I serve on the Agriculture, Water, and Higher Education Budget Committees in Topeka. I believe that serving on the Agriculture and Water committees is a good fit for me, since I’m a farmer in central Kansas. Water issues are very important to central Kansas, and I learned a lot of valuable information about water in our state during my first term in the Kansas legislature. I believe that preserving our state’s water supply is very important. However, I also believe it’s very important to preserve private property rights as well. As a state representative, I voted against the “water bill,” a large bill which would’ve restructured our state’s water programs. This bill would’ve imposed a new tax on irrigation, and I strongly oppose increasing taxes, especially on farmers. I believe there are better ways to preserve our state’s water supply without increasing taxes on farmers.

In Agriculture Committee, we passed what’s known as “the fake meat bill,” a bill which requires plant based meat products to be properly labeled. This bill passed out of committee, and it passed the legislature as H Sub for SB 261. I’m a strong believer in free markets and generally support reducing government regulations. However, I do believe that companies should have to be honest about the products they sell. Prosecuting fraud is a legitimate function of government. I certainly believe that these companies should have the right to sell their products. However, I simply believe that they should be required to label their products accurately, rather than falsely claiming that their products are real meat. I believe this bill will help the cattle industry in Kansas, by creating an even playing field and requiring truth in labeling.