Agriculture Advocate Thune to Lead Senate GOP

November 13, 2024

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) has been elected as the next Senate Majority Leader, succeeding Mitch McConnell. Thune, who has served in the Senate since 2005 and as the Republican Whip since 2019, won the leadership position in a 29-24 secret-ballot vote, defeating Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). According to USA Today, His election follows the Republican Party regaining control of the Senate in the recent elections, granting the GOP unified control of Congress and the White House.

Thune's leadership is expected to significantly influence President-elect Donald Trump's legislative agenda, as the Senate Majority Leader sets the chamber's schedule and oversees confirmations of Cabinet members, high-level government officials, and judicial nominees. USA Today reports that despite initial support from prominent Trump allies for Senator Scott, Thune's extensive experience and fundraising efforts—raising $33 million and attending over 200 events for Republican candidates—bolstered his candidacy.

In the agricultural sector, Thune has been a steadfast advocate for farmers and ranchers, particularly in his home state of South Dakota. As a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, he has played a pivotal role in crafting multiple farm bills, focusing on enhancing the farm safety net and promoting agricultural innovation. Thune has introduced legislation aimed at advancing precision agriculture technologies and improving rural connectivity, recognizing the importance of modernizing farming practices to increase efficiency and productivity. He has also emphasized the need for a comprehensive and updated farm bill to address the evolving challenges faced by agricultural producers. 

Thune's election as Senate Majority Leader positions him to further influence agricultural policy, ensuring that the interests of farmers and ranchers are represented in the legislative process. His leadership is anticipated to focus on balancing innovation with the practical needs of the agricultural community, aiming to sustain and enhance the sector's contributions to the nation's economy and food security.

Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) has been a steadfast advocate for the livestock sector, introducing and supporting legislation aimed at safeguarding producers from regulatory overreach and enhancing disaster assistance programs.

Preventing Regulation of Livestock Emissions

In March 2023, Senator Thune, alongside Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), reintroduced the Livestock Regulatory Protection Act. This bipartisan legislation seeks to prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing permits related to livestock emissions, specifically targeting carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor, and methane emissions resulting from biological processes associated with livestock production. Thune emphasized that livestock producers are continually working to improve efficiency and reduce emissions and should not be subjected to onerous regulations and costly permit fees for their animals' emissions.

Improving Livestock Disaster Assistance

Recognizing the challenges faced by farmers and ranchers due to adverse weather events, Senator Thune, in collaboration with Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), reintroduced the Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act in February 2023. This bipartisan legislation aims to enhance the effectiveness and timeliness of multiple U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that assist producers in the aftermath of disasters. The proposed reforms include clarifying eligibility for state and federal grazing permit holders and streamlining the permitting process for emergency conservation programs. Thune noted that these common-sense updates would provide greater and expedited assistance to farmers and ranchers when they need it the most.

Advocacy Against Government Monitoring of Livestock Emissions

In September 2022, Senator Thune, along with Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), introduced legislation to prohibit the EPA from using new methane monitoring funding to surveil livestock methane emissions. This initiative was in response to concerns that such monitoring could lead to the implementation of radical climate policies threatening the operations of farmers and ranchers. Thune asserted that farmers and ranchers should not be subject to government surveillance as part of broader efforts to implement radical climate policies that would threaten their ability to operate.

Through these legislative efforts, Senator Thune has consistently demonstrated his commitment to protecting the interests of the livestock sector, ensuring that producers are not burdened by unnecessary regulations and have access to timely assistance during challenging times.