U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts says rising diesel prices are putting additional pressure on Nebraska farmers and ranchers as harvest approaches.
During his weekly conference call with Nebraska reporters Wednesday, Ricketts said higher fuel costs are also affecting the transportation industry. “No doubt that diesel is putting a major pressure on our farmers and ranchers, and of course, on all the transportation that relies on our diesel trucks to move the goods around our country,” Ricketts said.
Ricketts pointed to renewable diesel and biodiesel as homegrown options that could help ease some of the pressure from higher fuel costs.
The Nebraska Republican also addressed artificial intelligence during the call, saying policymakers need to establish safeguards while allowing the technology to continue developing. “We definitely need to have some guardrails around this,” Ricketts said, pointing to deepfakes as an existing concern. He suggested an industry self-regulatory organization overseen by the federal government as one possible approach.
Ricketts also discussed inflation and interest rates, saying the cost of living remains a concern he frequently hears about while traveling Nebraska. “As I travel around the state, one of the biggest concerns I hear from folks is the cost of living,” Ricketts said.
Ricketts said controlling inflation is one of the Federal Reserve’s primary responsibilities and that higher interest rates can be used to help combat rising prices.