Agri-Pulse Newsmakers

Delegates, elected officials, farmers, and industry representatives gathered in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention this week. We dove into discussions about trade, immigration, and energy proposed in the GOP platform that could change the policy landscape after the November election. Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign manager and also his former counselor, joined the show...

After the Supreme Court’s recent overruling of the Chevron doctrine, many major House committees are probing for regulations that may “run afoul” of the new administrative regime, according to North Carolina Republican Rep. David Rouzer. He joins Newsmakers to discuss how the Biden administration’s “waters of the U.S.” rule could be vulnerable due to the decision, as well as priorities Republicans...

Presidents for two of the nation's largest farm organizations joined Newsmakers for a conversation about mental health in rural America, how the stigma has changed throughout their careers and current policy that could provide better support for farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers...

Kansas Republican Rep. Tracey Mann represents the Big First District of Kansas and is a member of the House Agriculture Committee. He joined the show this week to discuss CRP rental rates, water challenges across the Plains, and the benefits of using U.S. commodities in international food aid programs. Rep. Mann also gives his perspective on funding farm safety net programs in the farm bill. Then,...

Congress is running out of time to get a farm bill passed this year. Maine Democratic Congresswoman Chellie Pingree joins Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to talk about some of the challenges the bill currently faces and provides an update on the impact of inflation on the organic sector. Then, farm policy consultant Ferd Hoefner and Chase Adams with the National Pork Producers Council discuss the bill's cha...

Senate Ag ranking member John Boozman laid out his framework for a new farm bill this week, but the bill crosses some red lines for Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow. She joins us on this week's episode of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to give her reaction to Senator Boozman's proposal as well as her thoughts on the future of the bill. Then, Anne MacMillan with Invariant and Sam Kieffer with the Americ...

House Ag Committee Chair and Pennsylvania Republican Glenn Thompson is hard at work trying to gather the support he needs to advance his farm bill on the House floor. Thompson joins Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to share his thoughts over the bill's markup session and bill's future. Then, John Weber with Monument Advocacy and Nick Levendofsky with the Kansas Farmers Union share their thoughts on whether t...

A week after the House Ag Committee advanced the farm bill, Oklahoma Republican Frank Lucas joins us to discuss how the markup went and what the next moves are for the farm bill. Then, Jim Richards with Cornerstone Government Affairs and Laura Wood with LWP Consulting join to further discuss the politics around the farm bill and what the next few months will look like on Capitol Hill. Want to rece...

As the House Agriculture Committee held its first farm bill markup this week, former Ag Secretaries Dan Glickman and Mike Johanns join Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to discuss the political environment around a farm bill. Focusing on bipartisan solutions, Secretaries Glickman and Johanns discuss potential roadblocks Republicans and Democrats must overcome to pass farm and food legislation. Want to receive...

California Democrat Jim Costa sits on the House Agriculture Committee, which will markup a farm bill on May 23. He joins this week’s show to discuss the latest developments on the farm bill and shares more about the conversations Democrats are having before next week’s markup.  He also dives deeper into specialty crop issues and the recent developments with trade. Then, Danielle Beck with Invarian...

South Dakota Republican Dusty Johnson sits on the House Agriculture Committee, which will mark up a farm bill on May 23. He joins this week’s show to discuss the latest developments on the farm bill and what the next few weeks will look like. He also dives deeper into the rural broadband efforts. Then, Joby Young with the American Farm Bureau Federation and Jonathan Coppess with the Gardner Agricu...

Minnesota Democrat Tina Smith sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee. She joins this week’s show to discuss the latest movement on the farm bill and what the next couple of months will look like. She also dives deeper into the latest Sustainable Aviation Fuel announcement that was made this week. Then, Tara Smith with the Torrey Advisory Group and Brian Jennings with the American Coalition for E...

