Agri-Pulse Daybreak will not publish Friday due to the holiday. We wish our readers a happy Fourth of July!
Strong U.S. border adds heft to ag labor bill, Thompson says
A bill to overhaul America’s H-2A agricultural guest worker program stands out from prior attempts thanks to a secure U.S. border, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson tells Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.
Previous legislative efforts have failed due to some lawmakers saying the border must be controlled before bringing more temporary foreign workers into the country, according to Thompson, R-Pa.
“Clearly, the border is under control today by the United States of America,” he said.
The ag chairman also is hopeful his bill, the Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act, can go the distance because it has such broad support from the ag sector, which was lacking in other ag labor measures.
Thompson is optimistic about prospects for the bill in the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the issue. Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, will likely look positively on the fact the legislation calls to enshrine into law so many of President Donald Trump’s executive actions, Thompson says on Newsmakers, which will run Friday.
But, but, but: Separately, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said while he supports ag labor reform that’s desperately needed, the bill would face a steep climb in the Senate.
"Any immigration legislation is difficult to get through, because once you put something with agricultural workers out on the floor, as badly as [it’s] needed, you invite every other immigration issue to come up at the same time, and you never get even 60 votes to bring the bill up.”
Agri-Pulse Newsmakers will be posted Friday.
Administration doesn’t renew USMCA
No, it’s not terminated.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Wednesday the administration would not renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, but the agreement is still in place.
“The United States will continue to engage with Mexico and Canada to address the agreement’s shortcomings and our trade deficits with these countries,” Greer said in a statement after officials from the countries virtually met on Wednesday.
The move was met with approval by House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Adrian Smith, R-Neb., who called it an “opportunity to strengthen enforcement, so the agreement functions as intended.”
ICYMI: We also had stories yesterday on Agri-Pulse.com on two new funding programs: one to expand domestic fertilizer production, and another where the Farm Service Agency will pay small and mid-sized beef processors for higher costs they face acquiring cattle due to low U.S. inventories and other market conditions. Both programs will be funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation.
Rollins says she hasn’t changed messaging following lawsuit over religious emails
Brooke Rollins says her communications with USDA employees haven’t changed despite being sued for sharing religious content.
“My message remains exactly the same,” Rollins told Agri-Pulse at the Great American State Fair Wednesday.
“You know, it's remarkable that the Biden administration could have transgender day on the White House lawn on Easter when they're in office,” Rollins said. “And when we're in office, I send a happy Easter, you know, the light defeating the darkness, the greatest story of all mankind, and I get sued. So anyway, no, we will continue on.”
The lawsuit, which was filed on May 13 by USDA employees, alleges Rollins was “pressuring [the plaintiffs] to share in her religious beliefs” by sending Christmas and Easter emails. “Having defended the Easter Sermon in the press, Secretary Rollins is likely to continue the practice of sending proselytizing messages to all USDA employees to mark Christian holidays and observances,” the complaint says.
Former President Joe Biden does not appear to have had a separate event for transgender Americans on Easter, but he issued a proclamation in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, which is observed annually on March 31. In 2024, that date coincided with Easter.
EPA announces $30 million initiative to reduce use of chemical crop desiccants
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced plans for a challenge of up to $30 million aimed at reducing the use of pesticides to dry out crops before harvest.
The agency is seeking input to design a national competition aimed at developing substitutes for chemical crop desiccation, a process used to dry out plants like small grains, pulse crops, oilseeds, potatoes and cotton in the weeks before harvest, according to an EPA press release.
The release points to “smarter crop timing, natural drying methods, and precision technology” as potential alternatives to or ways to cut back on chemical use.
EPA is requesting public comments on how to design the challenge and structure prizes.
The tale of two ‘Dan Sullivans’ sends Alaska Senate race to ‘tossup’ territory
An Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that a challenger with nearly the same name as incumbent Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan can appear on the August primary ballot is pushing the Senate race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss Up,” Cook Political Report says.
“The Alaska Senate race has already been teetering on the brink of the Toss Up column, and this week’s bad news for Republicans about the makeup of the ballot is enough to shift it into our most competitive category,” Cook analyst Jessica Taylor said.
If the challenger, retired teacher Dan J. Sullivan, makes it to the general election in November and pulls even a few points away from Republicans, it could sway the outcome.
The Democratic candidate, former Rep. Mary Peltola, is a “proven electoral overperformer,” Taylor said.
The last Democratic senator from Alaska was Mark Begich, who was elected in 2009 and served one term.
Anti-Washington mood dominates Colorado primaries
Anti-establishment sentiment was on display in Colorado’s primaries as voters chose Washington outsiders to be Democratic nominees in November elections.
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who has been in the Senate since 2009 and is a member of the Agriculture Committee, lost a bid to advance in the race for Colorado governor. State Attorney General Phil Weiser defeated Bennet 55%-45% and now moves to the main contest, which Democrats are heavily favored to win.
Both candidates sought to pin the other as not tough enough on President Donald Trump. Weiser criticized Bennet for supporting the nomination of Brooke Rollins to be agriculture secretary.
Bennet, who is expected to stay in the Senate, is just the latest member of Congress this year to lose a race for state office.
“Weiser outflanked the senator by casting himself as the more anti-Trump candidate,” said Nicholas Demba, a political analyst for the nonpartisan Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales.
Rocky Mountain upset: In a major political upset, Coloradans rejected the reelection bid of Rep. Diana DeGette, ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.
DeGette, in Congress for 29 years, lost the primary to Democratic socialist and lawyer Melat Kiros.
Kiros, fired for criticizing her law firm’s position on Israel, “was the ideal foil to [DeGette], whose relatively moderate position on the issue made her vulnerable on her left flank,” analysts at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report said.
House lawmakers relaunch dairy caucus
Four House lawmakers are relaunching a congressional caucus focused on dairy issues.
Reps. David Valadao, R-Calif., Joe Courtney, D-Conn., Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, and Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., have announced that they are reviving the Congressional Dairy Caucus, which dates back to 2006 but has seen periods of both activity and dormancy since then.
A press release from Valadao’s office said the caucus will work to elevate the concerns of dairy producers struggling with "high input costs, competitive pressures from trade partners, and shifting consumption patterns."
In a statement, National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Gregg Doud said having caucus members representing dairy districts on Capitol Hill "ensures thoughtful discussion and advancement of the shared policy priorities that unite and sustain their constituents."
Final Word
“Now that the president has made this decision, it is critical that the administration involve Congress as they continue to engage with Canada and Mexico. Congress has a clear constitutional role in developing trade policy, and the administration must respect America’s constitution even as it disrespects America’s farmers.” — Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, on the Trump administration saying it won’t renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
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