MANHATTAN – The farmers and ranchers of the state’s leading agriculture advocacy organization today announced their endorsement of Rep. Roger Marshall, M.D., for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Sen. Pat Roberts, action deeply appreciated by Marshall.
The formal endorsement came from Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Political Action Committee, Voters Organized To Elect Farm Bureau Friends (VOTE FBF), comprised of active farmer/rancher members elected by their peers from each of KFB’s 10 geographic districts.
“Words cannot begin to express how important the endorsement of Kansas Farm Bureau is to my family, and to my campaign,” Marshall said. “Kansas Farm Bureau has been – and will always be – the voice of Kansas agriculture.”
Marshall said his family had been involved in farming for five generations. “I wish my grandparents were here to see this day, and I’m proud my parents are here to see it. My earliest memories involve my family working sun up to sun down on the farm. This heritage, the hard work ethic I learned there, and my later work in ag that helped develop my deep appreciation for Kansas agriculture.”
The KFB endorsement process began earlier this year with individual recommendations coming from the 105 autonomous County Farm Bureau organizations, which were overwhelming in their recommendation of Rep. Marshall.
“We’ve heard loud and clear from our members that Rep. Marshall is the best candidate for the U.S. Senate,” says Richard Felts, a Montgomery County farmer and KFB president. “Rep. Marshall has shown his ability to be a leader for farmers and ranchers as a member of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, and I know he will continue to be a leading voice in shaping federal policy for agriculture and rural America.”
Kansas Farm Bureau also calls on other GOP U.S. Senate candidates to unite behind Marshall as the consensus candidate.
“It’s clear Roger Marshall has the momentum, both in grassroots support throughout Kansas and in his ability to generate the resources needed to mount a successful campaign,” Felts said. “In every political campaign, there comes a time when hard, realistic decisions must be made, and we believe that time is now.”
Given the unique circumstances that will likely surround this year’s elections, Kansas Farm Bureau is also utilizing its grassroots network to encourage its members – and all Kansans – to strongly consider advance balloting, Felts said.
“In Congress, it has been my pleasure to work intimately with Kansas Farm Bureau for the past three years on everything from a farm bill, to trade, healthcare, and high-speed Internet,” Marshall said. “Now, we’re trying to survive the COVID-19 crisis together.”
It’s hard times in agriculture right now, he said. “But I do not know of one farmer or rancher who’s missed a day of work through this crisis. They are part of the front line that keeps us fed, keeps our supply chain going, and keeps the backbone of Kansas strong.”
With that in mind, he said he wants Kansas producers to know that we will not take this endorsement for granted. We will work every day to be worthy of it. “You can bet on this: I won’t let the reputation of my grandparents, my parents, and the Kansas Farm Bureau down.”
