Agri-Pulse Newsmakers

The pork industry suffered one of the worst economic years on record in 2023. As producers now grapple with the uncertainty of tariffs, we speak with Kevin Stuckey, sow unit manager at Cooper Farms in Ohio, Chris Ford, VP corporate swine lender at Farm Credit Services of America and Oklahoma Pork Council Executive Director Kylee Deniz to get a pulse on the animal health, labor and economic challenges facing the industry.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Senate Republicans will spend the coming weeks trying to agree on changes to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.  We asked Clinton and George W. Bush administration ag secretaries, Dan Glickman and Mike Johanns, about how reconciliation elements may change in the Senate and the fate of the traditional rural-urban farm bill coalition. "It looks to me like the coalition broke up," Johanns says.Glickman and Johanns also discuss the Make America Healthy Again report, President Trump's tariffs and USDA staff reductions.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

House Republicans passed their reconciliation bill by a one vote margin. The bill boosts farm programs and extends key tax breaks but cuts SNAP program spending. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson joins Newsmakers to talk about why the bill is so important for agriculture. He also discusses the impact of federal downsizing at USDA and whether farmers should be worried about the president’s trade policy.Then, Jim Richards with Cornerstone Government Affairs and Anne Simmons with The Peterson Group, Inc. discuss the specifics of reconciliation and whether comprehensive farm bills are a thing of the past.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

House Republicans advanced major pieces of their massive budget bill this week, including expanded tax benefits for farmers and small businesses. We asked Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., how those provisions could fare in the Senate. He also says he’s pushing back on Make America Healthy Again advocates who criticize pesticide use, and he talks about what he expects from the new dietary guidelines.Then, John Weber with Monument Advocacy and Sharon Bomer Lauritsen with AgTrade Strategies, LLC discuss the details of reconciliation and the recent trade deal between the U.S. and U.K.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

House Agriculture Committee members will have a lengthy markup next week to find the instructed $230 billion in budget reconciliation savings. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., explains Democrats' opposition to nutrition cuts and the scrubbing of the term "climate" at USDA.Then, former USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie discusses downsizing at the agency and Angela Rachidi from the American Enterprise Institute outlines proposed SNAP cuts in reconciliation.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Republicans on the House Ag Committee are trying to reach agreement on cuts to nutrition assistance and increases in farm bill spending. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, says Democrats will be largely opposed to SNAP cuts to fund a boost to commodity programs. “We can’t rob Peter to pay Paul,” she said.Then, Tom Sell with Combest, Sell & Associates and Gina Plata-Nino with the Food Research and Action Center discuss the political hurdles ahead with proposed cuts to the SNAP program.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says the USDA's downsizing plan due in May could include some consolidation. Recording at the White House Easter Egg Roll, we also asked her about the department's plans to address bird flu this spring, her thoughts on the timing for trade assistance and whether she’s confident Congress will provide needed funding through the Commodity Credit Corporation.Then, we speak with Emily Metz from the American Egg Board, Cathy Burns from the International Fresh Produce Association and Philip Good from the United Soybean Board to discuss the commodities on display at the event.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Congressional Republicans are still a long way from agreeing on the giant budget reconciliation bill, but NCFC leader Chuck Conner says he sees ‘glimmers of hope’ for a boost to the farm safety net in the package. Conner also discusses the possibility for ag labor reform this Congress as well as tariffs and brain drain at USDA. Then, Dan Halstrom from the U.S. Meat Export Federation and Krista Swanson from the National Corn Growers Association discuss how tariffs are affecting their industries.

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President Donald Trump this week temporarily paused country-specific reciprocal tariffs while those applied to China increased to 125%. We asked Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., how the move could change the U.S.' ag trading relationship with China and his thoughts on staff reductions at the Agriculture Department.Then, Tim Lust from the National Sorghum Producers and Ken Barbic with Invariant discuss the tariffs, including how long producers can wait for government payments for market loss.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

President Trump unveiled a massive tariff plan this week adding a 10% across-the-board tariff on imports, plus a higher reciprocal tariff on many U.S. trading partners. We asked Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., how the tariffs will affect producers and how farm bill elements may be incorporated into budget reconciliation.Then, the American Soybean Association's Virginia Houston and Joe Glauber from the International Food Policy Research Institute discuss which producers could be hurt the most by the tariffs and how farmers' cost of production will increase.Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD