February 11, 2025

Contents

• What We’re Watching
• Notable News
• This Week’s Legislation
• Upcoming Hearings
• Contact the Team

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Reconciliation

This week is all about dueling budget proposals. Both the House and Senate are looking to advance their respective budget blueprints this week, the first step in the reconciliation process. On Friday, Senate Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) released his budget draft and announced that the Committee will meet this week to advance the budget resolution, putting him squarely at odds with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) who has expressed his desire for the House to move first in the budget process.

However, progress on the House side has been slow, with House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-TX) mapping out areas for cuts, but disagreement over the scale and scope of the cuts has stymied consensus for the plan. The House Ag Committee is looking to cut anywhere from $50-$150 billion in spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through reducing error payment rates, implementing work requirements, and changing the way the Thrifty Food Plan operates to a cost-of-living adjustment.

Federal Funding Freeze

House Ag- Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN), and Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) wrote a letter to USDA Acting Secretary Gary Washington regarding the funding freeze on programs supported by the Inflations Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program. The letter requests that USDA provides “rationale and legal justification for halting funding” and requested a list of all programs that have been frozen. The letter gives the Acting Secretary until February 14, 2025 to provide a written response.

Nominations Hearings

The Senate Finance Committee held their nomination hearing for Jameison Greer to be the U.S. Trade Representative with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. The hearing covered a range of topics, with most of the focus around President Trump’s tariff proposals and recent discussions with Canada and Mexico. On both sides of the aisle, Senators agreed it was important to open new trade markets, especially for agriculture, and flagged that using tariffs to negotiate on border security would result in farmers getting hurt in the crossfire.

Additionally, a full Senate vote on USDA Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins is expected this week. She is expected to be confirmed with bipartisan support. HHS nominee RFK Jr. may also receive a vote this week, however timing has not been confirmed.

Letter on Avian Influenza and Egg Prices

Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) wrote a letter to Brooke Rollins last week requesting a plan for lowering costs to lower egg and poultry prices while also preserving export markets for farmers. The letter says that he is looking to “hold President Trump accountable for his promise to lower food prices for all Americans,” and a plan to deploy H5N1 vaccines to farmers, trade agreements, a research plan, and a budget needed. 

Administration

President Trump Announces Tariffs

Despite reaching a deal to hold off tariffs on Canada and Mexico, President Trump announced he will be implementing 25% tariffs on any steel and aluminum that comes into the United States. He also said there will be subsequent announcements on reciprocal tariffs on all countries that have taxed imports from the U.S., though hasn’t specified which countries or if there will be any exemptions. Putting tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum would hurt Canada, Mexico, and the UK, who are the largest trading partners on both.

White House Considers Cutting HHS Workers

The White House has been working on an Executive Order to cut employees from the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees departments like the FDA and the CDC. The reduction in employees could have a chilling impact on food safety inspectors, individuals who track infectious disease like bird flu, and approvals for food products. Currently, the deadline for federal workers to decide to resign and take a buyout has been paused by a judge while litigation is being considered.

FTC Goes After Egg Prices

Alvaro Bedoya, Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, wrote a letter to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson on how to reduce the cost of living. The first directive as to open an investigation into egg production and marketing practices and evaluate if there are price-gouging or anticompetitive coordination in the egg industry. The full letter can be found here. 

Notable News

• Trump’s Trade Chief Nominee Greer Says Universal Tariff Needs More Study – Reuters
• Gutting USAID Threatens Billions of Dollars for US Farms, Businesses – Washington Post
• Mid-Atlantic States Prepare for More Billion Dollar Disasters as Trump Considers Cutting Emergency Funding – Inside Climate News
• US Grain, Oilseed Exports Surge in 2024 Without Boost from China – Reuters
• Are Americans paying attention to Musk and Trump’s DOGE? Here’s what people in Iowa had to say – Associated Press
• Farmers on the hook for millions after Trump freezes USDA funds – Washington Post

This Week’s Legislation

• Reps. Scott Franklin (R-FL) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) introduced the Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act, which would direct the FDA to alter the required level of sugar/solids content (brix) in not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice from 10.5 percent to 10 percent. 
• Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced the Scientific Integrity Act, which amends the COMPETES Act to require federal agencies to establish certain scientific integrity policies for Federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research.
• Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Agriculture Export Promotion Act of 2025 to increase funding to the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD).
• Representative Brad Finstad (R-MN) introduced a bill to affirm that the Farm Credit Administration is the sole and independent regulator of the Farm Credit System.
• Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) introduced two pieces of legislation on energy: the Supporting Made in America Energy Act and the Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act.

Upcoming Hearings

Tuesday, February 11

• 10:00 AM: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment will hold a hearing on “America Builds: Clean Water Act Permitting and Project Delivery”
• 10:00 AM: The House Agriculture Committee will be holding a hearing “Examining the Economic Crisis in Farm Country”
• 10:00 AM: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of States, and Related Programs will hold an oversight hearing on “Mexico’s Water Treaty Violations and the Impact on Americans”
• 10:15 AM: The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will hold a hearing on “Restoring Energy Dominance: The Path to Unleashing American Offshore Energy”
• 1:30 PM: The House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services will hold a hearing on “Examining the Growth of the Welfare State, Part 1”
• 2:00 PM: The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold an oversight hearing on “Restoring Multiple Use to Revitalize America’s Public Lands and Rural Communities”

Wednesday, February 12

• 10:00 AM: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on “Advancing Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration Technologies and Ensuring Effective Implementation of the USE IT Act”
• 10:00 AM: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing to examine the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer, of Oregon, to be Secretary of Labor

Contact the Team

Feel free to contact Michael Torrey, Tara Smith, Cassandra Kuball, Barbara Patterson, Katie Naessens, Julie McClure, Nona McCoy, Danielle Nelson, Ashley Smith, Olivia Lucanie, Caroline Snell, Tracy Boyle, or Grace Walker with any questions or comments.

Food and agricultural organizations that need the right results in Washington, D.C. can trust Torrey Advisory Group to put its relationships, reputation, and expertise to work on your issue. Since 2005, the firm has successfully provided legislative and regulatory guidance, issues management, and association management services to a wide variety of clients. Learn more about us at torreydc.com.