Farm state Republicans appear skeptical about RFK Jr amid his quest for HHS confirmation

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will be asked to explain some of his beliefs about farming and food production by Republicans who are protective of the agricultural industry in their states. This could stand in the way of a smooth confirmation if he doesn’t manage to address their concerns. 

‘They’ve got to be able to use modern farming techniques, and that involves a lot of things, not only really sophisticated equipment, but also fertilizers and pesticides. So, we have to have that conversation,’ Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., told reporters. 

‘I’m always going to stand up for farmers and ranchers.’

Hoeven told Fox News Digital he would need certain assurances from Kennedy to support him. 

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters he wants Kennedy ‘to understand that when I started farming in 1960, we raised 50 bushels of corn to the acre. Now, we raise on an annual average about 200 in Iowa. A lot more than that.

‘And you can’t feed 9 billion people on the face of the earth [if] we don’t take advantage of genetic engineering.’

Before meeting with Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tuesday, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told reporters he planned to ask him about pesticide use. 

Afterward, it seemed Kennedy addressed any concerns, because Tuberville wrote on X, ‘Our meeting reaffirmed what I already knew: RFK Jr. is the right man to make sure our food is safe, bring transparency to vaccines and health care, and Make America Healthy Again.’

While some Republicans are worried about the agricultural implications of Kennedy’s positions, his food safety stances are providing some level of appeal to certain Democrats, whose votes he could potentially need to be confirmed. 

A number of Democratic senators told Fox News Digital their interest was piqued by Kennedy’s thoughts on food regulations, but none said they had meetings scheduled yet. 

‘His approach to food and nutrition is more direct and perhaps might be more successful than continuing the way we’ve been doing it,’ Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., told Fox News Digital.

‘I’m definitely looking forward to him coming in and testifying.’

A representative for Kennedy did not provide comment to Fox News Digital in time for publication.