A flurry of high-profile events are on tap this week as Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins speaks on Capitol Hill, U.S. officials talk trade in India and Senate work on a new farm bill kicks into high gear.
The House Rules Committee will take up fiscal 2027 funding legislation for the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration, rural development and related agencies on Tuesday. The full chamber is expected to vote on the measure as soon as this week.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz and Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster are set to make appearances on Capitol Hill this week. Rollins testifies before the House Ag Committee on Thursday.
Voters across the country head to the polls for key primary races on June 2, including California. The Golden State and its economic future also are the focus of a Tuesday Agri-Pulse Food & Ag Issues Summit in Sacramento. Government and industry leaders will discuss water, politics, MAHA, data centers and more.
Elsewhere, the hog market will be up for discussion at the World Pork Expo in Iowa, while food and ag company executives speak at a Wall Street Journal forum in Chicago.
The busy season is here. Or, as No Bull Ag analyst Susan Stroud put it, “Memorial Day feels like 6 months ago.”
Farm bill wrangling
All eyes are on Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., as his committee works to craft a “farm bill 2.0” proposal in June. Intense debate and negotiations are expected over thorny issues, like the cost structure of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and year-round blends of higher ethanol blends.
The committee’s measure won’t include provisions reaffirming EPA’s role in pesticide labeling or nullifying livestock welfare regulations, like California’s Proposition 12. While Boozman backs the efforts, bipartisan support is lacking, panel spokesperson Sara Lasure said on May 21.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, last week said he hopes Boozman will reconsider his stance on Prop. 12, which requires minimum space requirements for breeding pigs, veal calves and egg-laying hens, and bars the sale of meat and egg products from farms that don’t meet the confinement standards.
“Consumers in California are paying 20% more for their pork product than the other 49 states because of what's called Proposition 12,” Grassley told reporters. “This bill is the best opportunity that we have to solve this issue for farmers.”
The Senate convenes at 3 p.m. Monday, the House at noon on Tuesday.
India trade talks
A U.S. delegation is in India June 1-4 for bilateral trade talks.
Negotiators seek to finalize an interim agreement reached in February for India to buy $500 billion in U.S. goods over the next five years, including agriculture products.
“We're going to see exciting things on the horizon with the India deal as it relates to U.S. agriculture,” USDA Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg said at an event last week, without elaborating.
On the North American trade front, the U.S. and Mexico on Friday finished the first bilateral round related to a joint review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
“We will continue advancing these discussions on June 16-17 in Washington, D.C., in addition to agriculture and a level playing field. The third round will be held during the week of July 20 in Mexico City,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a statement.
Here is a list of agriculture or rural-related events scheduled for this week in Washington and elsewhere (all times EST):
Monday, June 1
The International Year of the Woman Farmer ACE Summit in Arlington, Va., through Wednesday.
The North American Renderers Association holds a Congressional Fly-in, Washington, through Wednesday.
The Wall Street Journal holds a Global Food Forum in Chicago, through Tuesday.
11 a.m. – USDA releases its annual Food Expenditure Series report, which measures the value of food acquired in the U.S. by type of product, outlet and purchaser.
4 p.m. – USDA’s weekly crop progress report.
Tuesday, June 2
Primary elections are held in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.
Interior Assistant Secretary of Water and Science Andrea Travnicek and California Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross are among speakers at the Agri-Pulse Food & Ag Issues Summit. How California ag can remain an economic powerhouse is the theme. Sacramento.
The International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, billed as the world's largest ethanol conference, takes place in St. Louis, through Thursday.
10 a.m. – U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz testifies at an oversight hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee, 106 Dirksen.
10 a.m. – The Senate Commerce subcommittee on fisheries holds a hearing, “The Blue Economy: Advancing American Fisheries, Maritime Strength, and Coastal Economies,” 253 Russell
4 p.m. – The House Rules Committee meets on H.R. 8646, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027, H-313, The Capitol.
Wednesday, June 3
The World Pork Expo takes place in Des Moines, Iowa, through Thursday.
A Conservation in Action Tour takes place in Raleigh, N.C., through Thursday.
10 a.m. – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies at a budget hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, 215 Dirksen.
10 a.m. – Federal Highway Administration Administrator Sean McMaster testifies before a budget hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, 406 Dirksen.
11 a.m. – The House Appropriations Committee holds markups of 2027 funding bills for Interior, Environment and related agencies; and Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and related agencies, 2359 Rayburn
2 p.m. – The House Energy and Commerce environment subcommittee holds a hearing to discuss the modernization of the Clean Air Act’s mobile source requirements, 2123 Rayburn.
2 p.m. – The House Natural Resources panel on water, wildlife and fisheries holds a legislative hearing on various bills, including a measure to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 1324 Longworth.
Thursday, June 4
8:30 a.m. – USDA weekly export sales.
10 a.m. – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testifies before the House Agriculture Committee, 1300 Longworth.
10 a.m. – Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies before the House Ways and Means Committee, 1100 Longworth.
10 a.m. – The Senate Appropriations Committee holds a markup of the fiscal 2027 funding bill covering Agriculture, Rural Development, FDAl, 106 Dirksen.
10:15 a.m. – The House Natural Resources subcommittee on federal lands holds an oversight hearing, “The State of Our Nation’s Federal Forests and Outlook for the 2026 Wildfire Year.” 1324 Longworth.
Friday, June 5
Seed analysts from across North America take part in workshops, research, and collaboration at an AOSA /SCST annual meeting in Rochester, N.Y., through June 11.
For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com.
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