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Farm Bill Vote with McConnell
Washington State Farm Bureau Report
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell is expected to cast the winning farm bill vote in the Senate Ag Committee today after a three-month absence battling a fall and pneumonia.
English EPA Appointment and USDA Beef Export Data Errors
The Agribusiness Update
Florida Farm Bureau member Kate English has been appointed to the EPA’s Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee, and Democratic senators seeking answers from the USDA after a major error in U.S. beef export sales data.
Climate-Smart Farming Cuts and USDA Beef Export Data Errors
The Agribusiness Update
Lynda Hopkins, of the California Air Resources Board, criticized anticipated cuts to state-funded programs that incentivize climate-smart farming practices, and Democratic senators seeking answers from the USDA after a major error in U.S. beef export sales data.
Feral Swine Eradication and Klobuchar on Farm Bill
The Agribusiness Update
The USDA has $35 million for partnerships to respond to the threat of feral swine to American agriculture, and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar says she’s committed to working with Senate Ag Chair John Boozman to advance a new Farm Bill.
Fuel Tax Relief
Washington State Farm Bureau Report
Senator Judy Warnick wants Governor Bob Ferguson to suspend the state Climate Commitment Act carbon pricing scheme before an automatic 2% gas tax-hike hits on July 1st.
Legislation Targets Major Meatpackers and National Cheese Day
The Agribusiness Update
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer introduced legislation aimed at lowering grocery prices by increasing competition within the meatpacking industry, and the dairy checkoff is using today, National Cheese Day to promote cheese as a high-protein snack option.
Hurricane Insurance Expansion and U.S. Meat Record Sales
The Agribusiness Update
USDA’s Risk Management Agency announced a significant expansion of the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index endorsement and the Tropical Storm Option, and U.S. retail meat sales climbed to a record $112 billion in 2025 as consumers continued prioritizing meat protein despite higher grocery prices.
Input Cost Fits
Washington State Farm Bureau Report
When it comes to the mounting frustration of high input costs and chronically low prices, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, says he’s hearing repeatedly from farmers who are at their wits’ end.
Labor Shortage in Specialty Crops and USMCA Improvements Pushed
The Agribusiness Update
Labor shortages continue to challenge specialty crop growers, raising concerns about production, harvest and rising costs, and a bipartisan group of senators is urging continued support and improvements to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Citrus Greening Heroes and USMCA Improvements Pushed
The Agribusiness Update
A few tiny heroes may help fight Florida’s long-running battle against citrus greening disease, and rising costs, and a bipartisan group of senators is urging continued support and improvements to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
WSTFA Lobbying Efforts
Fruit Grower Report
Much of what the Washington State Tree Fruit Association is focused on is engagement in state government affairs to help address the market uncertainty driven by government policy.
War and Agriculture
Washington State Farm Bureau Report
The Iran war, Congress’s fight over Homeland Security funding and the voter ID SAVE Act are complicating farm struggles.
Trade Mission to Philippines and USDA Data Concerns
The Agribusiness Update
The USDA will lead a trade mission to the Philippines next week, to expand market access for America’s agriculture, and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Jeanne Shaheen led ten Democrats in raising concerns to USDA about the reliability of their data.
WSU Honeybee Study and Summer Sale of E15
The Agribusiness Update
A man-made food source provided honeybees a nutritious diet over the course of two winters through a new study at WSU, and the Renewable Fuels Association welcomed an EPA decision to allow uninterrupted sales of lower-cost E15 this summer.
Florida's Lab-grown Meat Ban and Summer Sale of E15
The Agribusiness Update
A federal appeals court upheld Florida’s ban on lab-grown meat, that’s been in place since 2024, and the Renewable Fuels Association welcomed an EPA decision to allow uninterrupted sales of lower-cost E15 this summer.
Mandatory Price Reporting for Fertilizer and Consumer Spending Data
The Agribusiness Update
A bipartisan group of Senators introduced a bill that would require mandatory price reporting of fertilizer, and data from the Economic Research Service’s Food Dollar Series provides a clear picture of consumer food spending across the food supply chain.
Fertilizer Fix and Farm Support Programs
The Agribusiness Update
Reuters reports that the Trump administration is seeking other sources of fertilizer amid the ongoing Iran war's shipping constraints, and Federal farm support programs are playing an increasingly central role as American producers navigate economic uncertainty, high costs and weak prices.
Potatoes to Japan-Wyden
Washington State Farm Bureau Report
Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Idaho’s Mike Crapo wrote a letter, signed by 66 of their colleagues, encouraging the President to make getting U.S. fresh potato access into Japan.
FFA and politicians
Idaho Ag Today
On January 26th the Idaho statehouse was flooded with a sea of blue FFA jackets as part of the Cenarrusa FFA Day on the Hill.
Farm Labor Reform Delay
Fruit Grower Report
Another year has come and gone without farm labor reforms.