Ag Secretary Plan for Mitigate Wildfire Risk and NASDA Wants Fix for Ag Labor
From the Ag Information Network, this is your Agribusiness Update.
**Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that USDA is embarking on a new era to mitigate wildfire risk.
Secretary Rollins, Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, and
Sierra Pacific Industry CEO Mark Emmerson announced a $75 million Agreement for constructing and maintaining strategically placed fuel breaks in national forests in California and Oregon.
This investment expands efforts to create a network of fuel breaks to protect rural communities, reduce wildfire risk, and improve rural prosperity.
**Senator Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee, led committee Democrats in pressing the USDA to explain recent layoffs at the Department.
The Senators asked how many USDA employees were fired and for a breakdown by state, agency, job position, and veteran status.
The letter said, these widespread layoffs jeopardize USDA’s ability to respond to the avian flu outbreak, farm loans, disaster relief and other assistance for farmers.
**At its 2025 Winter Policy Conference, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture called on Congress to develop comprehensive strategies to address agricultural labor challenges and border security.
The NASDA says comprehensive ag labor reform is needed to allow access to the H-2A program for year-round agriculture industries.
It would also create a pathway to legal status for agriculture and agribusiness workers who are employed but may be under questionable status.
