New Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated his priorities for Senate lawmakers, including a new farm bill, as the 119th Congress takes office to begin 2025.
Thune says his rural upbringing led him to value the land, agriculture, and the importance of community, values that stuck with him as he rose through the ranks in the House and Senate.
Thune succeeds Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP Leader and now as Majority Leader. He is laying out an aggressive early agenda, with many parts of the agenda important to producers and rural areas.
Thune sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee and remains a strong advocate for farm programs and opening new markets for farm exports. His rise to the top Senate leadership post could make him a catalyst for speedy farm bill action, though any farm bill will still need bipartisan support to pass.
