This week, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) sponsored legislation to extend, improve and strengthen programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that have proven successful in helping beginning farmers and ranchers continue, start and build family farming and ranching operations. The Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Act, introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), would help beginning farmers and ranchers obtain education and training, necessary financial resources and credit, assistance for practicing sound conservation in their operations, and adequate income insurance and risk management.