Agri-Pulse Newsmakers

The public is anxiously awaiting the release of the second Make America Healthy Again Commission report. Cathy Burns, president and CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association, discusses the opportunities her group sees in the upcoming guidance, the need for ag labor reform and when consumers may begin to see higher produce prices caused by tariffs.Plus, Dan Basse from AgResource Company discusses USDA's bin-busting corn crop projections and China's lack of soybean purchasing this year. Becky Rasdall Vargas from the International Dairy Foods Association joins the conversation to discuss the current trade landscape and the foreign shipbuilding port fees that will go into effect this fall.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

House Ag Committee Chair "GT" Thompson wants to take action on a skinny farm bill this fall. We spoke with ranking members of both the House and Senate Ag Committees, Rep. Angie Craig and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, at the Minnesota FarmFest about their priorities within a skinny farm bill and their willingness to negotiate after nutrition program cuts in reconciliation.Plus, AFBF President Zippy Duvall discusses his group's priorities for the second Make America Healthy Again Commission Report due to be released next week, Rep. Brad Finstad defends the need to include a Prop 12 legislative fix in a skinny farm bill, and Rep. Michelle Fischbach reviews President Trump's trade negotiations so far.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

A longtime crop insurance agent and member of both the Iowa and American Soybean Association board of directors, Pat Swanson may be new to USDA but not to the many crop insurance programs farmers depend on. On Newsmakers this week, we speak with Risk Management Agency Administrator Pat Swanson about her plans to lead the agency and how her background serving on the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation has prepared her for the role.Plus, hear from two former USDA undersecretaries, Robert Bonnie and Bruce Knight, for perspective on USDA's reorganization plan, which will move more than half of the 4,600 current Washington-based staff to five regional hubs across the U.S.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins released the long-awaited USDA reorganization plan this week including closure of some facilities and relocation of many staff to regional hubs across the country. We spoke with Maryland Rep. April McClain Delaney about the plan, including the closure of the Beltsville Ag Research Center in her state, as well as rural broadband deployment.Plus, Eric Steiner with OFW Law discusses what to expect in the skinny farm bill House Ag Chairman "GT" Thompson wants to move this fall, and Shirley Bloomfield from NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association explains what's needed to continue expanding broadband connectivity.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

The Trump administration said ag would be exempt from immigration raids, then said that "no amnesty" will be shown for those employed in agriculture. We speak with Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Democratic Congresswoman representing Oregon's Willamette Valley, about the strain this uncertainty is putting on her district's producers as well as how staff reductions at the Forest Service could impact wildfire fighting abilities.Then, Rebeckah Adcock with the International Fresh Produce Association discusses her industry's trade concerns as President Trump's reciprocal tariff rate increase looms on August 1 and Michael Marsh with the National Council of Agricultural Employers discusses what he's hearing about ICE raids of agricultural businesses across the U.S.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

The reconciliation bill passed by Congress this month cuts nutrition program spending by an estimated $186 billion over ten years. We spoke with Rep. Shri Thanedar, an ag committee Democrat who represents the Detroit metropolitan area, who tells us that after the cuts to SNAP, "I don't think it's going to be smooth sailing for what you call the skinny farm bill."Then, Tara Smith with Torrey Advisory Group discusses when producers will see the boost to commodity and crop insurance programs included in reconciliation and Arlan Suderman at StoneX discusses the extension of the country-specific reciprocal tariff deadline.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Sentiment in farm country has fluctuated with talk of trade wars, weakened commodity prices, as well as rising input and regulatory costs that are squeezing producers. Christy Seyfert, president and CEO of the Farm Credit Council, discusses the state of the farm economy and the benefits rural America will see from farm provisions passed in President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.Then, Dan Basse, president of AgResource Company, discusses what the ag industry should brace for as President Trump’s 90-day pause on tariffs could end on July 9.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Senate Republicans are still working through a few major issues as they continue trying to pass the reconciliation bill by President Trump’s July 4 deadline. Sen. Raphael Warnock, the only southern Democrat on the Senate Ag Committee, discusses how he thinks the bill’s treatment of SNAP, Medicaid and Inflation Reduction Act programs could hurt rural America.Then, Jacqlyn Schneider with FGS Global discusses how conservation funding and the broader farm bill coalition could be affected by reconciliation, and Rachel Sheffield from the Heritage Foundation discusses the more aggressive SNAP work requirements.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Senate leadership is still aiming to have the budget reconciliation bill through the Senate by July 4. Senate Ag Committee Chair John Boozman joins Newsmakers to outline the benefits farm country will see in the bill. He also discusses immigration, the MAHA Commission report and his optimism for passing a complete farm bill this Congress.Plus, Mike Stranz with the National Farmers Union and Tas Smith from the National Cotton Council discuss the extension of the 45Z tax credit in reconciliation, Buy American Cotton Act and MAHA Commission report.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

The Senate Ag Committee released budget reconciliation text this week that includes a boost to some key farm bill programs and a less aggressive state SNAP cost share proposal than the House. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., discusses the proposal and her recent meeting with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about the Make America Healthy Again Commission report.Plus, Katie Naessens with Torrey Advisory Group and Ken Barbic with Invariant continue the discussion on reconciliation, then dive into trade and state SNAP waivers restricting soda and candy purchases.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD