A bipartisan resolution has passed the Senate that would guarantee a spot for rural television programming for years to come, and it is something that RFD-TV founder, Patrick Gottsch has been fighting for, for years.
Tammi Arender sat down with Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith about why rural and ag programming is important to all Americans.
She says it is incredibly important that people are educated on what rural America is and brings to the rest of the nation. “So much food is wasted in this country and you think that countries will fight oil over oil, you let them get hungry. So, the messaging is very, very important to me that we always have that avenue that we can get messaging out to general America about their food, the safety of their food, we just take that for granted,” said Hyde-Smith.
Inflation is hitting farmers and ranchers worse than everyone else. She says the challenges that producers have to overcome are a perfect storm.
“With interest rates rising, most people have to borrow money to put their crops in the ground, and so with all of this, it’s kind of the perfect storm with input costs, the cost of fertilizer, the cost of fuel, and interest rates, it is truly a challenge for the farmers out there, the 2 percent that feed the other 98 percent,” said Hyde-Smith.
Senator Hyde-Smith believes other senators will sign onto this resolution before it comes to the floor for a vote.
The resolution was co-sponsored by senators Chuck Grassley, Amy Klobuchar, Jerry Moran, and Steve Daines.
Related:
Senator Moran discusses why he is backing the Rural Content Resolution
Senate Resolution to Protect Rural Programming
Double-Edged Sword: Interest rate hikes could help bring down food prices
