HYDE-SMITH, USDA SEC. ROLLINS DISCUSS BROADENING U.S. COTTON, CATTLE MARKETS

HYDE-SMITH, USDA SEC. ROLLINS DISCUSS BROADENING U.S. COTTON, CATTLE MARKETS

At USDA Oversight Hearing, Hyde-Smith Looks to Save U.S. Cotton and Reverse Diminishing Cattle Herds

VIDEO: Senator Hyde-Smith and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins Confer on Promoting U.S. Cotton and Rebuilding American Cattle Herds.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today expressed optimism that Congress and the Trump administration can make the necessary moves to rebuild the U.S. cotton industry and American cattle herds that were in decline even before the arrival of the New World screwworm.

Hyde-Smith addressed those issues with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins at a Senate Agricultural Committee hearing on oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

COTTON

Hyde Smith praised the White House release of its Great American Cotton Plan to increase the demand for U.S. cotton, one aspect of which includes Hyde-Smith's Buying American Cotton Act (S.1919) to establish tax credits to incentivize the use of U.S.-grown cotton and U.S.-manufactured cotton products.

"I can remember as a child seeing the bumper stickers, 'Cotton is King.' It's not king anymore. I know we can bring that back, and there's no reason why we shouldn't," Hyde-Smith said, after noting the loss of cotton gins in Mississippi over the past 35 years - from 181 in 1991 to just 33 today.

"So, from what started out a year ago as what some people thought of as a messaging bill, we've gotten traction because it is so logical and thanks to the unique coalition of the Cotton Belt farmers, fashion brands that we all know and have heard of. They've gotten on board, as well as health advocates and business leaders across the nation. They are just embracing the Buying American Cotton Act, and it has become a major priority for the American producers as well as the retailers," Hyde-Smith added.

Rollins concurred, "My vision, with your partnership and probably your vision too, is that all these great American companies should be at the table and say, 'From now on, I'm going to start with, let's say, 20 percent. I'm only going to buy American cotton, and then 50 percent and then more.' Let's get back to the days where most of our clothing, etc., sheets, etc., are sourced with great American cotton and then let's talk about it on the world stage."

CATTLE

Hyde-Smith credited Rollins and President Trump for taking action early in the administration to prepare for the arrival of the New World screwworm, and questioned Rollins on how the parasite might affect policies to rebuild the national cattle herd numbers and encourage a new generation to get into raising cattle.

"This pest, this screwworm, complicates the challenge of rebuilding the national cattle herd from a low record," Hyde-Smith said. "We need to incentivize young producers that they want to get into producing fine cattle in this country. And we can definitely do that. I know so many who want to be a cowboy. We just got to help them get there. Madam Secretary, what is the administration doing to break down barriers for producers to rebuild their herds? And what should Congress be doing to help you achieve those goals?"

Rollins credited provisions included in the Working Families Tax Cut Act related to the agriculture safety net, federal nutrition programs, and tax changes.

"I think Congress did an amazing thing in the Working Families Tax Cut Act. When we increase the definition of a young farmer rancher from 5 to 10 years, that allows more access to a lot more programs at USDA to undergird and to support, you know, the vision cast for these ranchers so they see a future in this business, especially the first and second generation. Obviously want to protect the multi-generations, but the incentive to get into the business is really important," Rollins said.

Rollins also noted steps related to USDA involvement with the Make America Healthy Again initiative in terms of sourcing federal nutrition programs, restoring federal grazing allotments, and fighting the lawfare-lawsuits filed against farms and ranches.

"This is a national security issue. While we're incentivizing the next generation to lean in, while we're taking the burdens off, you know, the grazing allotments and regulation under the last administration were pretty severe. It was very clear there wasn't really an incentive to support cattle ranching," the Secretary added.

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