LINCOLN, NEB. – U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith has been designated a “Friend of Agriculture” by NFBF-PAC, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s political action committee. Smith, who is seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in Nebraska’s 3^rd Congressional District, received the designation based on his work on several policy issues of high priority to Nebraska farmers and ranchers, according to Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

“Taxes, trade, and reducing the regulatory burden on farmers and ranchers are priorities for our members and Congressman Smith has provided leadership on all of these critical issues in Washington D.C.,” said Nelson.

Serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, Smith has provided a strong voice for agriculture on federal tax policy and played an instrumental role in helping deliver the first major revisions to the federal tax code in more than 30 years.

“Today Nebraska farmers and ranchers are able to continue to fully deduct their property taxes on their federal tax return, thanks in large part to the work done by the Congressman during debate on the federal tax bill. His engagement on that issue was instrumental in protecting those deductions,” said Nelson.

With one out of every three U.S. farm acres being planted for export and roughly 31 percent of U.S. gross farm income coming directly from exports to foreign countries, international trade is critical to farmers and ranchers.

“Rep. Smith has been and continues to be a strong proponent of growing international markets for Nebraska’s agricultural products. He’s represented agriculture directly with trade negotiators having just recently participated in a delegation to Canada to help bring an agriculture perspective to North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) discussions,” said Nelson.

Smith has also championed efforts to reduce unwarranted regulations on Nebraska farmers and ranchers that needlessly increase the costs of doing business, in addition to pushing back on regulations that would infringe on private property rights.

“Whether it’s his work to halt the EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” Rule that would have allowed the federal government to tell farmers and ranchers what they could do with their property or his efforts to address Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations that would have driven up fertilizer costs, Congressman Smith has worked to address the issues of concern to farm and ranch families,” said Nelson.

In making the announcement, Nebraska Farm Bureau also pointed to Smith’s ongoing efforts to protect risk-management tools such as federal crop insurance, defend the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) for corn and ethanol producers, as well as challenging animal rights activists who strive to erode the ability of Nebraska livestock producers to use commonly accepted production practices while attempting to damage the reputation of America’s farm and ranch families.  

“We appreciate the ongoing efforts of Congressman Smith to serve Nebraska’s farm and ranch families and are proud to count him among those receiving our “Friend of Agriculture” designation,” 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.