Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom announcing a review of federal funding California receives for research and education.
Rollins wrote that USDA is reviewing its research and “other education-related funding” for compliance with “the Constitution, federal laws including Titles VI and IX and the priorities of the Trump Administration,” the Secretary wrote.
“In particular, the Department of Agriculture will support the U.S. Department of Education in its investigation into the California Department of Education for alleged violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act … USDA will support ED’s investigation and efforts to vigorously protect parents’ rights and ensure that students do not fall victim to a radical transgender ideology that often leads to family alienation and irreversible medical interventions,” the Secretary continued.
ACWA asks members to oppose water standards bill
The Association of California Water Agencies is pushing against a water standards measure it says could overcomplicate California’s wastewater discharge permitting system.
Authored by state Sen. Ben Allen of Santa Monica, the measure would expand the definition of “waters of the state” and allow the state water board to enact new penalties for compliance projects.
While encouraging members to join in opposition, ACWA is also participating in a CalChamber-led coalition against the bill that includes agriculture, water and wastewater interests.
Pesticide reform groups want more precision with SprayDays
Californians for Pesticide Reform still want access to more precise application locations within the state’s new pesticide notification tool.
The coalition expressed plans to engage in the SprayDays review process. In the next year, DPR’s Environmental Justice Advisory Committee and the California Department of Food and Agriculture will open a forum to make system modification recommendations.
Currently the notification system allows users to input a zip code, which then populates any pesticide application occurring within a one-mile radius.
Reclamation continues funding for Delta smelt
The Bureau of Reclamation has officially agreed to continue funding a California-based delta smelt breeding operation.
Reclamation’s Bay-Delta Office agreed to another five years of continued funding for UC Davis’ Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory, E&E News reported. The lab helps breed, raise and release the endangered species into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
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On that note: The Davis lab is also developing repopulation strategies for the endangered longfin smelt. A new resolution from Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of Richvale would revoke the longfin’s Endangered Species Act status.
He argues longfin smelt are adding to the “maze of arcane and oftentimes conflicting environmental regulations” affecting state water management.
Canada holds off — for now
Enjoy the weekend because there’s a huge week ahead on the trade front. President Donald Trump will announce his reciprocal tariffs and also make a decision on the scope of existing tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
Meanwhile, U.S. export markets already are scrambling to respond to Trump’s new duties on cars and trucks. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney had some tough words Thursday for the U.S. But he said his government will wait until next week to respond to the vehicle tariffs.
Take note: Carney said the U.S. is “no longer a reliable partner” on trade. He suggested Canada would respond by looking to deepen trade ties with other countries.
A former Canadian trade official argued in a webinar Thursday that deeper engagement with other affected countries could prove critical for the country’s ag sector.
Tyler Bjornson said Canada can capitalize on U.S. frictions with its trade partners by taking on a leadership role and engaging with powers like Brazil, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico.
“I believe in the future, it's these middle powers that Canada should be bringing together and talking about agrifood trade-related items,” he said.
HHS cuts are news to some lawmakers
Some lawmakers were caught off guard by the Department of Health and Human Services announcement to reduce its workforce by 20,000. The plan released Thursday morning includes a cut of 3,500 employees from the Food and Drug Administration.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that sets the FDA budget, said he was not told about the cuts ahead of time. His staff is now examining them.
He said it’s unclear if Martin Makary, who was confirmed as FDA commissioner on Tuesday night, had input on the staffing cuts. Hoeven said he plans to follow up with Makary soon on the reorganization.
“We understand they want to make reductions, find waste, fraud and abuse, but we want to look at it,” Hoeven said. “This is a process, and I think you're going to see it go back and forth, make sure that we have people in the places where we need them.”
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., found out about the cuts during a breakfast with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., about the same time the announcement went out.
Another view: Agriculture Committee member Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said he spoke with Kennedy before the news broke and believes the Hill was appropriately notified. Kennedy told him that the people being let go are not “critical to the mission.”
"Under the last administration, there was a large number of employees added at HHS,” Marshall said. “So, I think certainly we came in here in a bloated number."
But there are still concerns: Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports, said he’s worried food programs will face the brunt of the staff cuts because they’re among the few areas not mainly supported by private user fees. While the announcement said no food inspectors would be affected, Ronholm said a number of support staff could still be terminated, affecting food safety and public health.
Kennedy, Makary and others in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement have emphasized their desire to review and remove food chemicals, but consumer groups warn staffing cuts could hinder these efforts.
Senate Rs want broadband funding reforms
Thirteen Senate Republicans are urging the Trump administration to remove Biden-era requirements for broadband projects under the BEAD program.
In a letter, the senators ask Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to remove labor and climate provisions from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. The senators also are targeting requirements that they say favor “government-owned networks over private investment, and guidelines that prioritize certain technologies over others."
“These regulations undermine the very purpose of the BEAD program,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican who led the letter, said in a floor speech Thursday.
Take note: Former BEAD program director Evan Feinman recently warned in a departing letter that extensive changes to the program will only delay rolling out broadband projects. But he also wrote that some provisions inserted by the prior administration were for messaging or political purposes and had little impact on how the program has been implemented.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved all state plans for use of the $42.45 billion in BEAD money.
