HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS –  U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) called on the Biden administration to prioritize policies that reduce input costs, solve the supply chain crisis and improve the labor shortage at the Catfish Farmers of Arkansas convention in Hot Springs on Friday.

Boozman, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, expressed concerns about the reckless tax-and-spending policies pursued by President Biden and congressional Democrats and lamented the lack of input sought from agricultural producers.

“The president’s agenda has left sizable portions of our agriculture constituency out in the cold while the White House prioritizes funding for urban agriculture, the civilian climate corps, debt relief, organics and tree equity,” Boozman said in prepared remarks.

Boozman also discussed the next farm bill, which the committee is beginning work on, and reiterated the importance of stakeholder input from groups like Catfish Farmers of Arkansas during the process.

Arkansas catfish farmers are experiencing rising costs including feed, electricity and additional expenses to make repairs to their operations.

The Natural State is a national leader in catfish production.

The senator has fought against the Biden administration’s partisan agenda and rallied agriculture groups to oppose measures like stepped-up basis and the land swap tax that would have negatively impacted Arkansas farm families.