September 17, 2024

Contents

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

What We’re Watching

Congress 

Appropriations

With only 13 days until current government funding expires, Congress remains at an impasse on a fiscal year 2025 spending agreement. Last week, a Continuing Resolution (CR) that would extend government funding until March 2025 was pulled from a House floor vote due to a lack of support among both parties. Some factions of the GOP will not vote for a CR of any length, while others will only support a package extending funding until March., Moderate members, along with Democrats, support an extension until mid-December. If the House is unable to move forward with a stopgap spending bill, the Senate is likely to make the first move early next week.

Farm Bill

With the farm bill also expiring at the end of the month, pressure is building for Congress to come to an agreement or move forward with an extension. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) criticized the House for leaving out a farm bill extension from the CR package. Additionally, House Democrats on the Agriculture Committee wrote a letter to leadership and bicameral Agriculture Committee leadership requesting passage of a bipartisan farm bill.

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) wrote a “Dear Colleague” Memorandum urging Democratic colleagues to work on and pass a farm bill. The Ranking Member has confirmed via Politico that he will be seeking another term as Committee leadership next year, but it is unclear whether he will get elected again by his colleagues.

Dietary Guidelines

A group of Senators wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack and HHS Secretary Becerra regarding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans process, encouraging “sound evidence” around potential changes to dairy recommendations. The letter also raises concerns about plant-based substitutes to the dairy group and confusion in consumers about nutritional equivalents.

House Considers China Legislation

Last week, the House considered and passed a number of bills around China, including passing The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. Other bills passed include the BIOSECURE Act, the DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024, Countering CCP Drones Act, and the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act. 

Administration

White House Releases PFAS Strategic Plan

The White House National Science and Technology Council has released their “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Federal Research and Development Strategic Plan.” The strategic plan lays out the goals, objectives, and tasks for PFAS R&D over the next five years, including a section on sampling for foods grown or raised in areas with water contamination, general population dietary items, and food packaging and processing. This plan builds on the 4 strategic areas presented in the 2023 PFAS Report.

USDA Rolls Out Funding for Organics and Specialty Crop Production

USDA has announced the allocation of $70.4 million to support specialty crop production research and $50.5 million to support farmers and ranchers who grow organics, totaling $121 million. This funding comes as part of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) and the Organic Agriculture Program. Examples of awardees can be found here. 

USDA Announces Funding for ACEP Fiscal Year 2025

USDA has announced their dates for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and application opportunities for eligible stakeholders. The fiscal year 2025 authorized amount for the Inflation Reduction Act funding for ACEP is $500 million, and any application submitted to NRCS that was unfunded in fiscal year 2024 will be automatically re-considered during the October 4 funding cycle. See the full notice here.

Port Unions Prepare Strike Plan Ahead of September 30 Deadline

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) is prepared with a strike plan if a deal isn’t reached with the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) by the September 30 expiration of the current contract. The ILA represents around 14,500 dock workers across 36 ports along the East and Gulf coasts that are represented by the USMX. Negotiations stalled back in June over wage and port automation concerns. Recognizing the potential supply chain disruptions, 158 state and federal trade associations in a letter to President Joe Biden in June urging the administration to work with the negotiating parties to reach a new agreement.  

Notable News

• Harris Details Rural Push Ahead of Battleground Barnstorm – Politico
• Why Are US Agricultural Emissions Dropping? – Civil Eats
• How Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s Policies May Impact Businesses – Newsweek
• Are Greedy Companies to Blame for Grocery Inflation? We Looked at the Data – NPR
• Want Cheaper Grocery Bills? Give Kids Free School Meals. – Bloomberg
• Big Tech Scrambles to Address AI’s Power Squeeze – Forbes 

This Week’s Legislation

• Representatives Nadler (D-NY), Chu (D-CA), and Senator Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act, which requires the largest U.S.-based fossil fuel extractors and oil refiners and foreign-owned companies doing business in the U.S. to pay into a $1 trillion Polluters Pay Climate Fund.
• Congressman Casten (D-IL) introduced the Exported Carbon Emissions Report Act, which would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regularly publish a summary for each of the previous ten years of total emissions of carbon dioxide and methane related to United States fossil fuel exports.
• Congressman Casar (D-TX) and Senator Brown (D-OH) introduced the American Energy Worker Opportunity Act which would provide fossil fuel workers with a wage replacement or supplement in addition to assistance to maintain health benefits and contribute to retirement in the clean energy transition.
• Senator Hickenlooper (D-CO) and Bennet (D-CO), along with Congresswoman Boebert (R-CO) introduced the Finish the AVC Act to lower the cost of completing the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC). 

Upcoming Hearings

Wednesday, September 18

• 2:00 PM: The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing on “Investing in a Healthier America: Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment”
• 2:00 PM: The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Subcommittee on Nutrition, Agricultural Research, and Specialty Crops will hold a hearing to examine “Keeping Kids Learning in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program”
• 2:00 PM: The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy will hold a hearing to examine the “Macroeconomic Impacts of Potential Tax Reform in 2025.”
• 2:30 PM: The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing to examine “Streamlining and Coordinating Support for Rural Small Businesses”

Thursday, September 19

• 10:00 AM: The House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on “The Cost of the Biden-Harris Energy Crisis”
• 10:00 AM: The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials will hold a hearing on “Holding the Biden-Harris EPA Accountable for Radical Rush-to-Green Spending”

Staff Updates

Grace Walker Joins the TAG Team

The Torrey Advisory Group is proud to announce Grace Walker as the new Member and Events Manager. Walker will focus on providing support for meeting and event planning, along with handling the firm’s association management arm. She comes to TAG from a special events firm where she provided support around event management planning and client services. Prior to that, Walker was Regional Culture & Events Lead and Office Administrator for a realty corporation. Walker has an undergraduate degree in journalism with minors in political science and legal studies from the University of Oregon.

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.