New DNC Chair visits St. Louis, talks farm funding crisis and future of party
First Alert 4 was able to ask the national head if there are plans for addressing federal farming grants in limbo
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Ken Martin, the recently elected chair of the Democratic National Committee, picked St. Louis as one of his stops along his national tour focused on getting the “DNC out of D.C.” He met this morning with farmers and ranchers, as well as rural community experts, from across the Show Me State.
His visit comes amid multiple questions about federal for the agriculture sector, including a flurry of concerns about funding impacts to farmers as part of wide spreading changes to federal funding dollars as part of the Trump istration’s efforts to limit spending.
First Alert 4 asked Martin if the party was in the process of doing anything to help farmers and ranchers impacted by USDA funding changes and the recent halt of USAID dollars.
“Well absolutely we are, and we’re already talking about it,” he told reporters. “I just met with some folks earlier .. 75% of the Inflation Reduction Act which they’re cutting goes to rural economies and communities. We have an obligation to farmers and ranchers and others across the country to deliver on the contracts you have.”
Martin continued by saying that when funds are frozen as they have been recently, it has many impacts to farmers, cattlemen, ag workers and others because they are not sure if they will ever receive the funds that were agreed in contracts.
The DNC Chair was openly critical of the current istration, especially about the impacts of the funding halt. He described the actions taken as using a “sledgehammer” to reduce spending when the Trump istration should’ve used a scalpel.
Martin spoke about the Democratic party’s losses in voter numbers in the last election, and the need for the party to connect with rural and farming communities. He also felt it was important for the party to focus on “kitchen table issues,” and to focus on the economic concerns of Americans.
His stop was part of the “Organizing Everywhere” tour he’s conducting. He is taking a tour of multiple states of different political colors, including Missouri, Illinois, Texas and Pennsylvania. Martin is a longtime Democratic party person, with strong ties to the state of Minnesota.
“Chair Martin’s first tour hinges on the principles he’s lived by during his tenure as Chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party where his electoral track record is 25-0 — that Democrats must organize everywhere, compete everywhere, and build locally while keeping our strongholds,“ the DNC website states.
Avery Martinez covers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a Report for America corps member, as well as a member of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. His coverage goes from corn farms to hunting concerns, and local water rates to rancher mental health.
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