House pushes ahead on farm bill

Presented by the Bipartisan Policy Center: Delivered every Monday by 10 a.m., Weekly Agriculture examines the latest news in agriculture and food politics and policy.

May 06, 2024 View in browser   By Grace Yarrow and Meredith Lee Hill Presented by the Bipartisan Policy Center With help from Marcia Brown QUICK FIX — Ag Chair G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) is pushing ahead on the House farm bill ahead of a May 23 markup, as vulnerable panel Democrats face a tough decision. — The CDC is at odds with state officials and the dairy industry over its on-the-ground response to the bird flu outbreak spreading among dairy cows. — Celebrity chef and President Joe Biden’s nutrition council co-chair, José Andrés, has been loudly criticizing the Biden administration’s approach in Gaza as famine sets in. HAPPY MONDAY, MAY 6. We’re your hosts, Grace Yarrow and Meredith Lee Hill. Send tips to gyarrow@politico.com and meredithlee@politico.com and follow us at @Morning_Ag. A message from the Bipartisan Policy Center: America needs Congress to keep moving forward on a Farm Bill. Further delay hurts the many farmers and forest landowners pursuing natural climate solutions to generate new income, boost ecosystem resilience, and achieve their land stewardship goals. A Farm Bill will ensure rural economies grow, help farmers and ranchers with conservation and production, and support jobs in agricultural and forest industries. Learn more about how conservation and innovation are mainstays of a bipartisan Farm Bill.   Driving the day FIRST IN MA: House Ag Chair Thompson is ramping up to release the House farm bill draft ahead of the planned May 23 markup. As we’ve reported, he’s planning to unveil text about a week before the markup, which is around May 17. Pro subscribers, we’ll have more details on the House plans this week. Thompson told MA that “while there is some common ground,” the recently released farm bill framework from Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), “doesn’t appear to include GOP input or reflect the highest priorities we have heard loud and clear from American farmers.” He also raised questions about funding. “Meeting these priorities will require offsets well beyond the limited amount the Senator’s release alluded to,” Thompson added. “While I appreciate Senator Stabenow taking action to share her initial framework, we must get serious about writing a farm bill that actually assures farm, food and national security,” he said. “I remain confident the Senate can pick up the pace, and we can work together to meet the actual needs of those that produce, process and consume America’s number one industry - agriculture,” he added. Under pressure: As we’ve noted, there are roughly a dozen House Ag Democrats in competitive, ag-heavy districts who are weighing whether to support the House draft or vote against it during the upcoming markup. Senior Democrats are encouraging those at-risk House Ag Democrats to vote no.   Pro Analysis intel helps you understand the members, committees, and interplay influencing policy debates. Download a complimentary look at Analysis here to help you navigate legislative decision-makers. Already a Pro Analysis subscriber? Visit the Analysis library now.     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. BIRD FLU OUTBREAK FEDERAL RESPONSE: On recent conference calls with all 50 state agriculture chiefs and veterinarians, a senior CDC official raised the prospect of sending federal teams to farms to monitor the health of farmworkers and collect other data, Meredith, Marcia and David Lim report this morning. State agriculture officials quickly voiced opposition, citing concerns about biosecurity on farms and reluctance among farmers to allow federal officials onto their property. "Decouple it from an FDA and a CDC issue,” said Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “This is a workforce concern that really ought to be expressed from the USDA and Secretary [Tom] Vilsack." Read their full story here. State POV: Louisiana’s agriculture commissioner Mike Strain, who is also a veterinarian, agreed that the CDC shouldn’t send federal teams to farms. He told MA it’s more productive to have local public health officials on site and then send critical information to the CDC. Strain acknowledged the need to work quickly. He said the high level of outbreak around the country and recent studies showing the virus has been present for more than four months raises worries that it could mutate and “become more likely to move between humans, not just from an animal, from a cow or poultry to humans, but within the human population.” ON THE HILL: Lawmakers and aides first found out about the widespread nature of viral fragments in commercial milk supplies from industry groups rather than federal officials, as we’ve reported. After The Washington Post first reported on