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers: April 26, 2024: USDA Undersecretary Jenny Lester Moffitt on bird fluUSDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt oversees the Agricultural Marketing Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. She joins us to discuss the latest on the bird flu outbreak and how USDA is responding. Then, Michael Dykes with the International Dairy F...

California Democrat Salud Carbajal sits on the House Ag Committee and is working on his first farm bill. He joins us to discuss the latest politics surrounding a farm bill timeline and whether or not the House Ag Committee can meet a Memorial Day deadline proposed by House Ag Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa. He also discusses the challenges facing the specialty crop industry and how mechanizati...

Nebraska Republican Deb Fischer sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee. She has been a strong supporter of biofuels and says the Biden administration is missing a key resource when looking to lower carbon emissions. She also discusses the importance of passing legislation aimed at bringing more transparency to cattle markets. Then, Geoff Cooper with the Renewable Fuels Association and Ben Procha...

Connecticut Democrat Rosa DeLauro is the ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee. She recently helped steer conversations to pass the FY2024 appropriations bills which allocated money to USDA and FDA. DeLauro joins the show to discuss how Republicans and Democrats found bipartisan support to pass the funding bills. Then, Roger Szemraj with OFW Law and Mollie Van Lieu with the Internat...

Arkansas Republican Rick Crawford is one of the co-chairmen of the House Ag Committee’s Agricultural Labor Working group, which released their final report earlier this month with bipartisan and unanimous approval. He joins the show to discuss how the group came to agreement on a politically polarized issue. Then, ag policy lawyer Kristi Boswell with Alston & Bird and Michael Marsh with the Na...

House Ag Committee Chair and Pennsylvania Republican Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson has long pointed to this spring as his potential window to move a farm bill through the House. Now, he stops by Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to offer an update on that possibility and what will need to happen for it to come to fruition. Then, Virginia Houston with the American Soybean Association and Mike Stranz with the National Fa...

The White House rolled out its annual budget this week, kicking off the FY 2025 appropriations process. But spending discussions are also top of mind for the upcoming farm bill, and House Ag Committee Democrat Nikki Budzinski stops by Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to offer her thoughts on where things stand. Then, farm policy consultant Ferd Hoefner and RJ Karney with the National Association of State Dep...

Lawmakers rolled out a government funding package this week that includes funding for USDA to better track the country’s farm, ranch and forest land owned by foreign buyers. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., joins Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to talk about what’s concerning lawmakers right now and what needs to be done in the future to protect America’s national and food security. Then, Micah Brown with the Nati...

This year's Commodity Classic crowd set a record as members of the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and Association of Equipment Manufacturers gathered in Houston. Leaders of all five organizations sat down with Agri-Pulse Newsmakers at the Pivot Bio booth on the trade show floor to discuss the farm b...

USDA’s use of Inflation Reduction Act conservation funds is a hot topic on Capitol Hill as lawmakers prepare for the next farm bill. Undersecretary Robert Bonnie heads up the department’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area and joins Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to discuss the status of those investments and other key issues like the status of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities prog...

This week marked USDA's 100th Annual Ag Outlook Forum, which brings together the industry's leading economists for a look at the financial picture for the upcoming year. USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer joins Agri-Pulse Newsmakers to discuss the projections he offered to kick off the meeting and take a look at the overall health of the farm economy. Then, economists Mac Marshall with the United Soy...

House Ag Committee Republican Brad Finstad of Minnesota joins Newsmakers this week to discuss his thoughts on the upcoming farm bill, including cybersecurity legislation says is critical for agriculture. Then, Brandon Lipps with Caprock Strategies and Mike Seyfert with the National Grain and Feed Association share their thoughts on some of the key discussions playing out in farm bill negotiations...

Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., serves on the House Agriculture Committee’s Conservation, Research and Biotechnology Subcommittee and Forestry Subcommittee. He says USDA needs to have the staffing, opportunities and levels to be properly equipped to support farmers and ranchers and that means maintaining the funds allocated to conservation programs from the Inflation Reduction Act. Then, Dave White wit...