October 1, 2024

Contents

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

The TAG Weekly Food and Agriculture Update will be on pause for the congressional October recess. We will resume the newsletter on Tuesday, November 12.

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Appropriations

Congress has adjourned for recess upon passing the Continuing Resolution, which extends funding until December 20. Now, lawmakers must consider appropriations during the lame duck, beginning on November 12. Notably, the CR did not include the SAVE Act originally pushed for by hardliner Republicans or a farm bill which expired on September 30.  

Farm Bill

While the Farm Bill officially expired on September 30, the lapse will not impact producers until January 1, 2025. Congress can either pass another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill or move a bill across the finish line during the lame duck work session.

Prior to leaving town, a group of 140 Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to Speaker Johnson (R-LA) calling for a vote on the House farm bill that passed out of the Agriculture Committee in May. The letter was signed by House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-PA) and members who are in competitive re-election races. It states that the agriculture sector has faced numerous headwinds, and states that the “negative impacts of failing to act will not just stop at the farm gate, but will also hit Main Street businesses, rural communities, and the national economy. Among some commodities and regions, calamitous impacts in farm country, such as those felt during the crisis of the 1980s, are a genuine possibility” without a bill, and urges the Speaker to prioritize this when lawmakers return.

In lieu of passing a new farm bill this year, some lawmakers are considering what a temporary farm income support package could look like. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and John Boozman (R-AR) have made public comments regarding additional assistance, Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Debbie Stabenow recently told reporters, “it’s just too early” to talk about an ad hoc emergency assistance package, “we’ve got to see if we can get a full five-year farm bill.” Ranking Member Boozman agreed that extension conversations can take place after the election.

On the House side, a bipartisan group of lawmakers have released a proposal for emergency supplemental appropriations for losses in 2023. The bill calls for $14 billion in additional funds for losses of revenue or quality loss due to natural disasters. The bill is supported by several ag groups. A full list can be found here.

Lawmakers Write Letter on Listeria Outbreak

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and Attorney General Merrick Garland urging them to hold Boar’s Head accountable for the recent listeria outbreak, which has caused 10 deaths and 59 hospitalizations. The letter states that the New York Times reported that USDA inspectors found conditions at the Boar’s Head plant posed an “imminent threat to public health” in 2022, and it was never closed down.

Administration

USDA Announces Marketing Assistance for Organic Dairy Producers

The USDA announced $58 million available for marketing assistance through the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) to help increase consumption and the marketplace for organic dairy products. The program was developed to mitigate market volatility, higher costs, and unstable feed supply. Applications for the program are being accepted from September 30 through November 29.

Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Holds Sixth Meeting

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee held their sixth meeting on September 25-26, where they discussed progress made since the fifth meeting, including data on American diets, food pattern modeling, and a discussion on sustainability and equity in the DGAs. Overall, the Committee found that Americans still are under consuming produce, dairy, and seafood, while overconsuming other proteins, sodium, saturated fats, carbohydrates, and sugars. There were discussions around food patterns, including options like a plant-based diet or low-fat dairy as a substitute. This is the final meeting before the Committee discusses the scientific report on October 21.

USDA Provides Funding for the PACE Program

There will be eight new clean energy projects awarded by USDA through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Program, totaling $248 million. The funding will help lower electrical bills, expand access to renewable energy, and create jobs in the energy space. The full list of awarded projects can be found here. To date, the USDA has chosen 27 projects worth over $916 million for the PACE program.

PCAST Releases Nutrition Report

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) published a report titled, “A Vision for Advancing Nutrition Science in the United States.” The report is focused on nutrition research and the need for interagency coordination. The report includes a number of findings and recommendations, including the finding that “high level attention is needed over several decades to deliver continued uninterrupted progress towards the President’s goal of reducing the burden of diet-related chronic diseases in America,” recommending a coordinated and sustained federal interagency effort, co-led by HHS and USDA.

GAO Audits the Conservation Reserve Program

The Government Accountability Office published a report on the Conservation Reserve Program titled “Improving How USDA Selects Land Could Increase Environmental Benefits.” The report shows that the land ranking and selection system could be modified to better align with environmental and budgetary goals. The report recommended that the Farm Service Agency “could increase points for establishing native wildflowers that benefit pollinators and expand the use of competition for continuous enrollment,” and “could develop a process to regularly review its methods” and then address resulting findings. USDA generally agreed with GAO recommendations. 

Notable News

• National Ag Law Center analyzes potential impacts of overturning chevron doctrine on environmental regulations during NASDA Annual Meeting – NASDA
• White House urges dockworkers and East Coast ports to settle differences amid strike threat – CBS News
• Students learn to tackle food waste, hunger through school program – ABC News
• U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran begs colleagues to break political gridlock on Farm Bill legislation – Kansas Reflector
• Telehealth for Arkansas WIC could help reduce food insecurity, advocates say – Arkansas Advocate
• Hay’s in the Field and a Storm is Brewing: Another Year Without a New Farm Bill? – Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

This Week’s Legislation

• Congresswoman DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the Toxic Free Food Act, which would close the GRAS loophole and require FDA to conduct safety reviews on food additives.
• Senators McConnell (R-KY) and Warner (D-VA) introduced the White Oak Resilience Act of 2024, which protects the American white oak.
• Congressman Golden (D-ME) introduced the BUILT USA Act, which would assess a ten percent tariff to all goods and services imported into the United States.
• Congressman Garamendi (D-CA) introduced a bill to amend the Head Start Act to include TANF, SSI, SNAP, WIC, and federal housing assistance as eligible public assistance.
• Congressman Casten (D-IL) and Congresswoman Brownley (D-CA) introduced the Voluntary Food Climate Labeling Act, which would develop a voluntary food climate label to place on products that will contain EPA-verified information relating to the carbon footprint of that product.

Upcoming Hearings

Hearings will resume when Congress reconvenes in November.

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.