the viral fragment detection in commercial milk, FDA’s foods chief Jim Jones briefed some Hill offices, along with USDA’s chief veterinarian Rosemary Sifford and CDC officials, according to five people familiar with the conversations. But the information Jones shared in his initial briefings left something to be desired. “He was just reading the press release, literally,” said one of the people familiar with the briefing. More lawmakers are now pressing for urgency. “It’s unacceptable that, after dealing with COVID and the recent baby formula shortage, our federal agencies have been caught flat-footed in their understanding of and response to the bird flu outbreak,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who sits on the Senate HELP Committee, told MA. Farmworkers at risk: Half of all dairy farmworkers are immigrants and many are undocumented, which makes them wary of contact with the government and less likely to seek out care, Marcia reports. Farms are often in remote, rural areas, far from health care services and other resources. Labor experts said dairy farmworkers have few federal workplace safety regulations, leaving worker protections largely up to individual employers.   A message from the Bipartisan Policy Center:   GLOBAL FOOD AID WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Andrés is growing increasingly critical of Israel’s restrictions on the flow of food aid into Gaza ahead of the Biden administration's expected decision this week over whether Israel is violating humanitarian laws under U.S. military assistance requirements, Meredith reports. Hill sway: Senate Ag member Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said in a recent interview that Andrés is making sure Biden, administration officials and Congress are “acutely aware of the unpleasant reality of the humanitarian condition” in Gaza. Nutrition policy power player: Since 2022, Andrés has leveraged a traditionally ceremonial role co-chairing Biden’s nutrition council and his close relationships with White House insiders, including former chief of staff Ron Klain, to become one of the administration’s most influential voices on nutrition policy and global food aid.   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S ENERGY SUMMIT: The future of energy faces a crossroads in 2024 as policymakers and industry leaders shape new rules, investments and technologies. Join POLITICO’s Energy Summit on June 5 as we convene top voices to examine the shifting global policy environment in a year of major elections in the U.S. and around the world. POLITICO will examine how governments are writing and rewriting new rules for the energy future and America’s own role as a major exporter. REGISTER HERE.     Row Crops — More than 70 members of Congress sent a letter to USDA urging it to revive several National Agricultural Statistics Service reports it discontinued due to budget constraints. USDA has hit back saying it’s up to Congress to plus-up the budget. — The U.S. doubled down on claims that Mexico has failed to demonstrate its restrictions on genetically engineered corn stem from valid scientific concerns, according to a public rebuttal, and slammed Mexico for not conducting a risk assessment for the policy in violation of the USMCA, our Morning Trade colleagues report today. — Texas Republicans Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Ronny Jackson introduced legislation that would establish additional payments through the USDA for ranchers recovering from livestock losses due to Texas panhandle wildfires. THAT’S ALL FOR MA! Drop us a line: gyarrow@politico.com, meredithlee@politico.com, marciabrown@politico.com, abehsudi@politico.com and ecadei@politico.com. A message from the Bipartisan Policy Center: America needs Congress to keep moving forward on a Farm Bill. Further delay hurts the many farmers and forest landowners who are looking to natural climate solutions to reach their economic and sustainability goals. American farming and forestry underpin our nation’s economy, with a long history of land stewardship and rural economic development. Ensuring that all farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have access to natural climate solutions and conservation programs is foundational to unlocking new income and employment opportunities in rural America while simultaneously strengthening these ecosystems against extreme weather events like floods and droughts. We don’t want to miss this significant opportunity to catalyze American conservation and innovation through improved land management, restoration, and robust technical assistance. Learn more about how conservation and innovation are mainstays of a bipartisan Farm Bill.     Follow us on Twitter Emily Cadei @emilycadei Adam Beshudi @ABehsudi Meredith Lee @meredithllee Garrett Downs @_garrettdowns Marcia Brown @Marcia_Brown9   Follow us

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