{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-ricketts-working-for-nebraska-farmers-and-ranchers/", "VIDEO: Ricketts Working for Nebraska Farmers and Ranchers", "2026-05-22", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, during his weekly press call with Nebraska media, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) discussed his work fighting for Nebraska farmers and ranchers. Ricketts highlighted his resolution designating May as Renewable Fuels Month and his support for year-round E15. \u201cNebraska is a national leader in biofuels production, making 2.2 billion gallons each year. This homegrown energy saves consumers money at the pump. It helps farmers get better prices for their corn and soybeans, and it\u2019s good for our environment,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cOur biofuels are a win for Nebraska and America.\u201d\n\nRicketts also discussed the MARKET Act, legislation that would require the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative to look at new markets for Nebraska ag products. The bill would also require the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate threats and trade barriers from foreign adversaries like Communist China.\n\n\u201cThe Market Act is important because Communist China has demonstrated time and time again that it is not a reliable trade partner,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cWe need to explore new markets to prevent Nebraska farmers and ranchers from being beholden to Communist China. I look forward to working with my colleagues to support this effort. I\u2019m proud to do my part to support Nebraska\u2019s farmers and ranchers, and I will continue to be their voice here in the US Senate.\u201d\n\nWatch the video here.\n\nTRANSCRIPT:\n\nSenator Ricketts: \u201cBefore I begin, thank you to all the brave first responders who quickly helped during the storms that hit Nebraska this week.\n\n\u201cSusanne and I are praying for all those who were impacted by those storms.\n\n\u201cWhen I was governor, we dealt with storms and floods and other disasters.\n\n\u201cNebraska has always rebuilt together then, and I am confident the same will be true this time around as well.\n\n\u201cWith that, let\u2019s go ahead and continue the call.\n\n\u201cToday I introduced a resolution designating May as Renewable Fuels Month.\n\n\u201cNebraska is a national leader in biofuels production, making 2.2 billion gallons each year.\n\n\u201cThis homegrown energy saves consumers money at the pump.\n\n\u201cIt helps farmers get better prices for their corn and soybeans, and it\u2019s good for our environment.\n\n\u201cBiofuels also contribute to American energy independence.\n\n\u201cThe Renewable Fuels Association estimates that US-produced ethanol displaced the need for 640 million barrels of imported oil in 2025.\n\n\u201cThis reduces our reliance on foreign countries and bolsters our national security.\n\n\u201cOur biofuels are a win for Nebraska and America.\n\n\u201cLast week we saw Congressman Adrian Smith\u2019s bill allowing for year-round sales of E15 pass the House.\n\n\u201cE15 is a win-win-win for consumers, the environment, and farmers and ranchers.\n\n\u201cIt gives Nebraskans more choice at the pump and saves them money.\n\n\u201cLast weekend, when I filled up at Hy-Vee, I saved 55 cents per gallon with E10 compared to regular 87 octane gasoline.\n\n\u201cE15 saves even more money at the pump.\n\n\u201cAt our Nebraska breakfast this morning, Congressman Bacon relayed that he saved $1 a gallon by filling up with E15.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s real relief.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s time to make this law.\n\n\u201cNebraska\u2019s farmers and ranchers also rely on stability and good trading partners to succeed.\n\n\u201cWhile we are the nation\u2019s fifth largest ag exporter, the vast majority of our exports are to countries in the Indo-Pacific.\n\n\u201cI visited a number of them as governor, leading trade missions with farmers and ranchers.\n\n\u201cIn Nebraska, we already know China is an unreliable trade partner, and that\u2019s why, when I was governor, we moved our trade office from China to Germany.\n\n\u201cWith the conclusion of Trump\u2019s summit in Beijing, Asian market access looks like it might expand.\n\n\u201cUS Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that he expects China to buy double-digit billions of US ag products over the next three years.\n\n\u201cThat includes at least $17 billion per year of US agricultural products in 2026, 2027, and 2028, in addition to China\u2019s commitment last October to buy at least 25 million metric tons of soybeans for those same years \u2014 2026, 2027, and 2028.\n\n\u201cIf fulfilled, this would mean another $9.8 billion in soybeans purchased.\n\n\u201cIt could also include relisting some of our beef exporters that China arbitrarily removed, or recommitting to consistent purchases of hides and skins.\n\n\u201cI hope it\u2019s all true.\n\n\u201cThe President and the administration should be commended for getting these initial commitments, but we must also remember that China reneged on President Trump\u2019s phase one trade deal once President Biden was in office.\n\n\u201cIt will require strong leadership from this administration and future administrations to hold Communist China to its commitments for our ag communities, but we also shouldn\u2019t provide China with outsized leverage.\n\n\u201cWe need to continue to export Nebraska and American products around the globe\n\n\u201cTo de-risk Nebraskans from Communist China\u2019s markets and unfair trade practices and open the door for more trading partners, I\u2019ve introduced the Market Act this week.\n\n\u201cThis legislation would require the US Department of Agriculture and the US Trade Representative to look at other markets, so we can diversify our exports.\n\n\u201cIt would also require the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate the threats and trade barriers from Communist China.\n\n\u201cThe Market Act is important because Communist China has demonstrated time and time again that it is not a reliable trade partner.\n\n\u201cWe need to explore new markets to prevent Nebraska farmers and ranchers from being beholden to Communist China.\n\n\u201cI look forward to working with my colleagues to support this effort.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proud to do my part to support Nebraska\u2019s farmers and ranchers, and I will continue to be their voice here in the U.S. Senate.\n\n\u201cThey are the backbone of our communities.\n\n\u201cNebraska and the nation depend upon them.\u201cWe need them now, and we\u2019re going to need them for generations to come.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-27T20:01:11Z", "2026-06-27T22:21:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/video-ricketts-working-for-nebraska-farmers-and-ranchers/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0162265971302986, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}