April 21, 2026

Contents

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

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Farm Bill

House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) has been working with Republican leadership to build momentum for a farm bill floor vote, likely expected the week of April 27 depending on other must-pass legislative priorities. Members of Congress will be allowed to submit amendments this week, which are posted via the House Rules Committee website. Because the House Rules Committee meets on Monday evenings, April 27 would be the earliest they can begin consideration of which amendments get brought to the floor. Following the House Rules meeting, there will be a floor proceeding where members will debate and vote on amendments ruled in order and the full bill. 

Appropriations 

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees kicked off the FY2027 budget process last week. The Committees in both chambers will continue with hearings on the budget proposals this week before proceeding with markups. Republicans are still looking for a successful pathway to fund the Department of Homeland Security FY26 budget, and it appears the way to complete this bill is via another reconciliation bill so it can pass quickly through a simple majority. The timing and details of the package are still being negotiated.  

Last week, the House Appropriations Agriculture-FDA Subcommittee held a hearing featuring USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and the HHS-Education-Labor Subcommittee held a hearing featuring Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. This Thursday the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee will have a markup of the FY27 appropriations bill followed by a full Appropriations Committee markup on April 28.  

Administration

USDA Announces the New Office of Seafood

Last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, along with Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan, and Maine Senator Susan Collins announced the creation of the USDA Office of Seafood. This office will prioritize coordinating across USDA agencies to ensure fishermen are integrated into USDA programs. This announcement follows President Trump’s Executive Order Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, directing USDA and the Department of Commerce to promote production, marketing, sale and export of American fishery and aquaculture products.  

More than 300 Organizations Urge House to Advance Farm Bill 2.0

Last week, 338 national and regional agricultural organizations sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and all members of the U.S. House of Representatives supporting swift advancement of Farm Bill 2.0. Organizations representing farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses across all 50 states urged Congress to promptly bring the Farm Bill to the House floor, following bipartisan progress in the House Agriculture Committee. The letter stresses that producers are still operating under outdated 2018 policies and emphasizes the urgency of passing a comprehensive, long-term Farm Bill to provide stability for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. 

500+ Agriculture Stakeholders Pen Letter on NRCS Staffing

Invest In Our Land, a conservation advocacy group, sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins raising concerns with funding and staffing of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA). The letter, which was undersigned by 524 farmers and ranchers, cites a report published by the USDA Office of the Inspector General finding that “thousands of USDA staff positions were lost in 2025, including reductions of 22 percent at NRCS and 24 percent at the Farm Service Agency.” It urges better funding and staffing measures for the agency, and raises issues with “longer wait times, delayed payments, reduced technical assistance, and fewer staff available” among other factors, like extreme weather events, rising input costs, and market instability. The full letter and signatories can be found here.  

FDA Approves Four NWS Drugs Under Emergency Use Authorizations

The FDA announced the issuance of three Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) to protect against New World Screwworm infections in dogs, cats, and cattle, and another one that would be used for the prevention and treatment of the NWS infection in cattle, horses, hoof stock, birds, and zoo mammals. The authorizations are effective on their respective dates of issuance. 

USTR Greer in Mexico to Discuss USMCA 

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer traveled to Mexico this week to meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and other Mexican trade officials ahead of the USMCA Joint Review set for July 1, 2026. He also met with Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard and other officials for more technical details of the deal. In a statement provided by USTR, the meetings were deemed positive and Ambassador Greer and Secretary Ebrard agreed to hold their first official bilateral negotiating round for the USMCA Review the week of May 25, 2026, in Mexico City. 

CBP Opens Phase 1 for IEEPA Refunds 

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officially opened Phase 1 of their new tariff refund process with respect to duties collected related to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on April 20. CBP developed the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE), a new automated functionality in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) that will streamline and consolidate refunds and interest payments for entries subject to the IEEPA duties, rather than issuing entry-by-entry refunds. Phase 1 will be limited to certain unliquidated entries & certain entries within 80 days of liquidation. CBP will maintain all information on IEEPA Refunds and CAPE at the IEEPA Duty Refunds page on CBP.gov.  

Notable News

• Midwest soybean farmers are squeezed further by tariffs, Iran war – ABC News 
• Majority of America’s farmers say they can’t afford fertilizer in new survey – The Hill
• How farming changed us: Ancient DNA reveals natural selection sped up in recent human evolution – Phys.Org
• Organic agriculture sees opportunity with increased demand – Capital Press
• State SNAP restrictions trimming sales – Baking Business
• Could more cattle cause record beef prices to drop? Ranchers say it’s not that simple – AP News
• Out with the Old? FDA Pushes to Modernize Dietary Supplement Regulation – JDSupra
• Stakes high as supreme court set to rule on law involving Monsanto’s weed-killing pesticide – The Guardian 

This Week’s Legislation

• Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and John Fetterman (D-PA) introduced the Senior Hunger Prevention Act  to expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for older Americans.
• Congresswoman Julia Letlow (R-LA) introduced the Buy American Seafood Act to require the federal government, a huge purchaser of seafood, to only purchase seafood sourced in the United States. 
• Senators Dave McCormick (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Dan Meuser (R-PA) introduced a bicameral resolution recognizing June 1 as National Mushroom Day.  

Upcoming Hearings

Tuesday April 21 

• 9:30 AM: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to examine the President’s Budget Request for the Department of Energy.
• 2:30 PM: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing on a Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Wednesday April 22 

• 10:00 AM: The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a hearing on “EXPLORE America250: Enhancing Accessibility at our National Parks and Public Lands.” 
• 10:00 AM: The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on the Trump Administration’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
• 10:00 AM: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Interior.
• 10:00 AM: The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Health and Human Services.
• 2:00 PM: The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Health and Human Services.
• 2:30 PM: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Agriculture.
• 2:30 PM: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development will hold a hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Energy. 

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 Sowinski, Eden Lambert, 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.