This week's Open Mic guest is Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Following the group's Winter Policy Conference, McKinney says state ag leaders are hoping Congress can make progress on a new farm bill. The group's policy priorities include pesticide regulations, labor policy reform, regional food procurement as well as livestock disease preparedness and traceability. He also explains why state ag leaders support renewing the USMCA trade accord.

This week's Open Mic guest is Florian Schattenmann, Chief Technology Officer for Cargill. A younger generation of consumers is making greater demands on the food production system from the fields to the products offered on grocery store shelves.  Schattenmann says artificial intelligence is helping their scientists more efficiently analyze data around food production, protein demands and bring the desired changes that both farmers and consumers are striving for. Cargill was named to Fortune's 2025 Change the World List and received the 2026 BIG Innovation Award for AI and data driven innovation.

This week's Open Mic guest is Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association. Specialty crop growers face economic headwinds of rising input costs, a lack of available labor, and a loss of revenue. Burns and members of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance are appealing to Congress to find additional financial support for growers across all 50 states. She explains why IFPA supports the new Dietary Guidelines and the impact they will have on government feeding programs and the health and well being of all Americans.

This week's Open Mic guest is USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden who explains significant strides toward the reorganization of the Agriculture Department. Vaden shares the challenges of occupancy and maintenance at current buildings, including the Beltsville research facility. He also reviews how bridge assistance funds will be distributed to farmers, outlines upgrades to USDA technology, and says there will be increased dialogue and review over agency crop reports.

This week's Open Mic guest is Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack. The 3rd district representative says the proposed $1-billion dollars of Bridge Assistance for specialty crop and sugar farmers is significantly deficient to meet losses suffered by those producers. Cammack says a review of USMCA this summer should include better protection for fruit and vegetable producers in her state. She also addresses farm labor concerns and says she is exploring actions related to ingredient transparency.

This week's Open Mic guest is House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig. Before the release of the Farm and Family Freedom Act framework last week, the Minnesota Democrat spoke with Agri-Pulse on the sidelines of the American Farm Bureau Federation  convention. Craig expressed dismay with ICE raids in Minnesota and discussed the impacts on farm labor. Craig says her members are willing to compromise on a new farm bill this year,  but will not accept certain types of legislation such as language dealing with pesticide labeling. She also discusses the new dietary guidelines.

This week's Open Mic guest is Alison Bodor, president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute. Bodor says AFFI is pleased with the call for more whole and nutrient dense foods in the new dietary guidelines because frozen foods offer exceptional food quality, nutrition and less food waste. She explains other advantages of the frozen category and why AFFI is hopeful for a new farm bill with opportunities for frozen foods. Bodor also shares industry concerns over a patchwork of state regulations on food labels and food packaging.

This week's Open Mic guest is Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation and a third-generation Georgia farmer. The group's annual meeting is coming up in Anaheim, California next week and features key ag leaders from Washington. Duvall previews what his members would like to hear from those leaders on a variety of issues such as labor, high input costs and New World Screwworm. He says they are grateful for the Bridge Financial Assistance offered by the Trump administration, but the resources aren't adequate to meet the financial struggles facing many producers in 2026.

This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council.  Prices and trade policy have challenged U.S. soybean exports, especially as large volumes of Brazilian soybeans have displaced traditional sales to China. Having met with Chinese industry and government officials, Sutter says the Chinese want a better trade relationship with the U.S. but he is also focused on market diversification. He believes the higher quality of U.S. soy and sustainable production practices should lead to a rebound in global sales.

This week's Open Mic guest is House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson. While another year has come and gone without a completely updated farm bill, Thompson says he is pleased with financial assistance approved last year and farm program updates included in budget reconciliation this summer. Thompson hopes to begin markup of the remaining farm bill in January and to address additional farm financial assistance beyond the farmer bridge assistance coming from USDA.