Agri-Pulse Newsmakers

After serving 12 of the last 16 years as agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack will end his tenure leading USDA at the change of administration Monday. In an exit interview, he discussed the potential fate of climate and equity programs under the incoming administration and how his vision for USDA has changed since he first took office in 2009. He also discussed his ongoing concerns for the agricultu...

Avian flu was first identified in dairy cattle in March. We asked Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, how USDA’s nationwide milk testing strategy is being implemented to safeguard the food supply and what additional measures may be needed. Then, Invariant’s Anne MacMillan and Tom Sell with Combest, Sell & Associates discuss the $10B market relief pack...

As 2024 comes to a close, Agri-Pulse Newsmakers looks back at some of the biggest stories in ag and food policy, including the farm bill, bird flu in dairy cattle, reports from the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Hurricane Helene's agricultural impact, and more. Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

The Farm Credit System has experienced many changes in recent decades to better support rural America. Todd Van Hoose, retiring president and CEO of the Farm Credit Council, discussed the viability of lenders in 2025 and looked back at a historic farm bill advocacy push. Christy Seyfert will succeed Van Hoose in January. Then, The Russell Group’s Jessica Schulken and John Weber from Monument Advoc...

Republicans will take control of the Senate in January, making John Boozman chairman of the Senate Ag Committee. We asked him about his plans for the committee, including collaborating with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who's in line to be the ranking member, and how Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees may influence agriculture. Then, Laura Wood from LWP Consulting and Invariant’s Danielle Beck discuss the cont...

California Rep. Jim Costa is challenging the House Ag Committee’s current ranking member, David Scott of Georgia, and Angie Craig of Minnesota for the top Democratic position on the panel. We ask about Costa’s vision for the committee. Then, we talk with two of Brooke Rollins’ former colleagues to learn how she may lead the Ag Department if confirmed. Drew DeBerry from Axis Strategies and Corey Ro...

A challenging farm economy and clean fuels tax credit decision could lead to changes for farm country in 2025.We look ahead at big issues for the new year with farm group leaders, including American Soybean Association President Josh Gackle, National Sorghum Producers Chairwoman Amy France, National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. and United Soybean Export Council Board Dire...

The race is on to pass a farm bill extension before the end of the year after Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow released her farm bill text this week and it was rejected by Republicans. We asked Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., about the future of the farm bill and prospects for a package of market loss relief and disaster aid in December. Then, NASDA’s RJ Karney and NFU’s Aaron Shier discuss wha...

It’s official: Republicans have won control of the House as well as the Senate and White House. Biofuel policy, the farm bill and trade could see changes under the new administration and Congress. We asked Torrey Advisory Group President Michael Torrey, NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys, American Sugarbeet Growers Assn. CEO Luther Markwart and ACE CEO Brian Jennings about their outlook from the National As...

Donald Trump won the presidency and the GOP won control of the Senate this week. Some House race votes are still being tallied. We sat down with two former agriculture secretaries, Dan Glickman from the Clinton administration and Mike Johanns from the Bush administration, to discuss what could be ahead regarding trade and immigration policy, as well as the possible role of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in...

2024 World Food Prize laureates Cary Fowler and Geoffrey Hawtin were honored for their life work protecting crop biodiversity at the Borlaug International Dialogue. We asked Fowler about the creation of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Then, Jim Snee, CEO of Hormel, and his wife and community advocate, Tammy discuss Hormel’s Hometown Food Security Project, and Manuel Otero, IICA director general, s...

Election day is less than two weeks away. Senate Ag Committee member Peter Welch, D-Vt., joined the show to discuss what a Harris-Walz presidency could mean for agriculture. Then, American Farm Bureau Federation’s Joby Young and Jonathan Coppess from the University of Illinois discuss the possibility of a farm bill being passed this year and how a disaster aid package may be written to support far...

Multiple hurricanes have caused destruction for southeastern farmers this year. House Ag Committee member Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., joined the show to discuss damage in his district, the call for disaster aid funding and the farm bill. Then, the Farm Service Agency's John Berge and StoneX's Josh Linville join to talk about USDA disaster assistance and the hurricane's impacts on fertilizer availabi...

