May 19, 2026

Contents

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

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Farm Bill

The Senate Agriculture Committee has announced that they are working through their version of farm bill text following the House passage of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-AR) will be holding a member-only meeting this week to discuss a path forward. Meanwhile, Congress will be focused this week on other priorities, like a second reconciliation package, surface transportation reauthorization, and addressing high cost of living issues.

Last week, the Senate Agriculture Committee also held a hearing regarding challenges in the fertilizer supply chain. Members and witnesses focused on high fertilizer and other input costs and the combination of global supply shocks and a highly concentrated fertilizer market as key drivers of volatility and elevated prices. How these issues could be addressed through farmer economic aid or through the Farm Bill remains to be seen.

E15 Bill Passes the House

Last week, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow for the nationwide year-round sales of gasoline containing 15% ethanol, or E15, receiving praise from biofuel groups and farm organizations. The Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act was approved by ​a vote of 218 to 203 and allows for fuel ​retailers to offer E15 year‑round by removing seasonal restrictions. The bill also includes provisions on small refinery exemptions (SREs). The bill now faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where opposition will likely come from Members from oil-producing states and those aligned with environmental groups.

Congress Questions USDA Officials on Proposed Reorganization

U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden held a closed-door meeting with House Agriculture Committee members last week to discuss the USDA reorganization plan. As reported by Politico in Morning Agriculture, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN), along with Democrat colleagues, raised concerns about the potential loss of staff and program disruptions, while Chair GT Thompson (R-PA) and Republican lawmakers seemed more optimistic about the agency’s ability to recruit staff and efforts to get employee feedback. Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) led a letter signed by 23 Senate Democrats to Deputy Secretary Vaden expressing concerns about the USDA Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area reorganization.

House T&I Committee Moving on Surface Transportation Reauthorization

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) released text of a five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill over the weekend. The BUILD America 250 Act – Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America’s 250th Act would invest $50 billion in the nation’s bridge infrastructure, focuses on transportation infrastructure, provides reforms and funding to passenger rail systems, and includes a framework for autonomous commercial motor vehicles. The full announcement, text, and section by section can be found here.

Administration

FDA Commissioner Steps Down from Position

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary resigned from the position last week, with Human Foods Director Kyle Diamantis stepping in as the interim Commissioner until the role is filled. This departure follows a number of public controversies during this administration around flavored vapes, downsizing of staff, and other healthcare-focused issues. Donald Prater has been chosen to replace Diamantis for Acting Director of the Human Foods Program until a new FDA Commissioner is confirmed. Prater was previously Acting Director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and has spent most of his time at FDA in the food safety space. 

President Trump Visits Beijing to Discusses Trade

Last week, President Trump had a three-day visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and officials from the Ministry of Commerce to discuss trade and international affairs. Both parties shared a positive readout from the meetings. According to a White House fact sheet covering the trip, readout the two leaders agreed to new standing mechanisms for trade and investment discussions. The White House also announced that China committed to purchases at least $17 billion agricultural commodities (including soybeans) on an annual basis and reopened market access for American beef through the renewal of export licenses.

FDA Releases Post-Market Assessment Plan

The FDA finalized its new proactive food chemical safety post-market assessment program and launched reassessments of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and azodicarbonamide (ADA). Two documents will guide the FDA’s annual food chemical post-market assessment plan - “Enhanced Systematic Process for Post-Market Assessment of Chemicals in Food” and the “Post-Market Assessment Prioritization Tool,” The first document will provide insight into how the FDA will monitor food chemicals, and how these chemicals will be prioritized. The second document will identify priority food chemicals for a full scientific assessment. Both BHA and ADA are used to preserve fats and oils in various baked goods, like cookies, and ADA is used as a dough conditioner in breadmaking operations. 

Notable News

• Declining Egg Prices Squeeze Farmers – American Farm Bureau Federation
• Potential Impacts of Proposed E15 Expansion and SRE Reallocation Provisions of HR 1346 – Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri
• Steel Tariffs Are Harming Tin Can Makers and Lifting Food Prices – New York Times
• FDA Shakeup Elevates Kyle Diamantas and Sparks Questions for Food Industry – Food Institute
• The energy squeeze behind the Iran war and AI boom – Axios
• Agriculture Groups Bank on USMCA Review To Change Trade for the Better – Growing Produce
• The MAHA movement is coming to school cafeterias. Here’s what that means for kids – NPR

This Week’s Legislation

• Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 to offer free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to every student in America regardless of income, eliminate school meal debt, and incentivize local food in schools.
• Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) introduced S. 4548 to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish a program to promote upland species habitat restoration.
• Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) introduced H.R. 8762 to amend the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act to exclude crops used to produce biofuel with respect to an agricultural commodity.
• Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Promoting Access to Local Agriculture Act of 2026 to streamline applications from farmers to be vendors under certain nutrition programs.

Upcoming Hearings

Wednesday, May 20

• 10:00 AM: The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax will hold a Hearing titled “Your Paycheck, Returned: How the Working Families Tax Cuts Delivered for Americans”.

Thursday, May 21 

• 10:00 AM: The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will hold a Hearing to Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health.

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.