MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
U.S. Representative Tracy Mann called the recently signed "Big Beautiful Bill" a major step forward for Kansas agriculture, aviation, and tax policy, in an interview on the BW Morning Show. Signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, the bill includes several provisions Mann described as “Farm Bill 1.0,” laying the groundwork for a broader, long-term farm package later this year.
“There’s still more to do,” Mann said, “but we were able to deliver a lot of wins for Kansas producers.” Among those wins: stronger crop insurance protections, updated reference prices indexed to inflation, and significant estate tax relief for generational farms.
The estate tax exemption was raised to $15 million per person, or $30 million for a married couple, indexed to inflation. “That’s going to exempt out many of our producers so they won’t have to worry about estate taxes,” Mann said.
Additional agricultural investments in the bill include federal funding for animal health research, support for the livestock industry, and tax policy changes that Mann said lock in “the biggest tax cut in history for middle and working-class Americans.”
Mann, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, said a follow-up bill—dubbed “Farm Bill 2.0”—is expected this fall to finalize so-called “orphan programs” that weren’t included in the July package. These include conservation efforts like the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), along with ag research initiatives.
He also addressed concerns about the structure of farm legislation. “Eighty-one percent of the Farm Bill is food and nutrition programs,” Mann said, referring primarily to SNAP benefits. The new law includes reforms requiring work for able-bodied adults without dependents to receive SNAP benefits.
Mann also touched on provisions benefiting Kansas’ second-largest industry—aviation. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he noted that the bill included a “down payment” on modernizing the nation’s air traffic control system and locked in low corporate tax rates important to aviation companies and their customers.
Reflecting on the first six months of President Trump’s second term, Mann praised progress on immigration, citing a record-low number of illegal border crossings in June, and efforts to reduce the size of the federal government.
“Promises made, promises kept,” Mann said.
The representative also addressed the Trump administration’s use of tariffs to renegotiate global trade agreements. He said the strategy—while not ideal in a free-market economy—has led to new export opportunities for U.S. beef and ethanol, particularly with the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Looking ahead, Mann said Kansas farmers are facing challenging margins due to high input costs and low crop prices, though weather conditions so far point to a potentially strong fall harvest.
He closed by highlighting key tax reforms in the law, including exemptions from taxes on Social Security for most seniors, as well as new provisions eliminating federal taxes on tips and overtime.
“These are really important provisions that are now signed into law—and they’ll be permanent,” Mann said.