MANHATTAN – The farmers and ranchers of the state’s leading agriculture advocacy organization today announced their endorsements for three incumbents in the U.S. House races for Reps. of Tracey Mann in Kansas’ 1st District, Jake LaTurner for the 2nd District and Ron Estes for the 4th District.

The formal endorsements came from Kansas Farm Bureau’s (KFB) political action committee, Voters Organized to Elect Farm Bureau Friends (VOTE FBF), comprised of active farmer/rancher members elected by their peers from each of KFB’s 10 geographic districts. 

The KFB endorsement process began earlier this year with individual recommendations from the autonomous county Farm Bureau organizations. The 60 counties that comprise the 1st U.S. House District, the 26 counties that make up Kansas’ 2nd U.S House district and the 17 counties that comprise the 4th District provided district-level feedback to VOTE FBF.

There were clear majorities from county Farm Bureau organizations in support of the incumbents. 

“Rep. Tracey Mann has been an outstanding Congressman for the Big First District in his initial term,” Rich Felts, president of KFB says. “His deep understanding of rural Kansas and our short- and long-term challenges and opportunities means he will continue to serve his constituents and agriculture well. 

“As a 6th-generation Kansan, Rep. Jake LaTurner has an innate feel for the meaning and importance of agriculture and the family farm,” Felts adds. “Jake has gained invaluable experience in moving and shaping public policy during his first term in Washington, D.C.

“During his time on the Hill, Congressman Ron Estes has proven himself to be a genuine friend of the farmer, especially on the Ways and Means Committee where he’s worked to open doors for agricultural trade,” says Felts. “Ron Estes’ brand of leadership continues to gain him respect and influence, as shown by robust grassroots support from county Farm Bureau organizations in south-central Kansas.”  

Kansas Farm Bureau’s VOTE FBF fund was established in 1993 to elect candidates who understand agriculture and advocate on its behalf. Since its inception, endorsed candidates have won their respective elections in more than 90 percent of races. To learn more about VOTE FBF, visit www.kfb.org/votefbf.