Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today visited three farms in Southeast Colorado to see first-hand the effects of the ongoing severe drought conditions. Bennet met with former Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Stulp, who is currently a policy advisor to the Governor, Jenny Peterson, Farm Programs Chief for the Colorado Farm Service Agency, and farmers from Kiowa, Prowers, and Baca counties.

Bennet made stops at Scherler Farms in Sheridan Lake, Stulp Farms in Lamar, and Hefley Farms in Walsh.

“It’s heartbreaking to walk through these fields and see the devastation that has occurred because of the ongoing drought conditions,” Bennet said. “While we cannot control the weather, there are things that we can do to help these producers – the most important being passing a long-term Farm Bill that provides critical assistance and certainty to help farmers and ranchers plan for the future. Colorado’s economy depends on a thriving agricultural industry, and Congress is doing a huge disservice to these farming and ranching families by not passing a Farm Bill.”

As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Bennet helped write the bipartisan Farm Bill that the Senate passed in June. Earlier this month, Bennet was selected as a member of that Committee, which will work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill.

This event was part of Bennet’s tour of the Eastern Plains to highlight issues facing the region and discuss federal legislation that significantly affects rural Coloradans, including the bipartisan immigration and farm bills.