LEADERSHIP MOVES: Democrats are weighing how to fill the newly vacant No. 3 position within Senate Democrats. Stabenow, who is currently No. 4 in leadership, told Meredith last week: "I love what I'm doing with their policy committee. So I think the policy and communications position is a great spot to be." She also confirmed to Garrett last week that she's still "absolutely" planning to stay on as chair of the Senate Ag Committee. "We have a five-year farm bill to write. This is probably one of the biggest things that Congress will get done in the next two years," she added. A move up the leadership ladder could help bolster Stabenow ahead of a likely tough reelection campaign in 2024. G.T. rumbles toward the gavel: Prominent Republicans on the House Ag Committee appear to be lining up behind Thompson, with no one challenging his quest for the gavel so far. MA got some insight into the new majority's plans when the new Congress kicks off. Investigations incoming: According to a House Republican aide with knowledge of plans, House Ag GOPers are planning a slew of inquiries into the Biden administration. They've been relying on oversight via letter and Government Accountability Office investigation in the first two years of the Biden administration, but will now have the opportunity to conduct oversight hearings on their own. That will likely include a probe into the USDA's $3.5 billion partnerships for climate-smart commodities program. Thompson is concerned about that amount of money being spent "without any congressional input," the aide said. He's previously panned the use of the Commodity Credit Corporation to fund climate programs at USDA. The majority is also hoping to haul in Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan for testimony and to badger him on EPA's pesticide policy. Republicans, and some Democrats alike, have been frustrated as EPA has sought to limit the use of certain pesticides, like the now-banned chlorpyrifos. You can also expect them to likely hold a hearing and look into food assistance fraud that was taking place during the pandemic. Do the IRA shuffle: The aide said Republicans will likely look to repurpose some of the $20 billion towards USDA's conservation programs if it's possible. That money is being seen by the House GOP as "additional discretionary funds that are targeted toward certain practices," which farm bill writers have never had from a reconciliation bill before. They don't count for or against the baseline of the bill. But it's not yet known what the effect would be if they reallocate those dollars — either adding to the baseline or creating a funding cliff. Either way, House Republicans say the Congressional Budget Office found USDA wouldn't be able to get the $20 billion out the door — meaning the funding would be lost — adding more pressure to move the money. One potential target to move that money is somewhere else within the conservation title of the bill, for example, moving money out of programs that were "plussed up" beyond the need into programs that didn't receive as much of a boost, the aide said. Another option could be allocating some funds to the safety net, one of the most common concerns for farmers who want a broader and faster-acting safety net to cover increasing natural disasters, droughts and floods. Any attempts to do so would likely have to be bipartisan, though, given Democratic control of the Senate MEET THE MAJORITY: We're talking with Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) about his farm bill priorities and targets for next year. It's part of a series of conversations we're featuring over the next few weeks with House Ag GOP members as they make plans for the next Congress, when they'll be in the majority. If you're not a subscriber, you missed Rep. Austin Scott last week. Bacon, fresh off a tough reelection race, is currently the top Republican on the House Ag nutrition subcommittee. Here's a snippet of his recent conversation with Meredith. Bacon's farm bill priorities include: Crop insurance: " My first priority is to make sure that we got a really good crop insurance bill. That's the number one thing I hear from farmers. … So we'll have to see what kind of adjustments make sense." Research: "I'm also a big believer in the research side. We've done some good work on foot and mouth disease prevention and vaccines. We've got a lot more work to do on African swine fever. We've got to be able to head that off if it ever comes here, which would devastate our pork industry." Trade promotion authority: "In Nebraska, we're a huge export state. We don't really see this administration working trade like they should. … So we need to put some pressure on the administration for trade, and trade promotion authority in the farm bill will be very important." NUTRITION DEBATE: As we've reported, Republicans are eyeing a range of reforms for federal food assistance programs in the farm bill. Republicans mostly agree they'd like to reinstate and potentially add new work requirements to federal food assistance programs, but the idea is hotly contested by Democrats. Sen. John Boozman (Ark.), the top Republican on the Senate Ag Committee who generally supports work requirements, told Meredith last week he thought it "would be difficult" for such a measure to pass with 60 votes in the Senate. "You look at the [GOP] margin in the House, it might be difficult to pass in the House," he added. The nutrition assistance cliff: Beyond work requirements, GOPers are eyeing efforts to again try to address the "cliff effect" that happens when people who use federal assistance programs, including SNAP, no longer qualify for hundreds of dollars of benefits when they earn just $1 more than the qualifying income threshold. Republicans, including Bacon, argue the cliff "disincentivizes" some people from transitioning off federal assistance and getting full-time jobs. (As we've reported, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack argues many people who use the program are also working.) Tick-tock: But, notably, Bacon told Meredith he wasn't sure if there would be enough time to have some of those big conversations about nutrition programs, as time is ticking to pass the massive legislation before it expires at the end of 2023. Bacon: "I don't think we'll get it in this farm bill, but maybe, maybe not. I've been wanting to figure out a way to mitigate or minimize the cliff effect in SNAP. … I would like to look at how we can stagger those benefits down and help people to get a full time job and maybe only lose a small portion of their SNAP. Because if you tell someone, you earn [another] dollar, you're going to lose $600, that disincentivizes getting that raise or getting that full time job. How do you keep Republicans unified about nutrition programs, especially when House Freedom Caucus members are already pushing their own plans about work requirements and other reforms? Bacon: "I think generally Republicans are unified on work requirements. But it's important to say there's exceptions, obviously." "We're not asking someone who's retired or someone with young children or someone that has disabilities, but if somebody's eligible, there should be work requirements. The last few years, Democrats have waived those, particularly with Covid. And I get that with Covid, but we're out of Covid now. So we ought to go back to normal." SENATORS ASK USDA TO EXTEND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR COMPETITION RULEMAKING: Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), co-chairs of the Senate Chicken Caucus, are asking USDA to extend the public comment period 180 days to allow "stakeholders and constituents" more time to study the rule. A bipartisan group of 17 other senators also signed onto the letter. The rule, issued under the authority of a 1921 agricultural antitrust law, is the second of three rules USDA is planning to implement in order to make livestock markets more competitive. If implemented, the rule is intended to provide producers greater protection from deception, retaliation and discrimination, as well as requiring greater recordkeeping from USDA on these issues. The first competition rule, if finalized, is intended to make poultry contracts more transparent and fair.
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