| | | | |  | | By Garrett Downs | | | With help from Ari Hawkins
| | | — Rep. Cheri Bustos , a stalwart on the House Ag Committee for nearly a decade, will retire at the end of this Congress. She reflected with MA on the past two farm bills she worked on and offered her thoughts on where the 2023 farm bill is headed. — Contentious hearings and continuing budget quarrels are ahead this week as the House returns from recess. Your host breaks down what's on the calendar this week. — A leading voice in the Mexican agricultural industry fired back at Florida Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott , who led a bipartisan petition requesting an investigation into possible new import restrictions on Mexican agricultural products. HAPPY MONDAY, SEPT. 12. Welcome to Morning Ag. I'm your host, Garrett Downs. Send your tips along to gdowns@politico.com and @_garrettdowns and follow us at @Morning_Ag.
| | A message from the National Confectioners Association: America's chocolate and candy companies are providing more choice and portion guidance options for consumers seeking to manage their sugar intake – whether that's buying candy for family celebrations, picking up a treat to share with friends or enjoying a treat on the way out of the store. From beloved classics to new offerings like low/zero sugar and organic, the confectionery industry is meeting consumers where they want to be met. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com. | | | Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories.
| | | BUSTOS ON A DECADE OF FARM REPRESENTATION: Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) will retire at the end of this Congress, ending a decade-long run on the House Ag Committee. She worked on the 2014 farm bill, was a key player in reconciling the 2018 bill and has helped lay the groundwork for the upcoming 2023 bill. She spoke to MA while driving to deliver an oversized $4.5 million grant check to an ag research lab in Peoria, Ill., on what her experience was like working on the previous two farm bills, and gave insight into what to expect from the upcoming 2023 package. The 2014 farm bill: As Bustos noted, the 2014 bill was supposed to be the 2012 farm bill — which fell apart. "From a Midwestern perspective, the highlight was that we eliminated direct payments [to farmers], and we established a comprehensive federal crop insurance program," Bustos said. "On a personal level … I helped advocate for an amendment that required the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transportation to study the impact of upgrades to river transportation, to look at the locks and dams that were built during the Depression era." The 2018 farm bill: For the 2018 bill, Bustos was appointed to the conference committee, which reconciles the two bills in the House and Senate. Her experience also solidified her belief that crop insurance was a good thing — something that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have sought to protect in the 2023 farm bill. "The number one thing that I would hear out of the mouths of our farmers at home … it would be: Don't mess with crop insurance, it's working," Bustos said. Bustos added that getting her "feet solidly on the ground, you understand how you can play a bigger role in legislation," which helped her secure priorities like the Farmers of Tomorrow Act and the creation of a rural health liaison at USDA. Looking ahead to 2023: While she will not be part of the sausage-making for the 2023 farm bill, Bustos held a marathon of listening sessions in the U.S. and abroad as the chair of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management to lay the groundwork. "I also led a six member delegation to Denmark to look at sustainable agriculture – they're considered one of the best in the world at it to get policy ideas," Bustos said. "And we're going to take that and hopefully that will help lay the foundation for a great 2023 farm bill." That bipartisan feeling: Bustos said the farm bill will require bipartisan work, and that the Ag Committee is one of the most "plum committee assignments anyone can have." "It does mean give and take, and it means you're not going to get everything you want and maybe your region of the country is not going to get everything it wants but it also means that in the end, hopefully we have the best product we can possibly have," Bustos said. "I think it's one [area] where we've done very well working together … I can look at Austin Scott from Georgia, who's the ranking member on the subcommittee that I chair and we have a very good working relationship, and I would say we have a good personal relationship."
| | | | HAPPENING 9/29 - POLITICO'S AI & TECH SUMMIT : Technology is constantly evolving and so are the politics and policies shaping and regulating it. Join POLITICO for the 2022 AI & Tech summit to get an insider look at the pressing policy and political issues shaping tech, and how Washington interacts with the tech sector. The summit will bring together lawmakers, federal regulators, tech executives, tech policy experts and consumer advocates to dig into the intersection of tech, politics, regulation and innovation, and identify opportunities, risks and challenges ahead. REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE. | | | | | ON THE HILL THIS WEEK: It's a busy week on Capitol Hill, but your host has you covered. Here's what's on tap: Gensler to testify: Gary Gensler, the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, will testify on Thursday before the Senate Banking Committee, where he is sure to face tough questions from GOP members on a proposed rule to require industry tracking of greenhouse gas emissions in supply chains. The rule would require large-scale climate disclosures from companies, including ag firms, and be held accountable for their promises. Carbon credit purchases would also be disclosed. Republicans have fiercely opposed the rule and demand it be withdrawn. House Ag is back off to the races: In their first week back, the committee is holding a slew of hearings. On Wednesday, the group will hold a hearing on regenerative ag, which your host hears is part of an effort to set up a big push for the practice in the 2023 farm bill. On Thursday, the committee will have two more hearings, one on broadband in the 2023 farm bill, and another held jointly with the Transportation Committee on rail service challenges and its impact on agriculture. Budget trouble: Meanwhile, members are racing to pass stopgap funding for the government before funding runs out on Sept. 30. Critical to passing the continuing resolution is a contentious proposal around energy permitting for several projects, which was assured to Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to secure his vote in the Inflation Reduction Act. But progressives in the House have lined up against it, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has vowed to oppose the must-pass CR if the permitting reform is included. Not passing it on time could force a government shutdown.
