July 22, 2025

Contents

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

What We’re Watching

Congress 

This is the last week the House will be in session before the August recess, while the Senate will be in session next week to wrap up final priorities. Notably, President Trump has called on Republican Senators to stay through recess to complete nominations for a handful of federal agencies, including USDA. Senate Republican leadership has made comments regarding  the possibility of extending the work period through weekends and some of August, but nothing definitive has been decided.  

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted on two nominations for undersecretary positions at USDA, on Monday, advancing Dudley Hoskins for under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, and Scott Hutchins for under secretary for research, education, and economics by a 20-3 vote. The Committee still has to vote on the nomination of Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Michael Boren to be under secretary of the Forest Service. 

Farm Bill 

House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) has expressed wanting to draft a farm bill during August and a markup in September when lawmakers return. If a new farm bill is not passed and signed into law prior to the start of 2026, an extension of current law will be necessary.  

Rescissions Package 

Last week, lawmakers passed a rescissions package of $9 billion in claw backs, including $1.1 billion from public broadcasting and $7 billion from foreign aid programs, like those that operate through USAID. Critics of the funding cuts cite that the cuts to public broadcasting programs, like NPR, PBS, and their member stations, could disproportionately affect rural and Native American communities who rely on these services for weather alerts and local news. Additionally, Democrat leadership has criticized the foreign aid program cuts, raising concerns that it will create an opportunity for foreign adversaries to step in to countries at need. 

Appropriations 

The House and Senate will be working through FY2026 funding bills, moving them through the Committees and to the floor for a vote. House Republican appropriators will be marking up the Interior, National Security-State and Commerce-Justice-Science FY26 appropriations bills this week in the full Committee. If spending levels can not be negotiated and passed before the end of the fiscal year on September 31, there will have to be a Continuing Resolution to avoid a shut down. 

Administration

FDA Revokes Standards of Identity for Certain Products 

The FDA has proposed to revoke the Standards of Identity for 52 items, including canned fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and other foods not sold in grocery stores. A final rule would revoke standards for 11 types of canned fruits and vegetables by September 22, 2025, unless there is significant pushback by August 18, 2025. Another rule proposes revoking standards for 18 types of dairy products, including certain milk, cream, cheese, and goat’s milk ice cream with comments open until September 18, 2025. Another rule proposes revoking 23 standards for bakery products, macaroni and noodle products, fish and shellfish products, and flavorings. Comments are open through September 15, 2025. 

USDA Announces Tariff Rate Quotas on Sugar 

USDA has confirmed that tariff-rate quotas for specialty sugar imports would remain capped at 22,000 tons, meaning that organic sugar imports will receive about $85 million in additional organic sugar tariffs starting October 1, 2025. The USDA has made this decision in an effort to support domestic sugar growers, however, USDA has previously designated organic sugar as eligible under the Specialty Sugar Quota due to limited domestic supply.  

Julie Callahan Nominated as USTR Ag Negotiator 

Last week, the U.S. Trade Representative nominated Julie Callahan, currently the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for agricultural affairs and commodity policy, to be the USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator. If confirmed, Callahan will be responsible for leading and coordinating agricultural trade negotiations and developing agricultural trade policy.

Notable News

• Secretary Rollins Applauds Voluntary Removal of Artificial Dyes from Ice Cream | Home – USDA  
• Ag Legislators Look Ahead to “Skinny” Farm Bill this Fall – Farm Policy News – Farm Policy   
• GOP Senator Reveals the ‘Dirty’ Secret to Trump’s Make America Healthy Again Movement – Fox News  
• FDA revoking ‘Standards of Identity’ for more than 50 foods – Food Safety News  
• How forests are being restored after wildfires – CBS

This Week’s Legislation

• H.R.4529 – To increase market access for Black farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, to ensure civil rights accountability, and for other purposes.  
• H.R.4513 -  To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to improve the management of grazing permits and leases, and for other purposes.  
• H.R.4485 – To establish an advisory panel to study the development of a climate-friendly certification for agricultural products, and for other purposes.  
• H.R.4428 – To require the Secretary of Agriculture to provide additional payments for producers that, in participating in the conservation stewardship program, agree to adopt or improve, manage, and maintain perennial production systems, and for other purposes.  
• H.R.4422 – To require the adoption and enforcement of regulations to prohibit the intentional feeding of bears on Federal public lands in order to end the hunting practice known as “bear baiting” and reduce the number of dangerous interactions between people and bears.  

Upcoming Hearings

Tuesday, July 22 

• 10:00 AM ET: House Agriculture Committee Markup to consider United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025  
• 10:00 AM ET: House Agriculture Committee Hearing on “Past Breakthroughs and Future Innovations in Crop Production”  
• 10:15 AM ET: House Natural Resources Committee Hearing on “Permitting Purgatory: Restoring Common Sense to NEPA Reviews”  
• 10:30 AM ET: House Appropriations Committee Markup on Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill 

Wednesday, July 23 

• 10:00 AM ET: House Agriculture Committee Hearing on “An Examination of the Implications of Proposition 12”   
• 10:00 AM ET: House Appropriations Committee Markup on Fiscal Year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Bill   
• 3:00 PM ET: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Hearing to examine the nomination of Richard Fordyce, of Missouri, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation  

Thursday, July 24  

• 9:30 AM ET: Senate Appropriations Committee Markup of Interior, Environment and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Acts  
• 10:00 AM ET: House Appropriations Committee Markup on Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill

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.