LINCOLN, NEB. – U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer has been designated a “Friend of Agriculture” by NFBF-PAC, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s political action committee. Fischer, who is seeking re-election to the U.S. Senate, received the designation based on her strong track record of supporting Nebraska’s farm and ranch families, according to Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

“Time and again Sen. Fischer has gone to bat for Nebraska’s farm and ranch families, whether it’s involved working legislation in the Senate, or working directly with the administration. We are pleased to once again provide our support and backing to Sen. Fischer as she seeks re-election,” said Nelson.

Fischer’s list of actions supporting agriculture is extensive with many of them involving Nebraska Farm Bureau’s highest policy priorities. Farm Bureau pointed to several in announcing Fischer as a “Friend of Agriculture” including:

• Fischer’s introduction of legislation to address misguided regulations on anhydrous ammonia retail facilities that would have left farmers to pay thousands of dollars in increased fertilizer costs with no real benefit to public safety.

• Fischer’s efforts to force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw or vacate the “Waters of the U.S.” rule, a far-reaching regulation that would have infringed on the property rights and management of private land.

• Fischer’s work on the “FUELS Act”, legislation to exempt the vast majority of Nebraska’s farms and ranches from having to comply with the EPA’s Spill Prevention Containment and Control (SPCC) regulations originally designed to address spills from large scale fuel storage facilities, such as oil refineries.

• Fischer’s introduction of the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method Act (FARM Act) to exempt farms and ranches from reporting routine air emissions from farm animals and their manure; regulations intended to address emissions of hazardous wastes from Superfund sites.

• Fischer’s ongoing support for trade deals to expand markets for Nebraska agricultural products.

• Fischer’s support for repealing Obamacare, which has resulted in skyrocketing health care costs for farm and ranch families.

• Fischer’s efforts to drive sound transportation and infrastructure policy by helping secure the first long-term highway bill in over a decade, while also working to expand broadband internet access for greater Nebraska.

• Fischer’s efforts to help deliver federal tax reform to lower tax rates, double the estate tax exemption, and other provisions that allow farm and ranch families to retain their hard-earned dollars for reinvestment in their operations.

• Fischer’s recent appointment to the Senate Agriculture Committee allowing her to bring a Nebraska perspective to the development of the next Farm Bill.

• Fischer’s ongoing effort to fix federal trucking regulations that fail to meet the unique needs of transporting livestock animals and create challenges for livestock haulers.

• Fischer’s work to support agriculture friendly appointments in the Trump administration, including support for Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture and Scott Pruitt as administrator of the EPA.

“With fewer and fewer people engaged in the day-to-day production of food, fuel, and fiber, it is critical to have candidates who understand the needs of production agriculture and its role in our overall national security. As a rancher, Sen. Fischer understands those needs well and provides a critical voice for our interests in Washington D.C.,” said Nelson.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service and advocacy efforts. More than 61,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit www.nefb.org.