| | | | Join POLITICO Live on Tuesday, Sept. 20 to dive into how federal regulators, members of Congress, and the White House are seeking to write the rules on digital currencies, including stablecoins. The panel will also cover the tax implications of crypto, which could be an impediment to broader adoption and the geopolitical factors that the U.S. is considering as it begins to draw regulatory frameworks for crypto. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | FLORIDA REPUBLICANS RUFFLE MEXICAN AG GROUP: A leading voice in the Mexican agricultural industry fired back at Florida Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, who led a bipartisan petition requesting an investigation into possible new import restrictions on Mexican agricultural products. The letter, signed by a group of 24 lawmakers, claims that Florida's market share posted consistent declines because Mexico's trade policies undercut American industry. The signatories called on the Office of the U.S Trade Representative to consider action under Section 301 of U.S. trade law, the same statute used by former President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on more than $300 billion worth of Chinese goods. "Mexico's scheme to displace Florida's seasonal and perishable agricultural industry from the U.S. market is an unreasonable trade practice that constitutes export targeting," the lawmakers wrote in the petition, which was released last week by Rubio's office. Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, an industry group that coordinates Mexican imports for 125 American companies, responded to the petition and accused the representatives of "repeated attempts to foment political discord, undermine the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement, and negatively impact consumers." Lance Jungmeyer, president of the FPAA, said Mexico's market growth is thanks to U.S. produce suppliers seeking out fresh and flavorful varieties, and pinned Florida's agricultural shortcomings on poor innovation, destructive weather events and an underused clean energy sector. "American consumers are already struggling with inflationary pressures, and the trade actions sought by the Florida Congressmen will further exacerbate them if tariffs are imposed to increase the cost and reduce the availability of fresh produce," Jungmeyer added. What FPAA calls a 'partisan probe': Rubio is vying for the praises of the agricultural sector amid a Senate campaign that is shaping up to be among the most contentious in the nation. Rubio, who has served in his seat since 2011, faces Val Demings, a current Democratic House member who trails the Florida incumbent by 2 percent, per a recent poll. "Florida and U.S. companies importing from Mexico have competed for generations during the winter and spring months, and that is not going to change. You can count on that," said Jungmeyer. "You can also count on the fact that every election cycle, Florida politicians will dredge up the same tired complaints, which ignore the market dynamics."
| | | | A message from the National Confectioners Association:   | | | | | | — The Colorado agriculture commissioner has predicted a future of less water, Yahoo Finance reports. Drought continues to grip large swaths of the west, and shows no signs of easing as farmers are getting ready for the fall harvest. — ICYMI: India has passed on the first pillar of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, Doug Palmer reported on Friday. They will participate in talks on the other three pillars. — The National Farmers Union will have its fly-in this week, and Growth Energy will have its biofuels summit. THAT'S ALL FOR MA. Drop us a line: gdowns@politico.com, meredithlee@politico.com, marciabrown@politico.com, abehsudi@politico.com and ecadei@politico.com.
| | A message from the National Confectioners Association: In 2017, America's leading chocolate and candy companies joined forces in a landmark agreement to help consumers manage their sugar intake. In a commitment to Partnership for a Healthier America, these companies set an ambitious goal to provide more transparency, create more portion guidance options in innovative packaging and educate consumers about how unique products like chocolate and candy can be an occasional treat in a balanced lifestyle. The companies exceeded their commitment, empowering consumers to make informed choices and driving directional alignment within the broader confectionery industry. In fact, 85% of chocolate and candy sold today comes in packaging that contains 200 calories or less per pack – whether that's individually wrapped products or multipacks that contain smaller packages inside. Learn more at AlwaysATreat.com. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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