Kentuckians can be proud of their federal delegations’ leadership roles.

When I moved to Kentucky a couple years ago, people often asked two questions: (1) “Where are you moving from?”, and (2) “What do you do?” When I told them I was coming from D.C. and that I worked in government relations for Kentucky Farm Bureau, I was met with a lot of wide-eyed stares followed by, “Oh my gosh! You actually lived in D.C.? I just can’t imagine…”

In my role, I help our members make sense of what’s happening in Congress and serve as their advocate to our federal delegation and the Administration. For anyone who watches the news, there’s frequently a sense of, “What in the world is going on in D.C.?” Couple that with a change in presidential administrations and you’ve got a population with more questions that usual. So…what’s going on in D.C.? Well, I’m glad you asked.

As we look to the Hill, Kentuckians can be proud that we have a federal delegation serving as chairmen of some of the most influential committees. Senator Paul leads Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Representative Guthrie sets at the helm of Energy and Commerce, and Representative Comer chairs Oversight and Government Reform. In addition to these chairmen, we have Representative Barr, who is a high-ranking member of Financial Services, and Representative Rogers, who serves as Dean of the House of Representatives. Not only are the members of our delegation serving in key roles – they know the value of agriculture and work with KFB to ensure a bright future for our industry.

Most recently, Senator Mitch McConnell, who holds the title of longest serving party leader in Senate history, introduced the Protecting American Farmlands Act (S. 930). This legislation was a coordinated effort between Senator McConnell and KFB and stems from the Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative. When we shared with Senator McConnell and his team that Kentucky lost more than 546,000 acres of farmland from 2017 to 2022, they jumped into action. This bill allows a landowner to sell their farmland to an active farmer if the buyer promises to keep the land in active production for at least 10 years. The seller then takes the gains from that sale and places it into a qualified retirement account, only paying taxes on the withdrawals rather than a massive capital gains tax. This would create a viable retirement option for farmers while keeping ag land in the hands of farmers.

Not only is there positive news from Congress, but with just over three months into the new Administration, most key cabinet posts have been filled. One post not yet confirmed is that of USDA Deputy Secretary. Judge Stephen Vaden, who currently serves on the U.S. Court of International Trade, has been nominated to fill that role. Judge Vaden hails from West Tennessee and comes from a farming family with farms in Tennessee and Kentucky. Some of our members may remember hearing him speak during our 2024 Congressional Tour. His background in trade and agriculture is sure to serve him well once confirmed.

While it may seem like the wild west at times, our members can rest assured there are positive things happen in our nation’s capital.

Ericka King, Director
KFB Federation National Affairs and Government Relations