure the REH regulations benefit Kansas rural hospitals.

As critical access hospitals like William Newton struggle to keeps their doors open, I will continue to fight for policies in Washington that help our rural communities.

Community Visit in Tampa
On Monday, I traveled to Tampa and made several stops to hear from residents across the area. I visited the Tampa State Bank, which has been supporting locals for more than 100 years in Tampa and Marion. Afterwards, I went to the Gooding Memorial Library to meet and talk with Kansans and explore the library’s book collection. Additionally, I stopped by Agri Trails Coop to learn how the company is serving their community through trading experience and market connections to offer farmers the highest prices for their products. I was sure to drop by the Sante Fe Trail Café for some local, homestyle food before leaving town.

USDA Updates Livestock Disaster Payment Rate to Assist Producers Hard-Hit by Heat and Humidity

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2023 – The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced today it is updating the  Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payment rate to support livestock producers in the Midwest who have lost cattle to the extreme heat and humidity experienced this summer. To help indemnify ranchers to reflect a trend towards higher cattle weights in feedlots, the 2023 LIP payment rate for beef calves over 800 pounds will increase from $1244 per head to $1618, an increase of $374.

“The recent heat domes plaguing many parts of the country have proven to be unsurvivable for some animals and temperatures are not expected to let up any time soon. This is one of the latest, many examples of how a changing climate is creating immediate challenges for farmers and ranchers, and we’re finding that our emergency relief programs need to adapt accordingly,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Given these circumstances and the trend towards higher weights in feedlots, it became clear that USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Payment rates were not reflective of the true market value for cattle. This change will better indemnify the investments producers have in the livestock they raise, and we will continue to find flexibilities where possible to help our farmers and ranchers in the wake of climate-related impacts.”

LIP provides benefits to livestock owners and some contract growers for livestock deaths exceeding normal mortality from eligible adverse weather events, certain predation losses and reduced sales prices due to injury from an eligible loss. Indemnity payments are made at a rate of 75% of the prior year’s average fair market value of the livestock.

The updated LIP payment rate is effective immediately and will be applied retroactively starting Jan.1, 2023, for all eligible causes of loss including excessive heat, tornado, winter storms, and other qualifying adverse weather. Producers who have already received LIP payments for 2023 losses will receive an additional payment, if applicable, commensurate with this updated rate. For details on eligibility and payment rates, review the LIP fact sheet.

FSA recognizes that an annual update of LIP payment rates does not account for the volatile nature of livestock markets and is further exploring flexibilities to establish more current payment rates.

More Information

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

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