February 18, 2025

Contents

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

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Budget Resolutions

Both the House and Senate Budget Committees held markups on their respective reconciliation packages last week. The Senate Budget Committee marked up their package on Wednesday, while the House Budget Committee passed their resolution on Thursday. The House Resolution directs the House Agriculture Committee to find $230 billion in savings, which will likely be from SNAP, while the Senate Budget Committee instructs the Agriculture Committee to produce $1 billion in savings. The dueling budget reconciliation packages contain differing provisions, with the House package attempting to deal with expiring 2017 tax provisions and the Senate resolution focusing on a narrower scope specifically immigration, energy, and defense.  Both chambers are attempting to find floor time for passage as soon as possible with the House calendar being more challenging given the slim vote margin. As a reminder, the continuing resolution (CR) for government funding deadline is March 14, and there are many provisions that still need to be worked through. 

Senate Confirmations

The Senate voted 72-28 to confirm Brooke Rollins to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rollins will have oversight of USDA’s nutrition programs and initiatives, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and school meal standards. See her opening remarks and Day One actions. 

Additionally, the Senate voted on party lines to confirm RFK Jr to be the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA. He will have oversight over some food policy areas, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, food labeling, ingredient safety reviews, scientific research, and food safety standards, and the authority to implement his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Following his confirmation, Senators are putting together a MAHA legislative package, that could touch many nutrition, agriculture, and food policy areas. 

Retirements

Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) announced last week that she will not be seeking re-election next year, opening a potentially competitive Senate race in 2026 and a seat on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his lieutenant governor, Peggy Flanagan, are two potential candidates for the seat, as well as House Agriculture Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN). Senator Smith has not endorsed any candidate so far.  

Administration

President Trump Rolls Out Tariff Announcements 

President Trump enacted the Reciprocal Tariffs and Trade memorandum outlining the “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” that will ensure “comprehensive fairness and balance across the international trading system by factoring in losses as a result of measures that disadvantage the U.S. as applied, regardless of what they are called or whether they are written or unwritten.” Most agencies have until April 1, 2025, to report their findings and provide recommendations. This is not an immediate action for tariffs and there is no official date for implementation. This could take some time as one White House official had shared with reporters that the process could take weeks or months. There likely will not be any exemptions.  He also signed an order to restore a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imported into the United States, starting on March 12. 

Federal Employee Layoffs 

As part of its large-scale reductions in the government workforce, the Trump administration announced that more than 10,000 federal workers would be fired across multiple agencies, targeting probationary employees. Within the Department of Agriculture, about 3,400 probational workers in the U.S. Forest Service were fired. Additional layoffs have also been reported at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Rural Development agency, and Farm Service Agency (FSA). At the Department of Energy, between 1,200 and 2,000 workers were terminated and the Environmental Protection Agency fired 388 probationary employees. Also to note that about 10,000 USAID employees, excluding essential personnel, were placed on administrative leave last week. 

New Appointments for USDA 

The Trump administration announced Scott Hutchins to be nominated be the new undersecretary of agriculture for research, education, and economics, and Tyler Clarkson was nominated to be the USDA general counsel. Hutchins served in the first Trump administration as deputy undersecretary for the REE mission area, which oversees the Agricultural Research Service, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Office of the Chief Scientist. Clarkson is vice president and deputy general counsel at Gingko Bioworks, and was at USDA for nine months at the end of the first Trump administration, serving as deputy general counsel and principal deputy GC. Former Wyoming Game and Fish chief Brian Nesvik was nominated to be director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Kathleen Sgamma, head of the Western Energy Alliance, was tapped to lead the Bureau of Land Management. 

Make America Healthy Again Executive Order 

Following RFK Jr.’s official confirmation as HHS Secretary, the White House rolled out their Executive Order on “Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Commission.” The full EO can be found here and the fact sheet can be found here. The order lays out a number of directives, most notably establishing a MAHA commission of the following agency officials: USDA, HUD, Dept of Education, VA, the EPA, OMB, Assistant to the President, Deputy Chief for Policy, NEC and economic advisors, OSTP, FDA, CDC, and NIH. The Commission will be tasked with studying childhood chronic disease (including food production, diet, and toxin absorption), provide policy recommendations, and an assessment. 

FDA Departures 

Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, Jim Jones has resigned from FDA after taking the career government position in September 2023. Jones was tasked with reorganizing and updating the food safety components of FDA in response to ongoing challenges with infant formula as well as broad concerns about health and food safety issues. 

Notable News

• Brooke Rollins Says She’ll Shield Farmers From Impacts Of Trump’s Tariffs In Ag Secretary Nomination Hearing – Texas Tribune 
• Effective Global Corn Supplies Heading For 29-Year Lows – Reuters  
• House GOP Budget Plan Targets Deep SNAP Cuts – Politico 
• EPA Chief Seeks To Claw Back $20 Billion In Climate Funding – Reuters 
• Why Mitch McConnell Voted Against RFK Jr. For Health Secretary – NPR 
• Progress Report: Where are Vertical Farming’s Biggest Leafy Green Growers Now? – AFN 

This Week’s Legislation

• Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA) introduced the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification (HPAI) Act, to ensure that poultry growers receive compensation when federal disease control measures impact their operations. 
• Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) introduced the Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act, which would reauthorize the Weatherization Assistance Program through Fiscal Year 2030 and authorizes the Weatherization Readiness Program to address structural, plumbing, roofing, and electrical issues, and environmental hazards.  
• Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) introduced an amendment to establish the critical supply chains reshoring investment tax credit 
• Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced a bill that would provide for the Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture joint research and development activities. 
• Congressman Brad Finstad (R-MN) introduced the Growing Rural Ag Infrastructure Needs to Deliver Rising Yields (GRAIN DRY) Act to expand the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program through the USDA to include propane storage. 

Upcoming Hearings

Wednesday, February 19 

• 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. 
• 10:00 AM: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on “Improving the Federal Environmental Review and Permitting Process.”   

Thursday, February 20 

• 10:00 AM: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing to examine research security risks posed by foreign nationals from countries of risk working at the Department of Energy’s national laboratories and necessary mitigation steps 

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.