WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO), joined by Missouri Reps. Graves, Luetkemeyer, Hartzler, Long, and Wagner introduced the Feed America by Incentivizing Rural (FAIR) Meat Packing Act to ensure a level playing field for Missouri cattlemen and to return to fair prices for both cattlemen and families. The FAIR Meat Packing Act creates two incentives to facilitate the formation of small and mid-sized meat processing facilities allowing cattle producers to compete for better prices in t... READ MORE
An unusual challenge. That is what comes to mind when I reflect back on my Summer 2020 focus on Southern Missouri Agriculture. Visiting all 30 counties across what makes up the 8th Congressional District during the normal Congressional August break in voting has been a tradition I have carried on since becoming your Representative in the United States Congress. It is during these visits that I get to hear directly from our area farmers, families, and small businesses about what new challenges th... READ MORE
On January 20th, 2017, Donald Trump stood on the West Front of the United States Capitol Building, overlooking the National Mall and the monuments erected to honor our nation’s greatest heroes—Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and King— and was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Sitting on the giant stage with the newly elected President, I was filled with optimism about the fresh perspective he would bring to a broken Washington. Since his inauguration, President Trump has fough... READ MORE
As the unofficial ending to summer has arrived, I am thinking how lucky I was to be able to spend the summer traveling throughout southern Missouri and getting time with the farmers, families, and local agricultural businesses who proudly call our area home. The industry and ingenuity I have seen is a testament to the hardworking nature of our community. The connections made, feedback received, ideas generated, and questions answered at family farms, Ag townhall forums, and business visits have ... READ MORE
I have always said that southern Missouri is home to some of the most dedicated and talented farmers, workers, and families anywhere. Our workforce has an undeniable strength and tenacity; employers are now recognizing this and finding out that our home is one of the best places to expand, invest, grow and hire. Briggs & Stratton first came to Poplar Bluff 30 years ago and they saw the high standard to which our workforce holds themselves. Recently, the company spent a great deal of time decidin... READ MORE
Our nation thrives when we take power away from Washington bureaucrats and give it back to the people. That was an important theme this week as I began my annual summer visits to southern Missouri farming operations. I made stops in 12 of the 30 counties I have the honor of representing in Congress and appreciated all the farmers, business owners and their families that took time to share their personal stories and concerns about the federal government with me. The Obama Administration weaponize... READ MORE
“Southern Missouri is home to the most diverse Agriculture found anywhere in the country.” It is a line I have repeated more times than I can count. It is what I say when educating other elected officials serving in the U.S. Congress who might think of us as flyover country, or when I talk to Washington bureaucrats who have never stepped foot in Missouri let alone on a farm. I’m quick to point out how drastically different and more costly their lives and the lives of the folks they represent wou... READ MORE
Newly elected radicals in the U.S. House of Representatives say the world will end in twelve years unless we pass their “Green New Deal.” Candidates for President have lined up to endorse the plan, which would completely overhaul our entire economy and ban affordable energy options. They say the climate is “our World War II,” but their plan is a war on working families and the American economy. What blows me away about the Green New Deal is how unbelievably unrealistic it is. Their plan calls fo... READ MORE
This week FFA students and chapters around the country participated in National FFA week and celebrated FFA’s impact in our schools, communities, and our farms. FFA is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States and it’s about much more than growing crops and raising animals; it’s about growing leaders. More than 25,000 young Missourians wear the FFA’s famous National Blue corduroy jacket with Corn Gold lettering. It’s a tradition that dates back to the 1933 FFA Convention in Kan... READ MORE
People in southern Missouri always tell me they wish their federal government budgeted more like a family farm or small business – operating within its limits, balancing its books, and only rewarding employees when they do well. I couldn’t agree more. It’s why one of the first bills I introduced when I came to Congress was a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution. Families in Missouri have to live within their means, and so should the federal government. This week Speaker Pe... READ MORE