Leaders of 19 state corn grower groups and the National Corn Growers Association are appealing to President Donald Trump today to ensure the next Make America Healthy Again report doesn’t target pesticides for restrictions.
“Our alarm stems from the initial assessment, released in May, which raised pesticide safety questions that have already been answered repeatedly over the decades by research and regulatory agencies. If such language is included in the final report, it could significantly hamper the work of America’s farmers and raise prices on consumers without providing any additional layer of safety for the American public,” the grower groups say in a letter to the White House.
The letter says the May report ignored “the extensive science-based research and testing showing that pesticides, including atrazine and glyphosate, can be used safely for their intended uses.”
The letter goes on, “We call on you to intervene by ensuring that the Commission respects and reinforces EPA’s robust science- and risk-based regulation of pesticides, and that the report does not unnecessarily jeopardize critical farming tools.”
Take note: The next report is expected to include policy recommendations and is due out Aug. 12, according to Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who hosted a roundtable Tuesday with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The White House held a number of meetings with various industry groups following the criticism of the first report. During the roundtable, Kennedy discussed soil health and criticized modern farming practices. He called for an off-ramp for farmers to transition into regenerative agriculture.
Produce industry advises MAHA
The International Fresh Produce Association is out with an updated list of policy recommendations to the MAHA Commission.
In addition to its initial suggestions, the organization suggested incentivizing regenerative agriculture systems and ensuring access to crop protection tools.
Trump claims deal with Indonesia
The president says he has secured a deal with the Indonesian government that would see the country open its market to the U.S. in exchange for lower tariffs. The president said Tuesday the deal would leave 19% tariffs in place on imports from Indonesia, an increase on the current 10% baseline tariff, but lower than the 32% Trump proposed on April 2.
In return, the president said U.S. goods sent “to Indonesia are to be Tariff and Non Tariff Barrier FREE.” He added in a Truth Social post announcing the deal that the government had also agreed to purchase around $20 billion of U.S. exports, including $4.5 billion of ag products.
U.S. ag exports to Indonesia stood around $3.3 billion in 2022, according to Commerce Department data.
But, but, but: The administration has still not released details of the last deal the president touted on Truth Social with Vietnam, raising questions over whether there is a finished deal and what might be in it. Politico reported last week that Vietnamese officials have still not accepted the terms outlined.
Indonesia’s embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a request from Agri-Pulse to confirm the deal’s terms.
White House, Senate GOP chips away at rescissions opposition
The Senate is expected to begin voting on amendments to a rescissions package today as part of an effort to codify some of the administration’s spending cuts. Ahead of the marathon vote, Senate GOP leadership and White House officials have been working to ease senators’ concerns.
An amendment worked out with the White House includes protections for some food aid spending and would reduce the size of the overall package from $9.4 billion to $9 billion.
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“If there’s anything that’s going to be passed, it would be this,” Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., told Agri-Pulse, referring to the substitute amendment.
Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote Tuesday night on a key procedural motion needed to advance the package.
Take note: Passage of the amended version would send the package back to the House, which would have to act quickly to meet the Friday deadline.
FDA gets recommendations on front-of-pack labels
Industry groups are recommending FDA withdraw or seriously revise its proposal for front-of-package labeling requirements as part of the Trump administration’s push to deregulate.
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a request for information on how to deregulate the agency as part of a larger administration-wide push to cut down on rules. The comment period for the HHS-specific RFI closed Tuesday. The agency received over 13,000 submissions.
In its comments, the Food Industry Association encouraged FDA to consider withdrawing the FOP labeling proposal that came out under the Biden administration. The group says the proposal would create substantial costs for industry without clear benefits to the public.
The American Frozen Food Institute submitted comments also calling on the agency to reconsider the proposal. AFFI and FMI both argue that existing labeling mandates like the Nutrition Facts Panel or industry-adopted Facts up Front label are effective in helping consumers understand the healthiness of their foods.
Meanwhile: A coalition of 40 researchers and public health groups submitted joint comments to the FOP proposal largely backing the effort and encouraging the agency to remain on track. The groups suggested some improvements, such as shifting toward a more straightforward labeling system that highlights high levels of nutrients of concern.
Settlement reached in ag labor case
A Mississippi company accused of unfairly favoring H-2A workers over U.S. citizens in its hiring practices must pay $25,000 in civil penalties and revise its policies.
The Justice Department announced Tuesday that H2A Complete II Inc. agreed to a settlement after DOJ’s Civil Rights Division found reasonable cause to believe it “engaged in citizenship status discrimination in recruiting and referring job candidates for a fee.”
DOJ claimed the company “inserted unsupported and unnecessary minimum experience requirements in job orders” it created and submitted to state workforce agencies on behalf of agricultural employers.
House Ag hearing addresses questions on animal lab capacity, vaccines
California State Veterinarian Annette Jones encouraged development and use of animal vaccines for highly pathogenic avian influenza, especially for the dairy industry, at a House Ag Committee hearing Tuesday.
Jones told Agri-Pulse she feels confident in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network’s ability to handle an influx of testing should HPAI numbers surge again during this year’s fall bird migration.
However, she did express some concern about the effect on capacity at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service from voluntary buyouts, noting that there has been more “moving around” of personnel than usual.
Background: USDA’s current bird flu strategy allocates $100 million for development of vaccines and therapeutics, and APHIS says “several vaccine candidates for use in dairy cows are currently undergoing field trials.”
Final word
“Soil is the bridge between agriculture and MAHA. We don't want to tell farmers what you can't do. We want to tell farmers, this is the goal, and the goal is healthy soil” – Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in an interview with Agri-Pulse.
Rebekah Alvey, Oliver Ward, Lydia Johnson, Allie Herring and Noah Wicks contributed to today’s Daybreak.
For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com.