EPA’s final herbicide strategy was developed to protect threatened and endangered species. We asked Alex Dunn, president and CEO of CropLife America, about the effectiveness of the strategy and Office of Pesticide Programs funding. Then, Ashley Smith with Torrey Advisory Group and Paul Winters from the Clean Fuels Alliance discuss what industry and farmers should expect when the Clean Fuels Credit...

Robert Bonnie, USDA’s undersecretary for farm production and conservation, surveyed Hurricane Helene’s damage this week. He joins the show to discuss damages to crops, livestock facilities and infrastructure, as well as the support affected producers can receive from USDA.Then, Peter Friedmann with the Ag Transportation Coalition and Danny Munch from the American Farm Bureau Federation join an ag...

Nearly 1,000 women gathered in Denver for the Women in Agribusiness Summit this week. We connected with Mary Kay Thatcher from Syngenta to discuss EPA's Final Herbicide Strategy and an outlook for the November election. Then, Terryn Lawrence from Rabobank discusses her experience at Climate Week in New York City and Fidela Irigoyen with Wells Fargo Agribusiness discusses water and ag labor challen...

Farm groups are concerned about Trump’s threat to increase tariffs on U.S. trading partners. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., joined Newsmakers to discuss ag tax and trade policy, including what’s at stake in the election. Then, Kristine Tidgren from Iowa State University’s Center for Ag Law and Taxation and Jim Richards with Cornerstone Government Affairs discuss how...

North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven joins the show to discuss the potential impact on agriculture of Donald Trump’s tariff proposals. Then, incoming National Sorghum Producers Chairwoman Amy France and American Soybean Association director Ronnie Russell discuss the unique farm bill push from coalitions of row crop farmers on Capitol Hill this week. Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox ev...

A handful of races will determine which party controls each chamber of Congress. We spoke with Senate race analyst Jessica Taylor from the Cook Political Report about the probability of Republicans winning the Senate. Then, Anne MacMillan of Invariant and the Russell Group’s Andrew Harker discuss Republican and Democratic election priorities and what to expect in Congress this month. Want to recei...

We spoke with House Ag Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson about potential farm bill movement and the growing ag trade deficit. United Soybean Board Chair Steve Reinhard joined the show to discuss export prospects for the record soybean crop and Rabobank economist Stephen Nicholson previewed the farm economic outlook. Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Cheri Bustos, a former Illinois congresswoman and ex-chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, discussed rural perspectives on the presidential race and recounted her experience in Congress with vice presidential nominee Tim Walz. Then, we asked Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack — who attended the DNC in his personal capacity — what a Harris administration will approach some key issues for...

Republican Rep. Brad Finstad represents Minnesota’s first district, the same area Tim Walz represented while in Congress. We asked Rep. Finstad how Walz got reelected so many times, then discussed potential GOP administration policies and the farm bill. NAWG’s Chandler Goule and Tom Sell from Combest, Sell & Associates also join to discuss GOP and Democratic Party policy differences on trade,...

Kamala Harris tapped former House Ag Committee member and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Instead of telling you about his agriculture record, we went to Minnesota Farmfest to ask those who know it best: Farmers, senators and farm group leaders. Then, we asked Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., about taking over as Democratic Senate Ag Committee leader after Debbie Stabenow’s retirement. Wa...

The U.S. is facing a growing ag trade deficit. Ways and Means Committee member Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., discusses the possibility of Trade Promotion Authority being passed by a Republican Congress and how the election could impact provisions included in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Then, Phil Karsting with OFW Law and T.A. Hawks from Monument Advocacy offer their thoughts on how the election may a...

President Biden chose not to run for reelection and endorsed Kamala Harris. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., discusses what a Harris presidency could mean for agriculture. Then, Mike Stranz with NFU and Ethan Lane with NCBA share their thoughts on The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 agriculture and nutrition proposals being implemented in a Trump-Vance presidency. Want to receive Newsmakers in your...