SIOUX FALLS — After U.S. Sen. John Thune was elected majority leader in a closed-door, secret ballot election held by Senate Republicans on Wednesday, state and national agriculture groups expressed their support for the new leadership pick.
“I'm excited to have the opportunity to elevate our state's voice and priorities on the national stage and ensure that South Dakota families and businesses continue to have a seat at the table,” Thune said in a call with state reporters after the selection was announced. “I will remain focused on addressing issues that matter the most to our state and nation, like securing our southern border, improving our energy security, extending pro-growth tax cuts and obviously prioritizing the Farm Bill. It's clear that this team is united and ready to get to work, and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running with President Trump and our Senate Republican majority.”
Thune defeated Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and Sen. Rick Scott of Florida during the vote.
With Thune taking over leadership in January, Doug Sombke, president of the South Dakota Farmers Union, believes that Thune will provide a different type of leadership style than former majority leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who stepped down after holding the position since 2007.
“Senator Thune has been a strong advocate for agriculture, and I just think his Midwest values will really lend a lot more cooperative effort from both sides of the aisle,” Sombke said. “Their leadership styles are different, and I think John's will be better cooperatively for all to understand. He is just really easy to talk to, and he gains people's trust real easy.”
Sombke said he hopes that a new Farm Bill is a top priority for Congress and thinks that with Thune's experience and connections, there is a good chance that it is on the horizon.
“We've got a lot of farmers that are struggling and there's a lot of things we need to fix, including reference prices and such,” Sombke said. “His understanding of agriculture, I hope that he's able to bring these things to the forefront, and his ability to work with the Ag Committee."
Sombke said that Thune and Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas — who is line to become chairman of the Agriculture Committee — have always had a good relationship.
"I would think that he would be able to understand the need and the urgency, why we need to act on this now,” he said.
The last Farm Bill was passed in 2018. With low commodity prices and a growing season interrupted by drought, wildfires and other natural disasters, Sombke said the members he serves are hopeful a new Farm Bill will pass soon.
“The families who raise crops and livestock to feed Americans are struggling to pay their own grocery bills,” Sombke said. “We need the protections and resources provided by a Farm Bill.”
Thune said he remains optimistic that Congress will get a Farm Bill done in a timely manner, and that it remains a priority for him as he takes over leadership.
“If I was a betting man, perhaps more likely that this gets done in the next Congress. But either way, we need a new Farm Bill. We're living on an extension of the existing bill, and that doesn't provide the certainty and the predictability that our farmers and ranchers need,” Thune said in the call with South Dakota reporters. “So a new Farm Bill, obviously, is always on the top of my agenda, and I hope we can find enough consensus among not only members on the Senate Agriculture Committee, but in the full Senate, to get a Farm Bill done. We have a lot of farmers and ranchers that rely on it.”
The National Cattlemen’s Association also offered up their congratulations for Thune. Ethan Lane, vice president of government affairs for the NCBA, said they look forward to working with him on tax relief going into 2025.
"Senator Thune has long been a strong ally for cattle producers and is an excellent choice to secure meaningful relief for cattle producers as he leads the Senate,” said Lane. “Throughout his career, Senator Thune has led the effort to repeal the federal estate tax and fought to ensure family farms and ranches are able to be passed down to future generations. With crucial tax provisions set to expire at the end of 2025, NCBA looks forward to continuing to work with the new majority leader to deliver critical tax relief to producers in the 119th Congress.”
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