U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) said on Monday he will work with Stephen Vaden, the nominee to serve as general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), to come up with a regulatory relief plan for farmers and ranchers.
Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the added costs of burdensome federal rules hurts agricultural producers, particularly during times of low commodity prices and natural disasters.
“The regulatory burden is an issue for all small businesses, and its impact is felt even more so by our farmers and ranchers as they recover from this year’s drought,” Hoeven said. “I appreciate Mr. Vaden’s commitment to provide relief to our agriculture producers, and I look forward to working with him following his confirmation.”
The North Dakota senator has been a staunch advocate for farmers and agricultural producers, sponsoring several pieces of legislation to help them get regulatory relief. One of his initiatives is the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, a bill he cosponsored to ensure that safe, low-volatility biofuels can be sold year round. He also helped rescind a rule, allowing for multiple-use requirements for federal lands, including grazing.
Hoeven is also working with USDA officials to get improvements to the 2018 farm bill to ensure agriculture programs are implemented to best serve producers’ needs.