January 14, 2025

Contents

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

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Reconciliation Offsets Released

In order to fund the Trump administration priorities, the House GOP is circulating a list of potential spending offsets to be included through Reconciliation. Cuts include limiting future changes the Thrifty Food Plan, which is estimated to save $247 billion; reforms to SNAP, which is estimated to save $22 billion; reversing Biden climate policies, estimated to save $468 billion; repealing IRA green energy grants, estimated to save $56 billion; and rescinding all unspent COVID money, which is about $11 billion. House Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) has been directed to find provisions within agriculture that could fit into budget reconciliation, and also which programs should be kept available for the farm bill.

Confirmation Hearings Begin

This week, 11 Senate Committees will hold hearings on 13 different cabinet nominees. Senate Republicans are looking to confirm national security nominees first, but are also holding hearings on Department of Interior Secretary Nominee Doug Burgum, Department of Transportation Secretary Nominee Sean Duffy, Department of Energy Secretary Nominee Chris Wright, and Environmental Protection Agency Nominee Lee Zeldin. USDA nominee Brooke Rollins’ confirmation hearing was originally scheduled for this week but has been postponed due to administrative delays. A new date has not been noticed yet. 

Administration

Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labeling Proposed Rule

The FDA released its long-awaited proposed rule on the Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labeling, with a formal notice to be posted in the federal register tomorrow. If the rule is finalized, it would require that foods display a Nutrition Facts label that details the amount of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars to limit, a detail how to determine the descriptions, specify the required contents of the Nutrition Information box, and the required format of the Nutrition Information box, like placement, size, and use. Due date for comments will likely be in May 2025.

GAO Releases Report on FDA Inspections

The Government Accountability Office released a report titled “Food Safety: FDA Should Strengthen Inspection Efforts to Protect the U.S. Food Supply,” which found that the FDA has not met mandated targets for domestic and international food safety inspections since 2018. The report also found that the agency did not inspect about 7% of high-risk facilities in 2019 and then jumped to 49% in 2021. During FY20-21, the percentage of facilities the FDA did not inspect went from 38% to 74%. This report comes following many high-profile foodborne illness cases. 

Treasury Department Releases Guidance on 45Z

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and IRS released guidance on 45Z, the Clean Fuels Production Credit. This is a tax credit for the production of transportation fuels with lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions below certain levels. The credit is in effect in 2025 and is for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and non-SAF transportation fuels. There is still uncertainty around how the Trump administration will handle this moving forward, and the rule could be put on pause temporarily as the new administration transitions in.

USDA Rolls Out Funding for Clean Energy Systems

The USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the agency will be distributing funding to 586 projects aimed to expand access to clean energy systems and increase availability of domestic biofuels. Funding will be coming from the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) and the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. $120 million will be provided for REAP grants, while $60 million is going through HBIIP to facilitate energy independence.

Additional Funding for MASC Rolled Out

The USDA announced that the Farm Service Agency will be providing an additional $650 million in funding for the Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (MASC) program, which helps producers mitigate rising costs and expand into new markets. The deadline to apply was extended to January 10.  Additionally, FSA extended the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program deadline to January 31, 2025.

Notable News

• Will $10B in economic payments offset farm income losses? – Agriculture Dive
• World’s first inflatable farm uses 99% less water to grow vegetables in deserts – Interesting Engineering
• ‘Entirely foreseeable’: The L.A. fires are the worst-case scenario experts feared – NBC News
• Vilsack, Beccera: As bird flu threat grows, here’s how we’re ensuring safe milk – Des Moines Register
• States struggle to curb food waste despite policies – Phys.Org
• Here’s how RFK Jr.’s war to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ may play out – The Minnesota Star Tribune

This Week’s Legislation

• Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) introduced the Protect American Energy Production Act, which would prohibit any federal moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing.
• Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) introduced three bills – the Restoring Energy Market Freedom Act, the Restoring Fuel Market Freedom Act, and the Restoring Vehicle Freedom Act, all would repeal tax credits from the Green New Deal incentivizing purchase of electric vehicles.  
•  Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) introduced seven pieces of legislation: Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act, The Diary Farm Resiliency Act, the Supporting All Producers Act, the Making Agricultural Products Locally Essential (MAPLE) Act, the Grape Research and Protection Expansion (GRAPE) Act, the Creating Access to Rural Employment and Education for Resilience and Success (CAREERS) Act, and the Rural Telehealth and Education Enhancement Act of 2025.  

Upcoming Hearings

Tuesday, January 14

• 10:00 AM: The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on “The Need to Make Permanent the Trump Tax Cuts for Working Families.”

Wednesday, January 15

• 10:00 AM: The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Sean Duffy to be the Secretary of Transportation.
• 10:00 AM: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Chris Wright to be the Secretary of Energy.
• 10:15 AM: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on “The State of the Nation’s Transportation System.”

Thursday, January 16

• 10:00 AM: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the nomination of Doug Burgum to be the Secretary of the Interior. 

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, Heath Brandt, 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.