Agri-Pulse Newsmakers Podcast

The pork industry suffered one of the worst economic years on record in 2023. As producers now grapple with the uncertainty of tariffs, we speak with Kevin Stuckey, sow unit manager at Cooper Farms in Ohio, Chris Ford, VP corporate swine lender at Farm Credit Services of America and Oklahoma Pork Council Executive Director Kylee Deniz to get a pulse on the animal health, labor and economic challenges facing the industry.

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Senate Republicans will spend the coming weeks trying to agree on changes to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.  We asked Clinton and George W. Bush administration ag secretaries, Dan Glickman and Mike Johanns, about how reconciliation elements may change in the Senate and the fate of the traditional rural-urban farm bill coalition. "It looks to me like the coalition broke up," Johanns says.

Glickman and Johanns also discuss the Make America Healthy Again report, President Trump's tariffs and USDA staff reductions.

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House Republicans passed their reconciliation bill by a one vote margin. The bill boosts farm programs and extends key tax breaks but cuts SNAP program spending. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson joins Newsmakers to talk about why the bill is so important for agriculture. He also discusses the impact of federal downsizing at USDA and whether farmers should be worried about the president’s trade policy.

Then, Jim Richards with Cornerstone Government Affairs and Anne Simmons with The Peterson Group, Inc. discuss the specifics of reconciliation and whether comprehensive farm bills are a thing of the past.

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House Republicans advanced major pieces of their massive budget bill this week, including expanded tax benefits for farmers and small businesses. We asked Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., how those provisions could fare in the Senate. He also says he’s pushing back on Make America Healthy Again advocates who criticize pesticide use, and he talks about what he expects from the new dietary guidelines.

Then, John Weber with Monument Advocacy and Sharon Bomer Lauritsen with AgTrade Strategies, LLC discuss the details of reconciliation and the recent trade deal between the U.S. and U.K.

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House Agriculture Committee members will have a lengthy markup next week to find the instructed $230 billion in budget reconciliation savings. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Ill., explains Democrats' opposition to nutrition cuts and the scrubbing of the term "climate" at USDA.

Then, former USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie discusses downsizing at the agency and Angela Rachidi from the American Enterprise Institute outlines proposed SNAP cuts in reconciliation.

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Republicans on the House Ag Committee are trying to reach agreement on cuts to nutrition assistance and increases in farm bill spending. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, says Democrats will be largely opposed to SNAP cuts to fund a boost to commodity programs. “We can’t rob Peter to pay Paul,” she said.

Then, Tom Sell with Combest, Sell & Associates and Gina Plata-Nino with the Food Research and Action Center discuss the political hurdles ahead with proposed cuts to the SNAP program.

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