Agriculture Archives - Senator Steve Daines

Daines, Klobuchar, Boozman, Warnock Lead Letter to USTR Emphasizing Support of U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Urging Market Access for American Producers

April 15, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer emphasizing their support of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ahead of the Agreement’s six-year joint review and urging expanded market access and certainty for American producers. “The United States is currently the world’s largest agricultural exporter, with total agricultural exports valued at $176 billion in 2024. Since the Agreement’s entry-into-force, U.S. agricultural exports have increased substantially, particularly to Canada and Mexico. For many states, Canada and Mexico represent the largest and second-largest export markets. The

Daines Calls for Increased Trade Opportunities for Montana Pulse Crop Farmers in India

January 16, 2026

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) today sent a letter to President Trump urging favorable pulse crop provisions in any future trade agreements between the United States and India. Montana is the top producer of pulse crops in the U.S., and India is the top consumer in the world. “Thank you for your efforts to secure a favorable economic environment for North Dakota and Montana agricultural producers. As trade negotiations progress, we encourage you to push for favorable pulse crop provisions in any agreement the United States signs with the Republic of India… …North Dakota and

Daines on Newsmax: There’s Nothing More Made-In-America Than Cattle

October 30, 2025

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Newsmax to discuss supporting America’s farmers and ranchers. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines: There’s nothing more Made-in-America than cattle. You think about our heritage, the cowboys of our country…there’s nobody who gets up earlier in the morning to start their day than our cow-calf producers. I literally start getting phone calls and text messages starting at about 5 a.m. Montana time, Montana time. [That’s] 7 a.m. here in Washington, D.C., because they’re up early, they go to bed late. They’ve had a period of drought. We’ve had five to 10 years of drought in

Daines Calls for Expanded Market Access for Montana Beef Producers in Senate Finance Committee Hearing

October 29, 2025

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Julie Callahan, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy, in a Senate Finance Committee hearing. They discussed the need to expand market access for farmers and ranchers and protect America’s beef industry. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines asked Callahan about increasing U.S. market access in China: Daines: Dr. Callahan, thank you for your years of service at USTR and your willingness to serve in this position. You will hit the ground running, which will we need at this moment here on behalf of our producers across America. I do greatly

Daines, Smith Applaud Trump Administration for Commitment to Pro-Ag Trade Policies

June 24, 2025

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Representative Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) today sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. The letter commends the administration for their ongoing trade negotiations to support American producers and manufacturers. “We write to you to express our strong support for ongoing trade negotiations to level the playing field for American producers and manufacturers. President Trump’s decision to pause the implementation of certain reciprocal tariffs creates momentum to secure meaningful and enforceable agreements for U.S. agricultural producers, energy producers,

Daines Introduces Bill to Protect Montana Farms, Ranches, Businesses from Immoral Tax

February 18, 2025

Bill Would Permanently Repeal Death Tax U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and 44 Senate colleagues in reintroducing the “Death Tax Repeal Act.” The bill would permanently repeal the federal estate tax, a punitive tax that threatens Montana farms, ranches and businesses. “When Montanans lose a loved one, the last thing they need to worry about is what will happen to their family farm or ranch,” said Daines. “I’m glad to join this effort to protect Montanans from this unfair and unnecessary tax.” Read the full text of the bill HERE. The bill is supported by more than 190 members of the Family Business Coalition and

Daines to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: We’re Making HHS the “Gold Standard of Science”

January 29, 2025

Secures Commitments to Support MT Agriculture U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today praised Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), for his commitment to make HHS the gold standard of science. Daines and Kennedy discussed the need to support Montana’s crops and the food supply, as well as the dangers that chemical abortions pose to women. Watch Daines’ and Kennedy’s full exchange HERE. “Mr. Kennedy, I’m glad to see you here this morning. I listened to your opening remarks, and you mentioned that you wanted to make HHS the gold

Senator Daines Signs Bipartisan Letter to Protect Montana’s Potato Crops

July 17, 2024

U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined a bipartisan group of senators urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to increase efforts in protecting crops from the potato wart disease. “If potato wart should enter the United States, our farmers and the communities they support will be economically devastated,” the senators wrote in a letter. “Given that twenty percent of our potato crop—valued at over $2 billion—is exported, we cannot allow introduction of a disease that would shut off access to international markets, and also curtail domestic production and sales.” Potato wart is a highly destructive disease that reduces crop yields and makes potatoes

Daines Blasts Biden Administration for Climate-Driven Land Use Rule

April 18, 2024

“Nothing is Safe from the Biden Administration’s Climate Agenda” U.S. Senator Steve Daines blasted the Biden administration’s new Bureau of Land Management (BLM) rule today, which violates the statutory multiple use requirements on federal lands, effectively making them unusable and hurting Montana farmers and ranchers. “Nothing is safe from the Biden administration’s climate agenda. First they came for our gas stoves then they told us they wanted us to drive electric cars and semis and now they are taking grazing land from Montana farmers and ranchersand it’s all in the name of climate change. Despite the Administration’s claim, this rule is anything but balanced. It violates the ‘multiple-use

Daines Urges Biden Administration to Support Montana Farmers and Ranchers, Increase Agricultural Exports

March 13, 2024

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined his colleagues in urging U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to increase U.S. agricultural exports and improve the competitiveness of the U.S. products abroad. “We expect trade to fluctuate in response to macroeconomic factors and market conditions,” wrote the senators. “However, the current sharp decline in U.S. agricultural exports is directly attributable to and exacerbated by an unambitious U.S. trade strategy that is failing to meaningfully expand market access or reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. While the Biden administration continually refuses to pursue traditional free trade

Tag: Agriculture