This week's Open Mic guest is Lisa Lazarus, CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. HISA was formed as a legislative response to increased fatalities in horseracing. The body of industry leaders has been successful in establishing rules to protect both jockeys and animals. The successful evidence of their work is providing confidence for renewed  investment in the horseracing industry. Attendance at racetracks is growing and the industry is expanding, providing thousands of jobs across rural America and many urban areas.

This week's Open Mic guest is Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA The Rural Broadband Association. The Supreme Court confirmed the constitutionality of the Universal Service Fund in a decision announced on Friday.  Bloomfield says NTCA applauds the decision as access to those funds is critical for expanding and maintaining broadband service to millions in rural America. Bloomfield says regulatory headwinds from the Trump administration are challenging previously approved work under the Biden administration. She applauds her members for providing broadband service to the nation but says there is still much work to be done.

This week's Open Mic guest is Jeff Rowe, CEO of Syngenta Group. He says crop protection companies are looking to improve the health of human beings around the globe and boost agriculture's environmental footprint. In addition to their existing product portfolio, Rowe sees tremendous growth opportunities for artificial intelligence and biological products to enhance crop growth, sustainability, and nutrient efficiencies. However, U.S. regulatory headwinds may slow down access to some new products, especially compared to what's available for South American growers.

This week's Open Mic guest is Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. The most recent food insecurity numbers from the USDA suggest more people are food insecure today than during the Covid Pandemic. Babineaux-Fontenot says food donations and financial contributions are trending lower while more people are seeking assistance. Babineau-Fontenot strongly disagrees with GOP plans to change Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding, saying the cuts could create a 9.5 billion meal shortfall in the nation.

This week's Open Mic guest is Andy LaVigne, President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association. Members of ASTA will be in Washington this week spending time on Capitol Hill to lobby for issues critical to the seed industry's future.  LaVigne says along with their customers, ASTA members need the certainty of a new farm bill, free and open global markets as well as science-based regulations that will protect the industry from litigation.

This week's Open Mic guest is U.S. Representative Angie Craig, Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee. The Minnesota Democrat stands in strong opposition to the House Reconciliation Act that took billions of dollars from the SNAP program to make room for tax cuts and adds to the nation's budget deficit. Craig opposes the Trump administration's use of tariffs and doesn't believe the nation's farm economy can withstand the economic challenges presented by reciprocal tariffs from offended trading partners. Craig says change to farm and food programs should come from regular order in Congress and not from the MAHA Commission.

This week's Open Mic guest is Neil Caskey, CEO of the National Corn Growers Association. Caskey says last week's Make America Healthy Again report overshadowed the news of updates to the nation's farm programs and tax policy in the House of Representatives. Caskey is anxious to see the EPA's pending RVO announcement under the Renewable Fuel Standard and hopes Congress can finally approve year-round E-15 legislation. He says the nation's corn growers are willing to give President Trump's trade policy time to play out, but they hope the exercise leads to increased market access.

This week's Open Mic guest is Chandler Goule, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers. The budget reconciliation debate introduced much needed changes to farm programs that many agriculture groups have hoped for, but Goule says there are many needed provisions that were orphaned in the reconciliation process and need to be addressed. Like others, Goule is concerned about the consequences of U.S. tariffs and retaliation by other countries. He is also concerned about keeping wheat acres competitive with other crops so acres don't continue to fall.

This week's Open Mic guest is Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman. The Arkansas Republican says updating farm programs under budget reconciliation won't be easy but is a way forward to update risk management tools for farmers. Boozman believes SNAP program funds can be cut without reducing benefits for those in need and discusses President Trump's tariff tactics to bring better trade relationships for farmers and industry.

This week's Open Mic guest is Dr. Rob Johansson, Director of Economics and Policy Analysis for the American Sugar Alliance. Johansson says sugar growers are facing the same economic headwinds of high input costs and marginal commodity prices. Growers hope for a new farm bill with updates in crop insurance and marketing loan prices reflective of current market conditions. Johansson says growers still satisfy a majority of domestic sugar demand and support sound science regarding dietary guidance coming from Washington.