House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson says he’s concerned that a year-long extension of the 2018 farm bill will wind up delaying the Senate’s work a new farm bill. But he’s not ruling out supporting an extension of that length, which is what leaders of the Senate Ag Committee are pursuing.
“I’m OK with a year. My concern with the Senate is that they don’t have to do anything until the year is up,” Thompson, R-Pa., tells Agri-Pulse. He says he wants to make sure lawmakers are “still leaning in and doing our job.”
Thompson, meanwhile, insists he still plans to move a bill that has at least some Democratic support, but he has to sell Democrats on ways to pay for the legislation. One of his ideas, which involves restricting how USDA can do future updates of the Thrifty Food Plan, would save $20 billion. TFP is the economic model used to set SNAP benefits.
Take note: Iowa GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is this week’s guest on Agri-Pulse Newsmakers, also wants to see lawmakers finish work as quickly as possible on the legislation next year. “Even if we have a one-year extension, our goal should be to get that [new farm bill] passed as soon as possible,” she says.
Newsmakers will be available today at Agri-Pulse.com.
WIC report: Only half of eligible individuals participate
Just over half (51.2%) of the nearly 12 million pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children who are eligible for WIC benefits actually participated in the program in 2021, according to a new USDA report.
Some states were well below the national average, with seven states under 40% participation, while seven states were at 60% or higher. There were more kids in the program but fewer pregnant women.
Stacy Dean, USDA deputy undersecretary for the Food and Nutrition Service, says the participation rates show the challenge of connecting to the “incredibly evidence-based program to families in need.”
But she says the Biden administration has invested in outreach and streamlining efforts to increase program participation. “Just in the last year alone, 400,000 people joined the program,” Dean says.
WIC has been in the political crosshairs this year with House GOP appropriators proposing to roll back WIC’s fruit and vegetable benefit.
Senators appeal for extended comment period on H-2A reforms
Some 28 senators, including one Democrat, are asking the Biden administration to allow more time for farmers to provide input on proposed new legal protections for H-2A workers.
“Any proposed regulatory changes to the H-2A program have potential ramifications for the entire American agricultural supply chain and food security,” the senators write in letters to the Homeland Security and Labor departments. “Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that our constituents be provided adequate time to thoroughly analyze this proposed rule and its effects on their operations.”
There are two proposals at issue. A Labor Department proposal would significantly expand protections for H-2A workers who may be terminated. It also would allow workers to have union members visit their homes and provides more timely pay increases. The comment period is due to close Nov. 14.
The deadline for comments on a DHS proposal, which also aims to strengthen worker protections, is Nov. 20.
The Agriculture Workforce Coalition sent similar letters to DHS and DOL.
Audit: Funds from North Dakota soybean checkoff were used for lobbying
The North Dakota Auditor's Office says checkoff dollars from a North Dakota Soybean Council grant were used for lobbying in violation of both the grant agreement and federal regulations.
An audit report says some of a $85,000 grant the soybean council gave to the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association was used between July 2022 and June 2023 to hire a "legislative educator” to lobby on two state-level bills, one that made the Soybean Council a non-governmental agency and another involving audits of the organization.
The report says the council inadequately monitored the contract expenses which were submitted for reimbursement.
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In a statement to Agri-Pulse, the United Soybean Board says it’s working with the state council and USDA “to ensure this matter is addressed. In response, funds related to the finding in the state audit were returned to the NDSC. United Soybean Board’s compliance oversight procedures are designed precisely to identify issues such as this.”
Take note: Checkoff funds are supposed to be used for research, promotion and education purposes.
China continues to drive US soy trade in weekly USDA data
Strong demand from China was the primary driver of U.S. soybean sales and exports in the latest weekly trade data out of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
Chinese buyers contracted for 976,800 metric tons of U.S. soybeans for 2023-24 delivery – nearly all of the 1.01 million tons of export sales reported by FAS during the week of Oct. 20-26.
As for exports, the U.S. shipped a total of about 2 million tons of soybeans to foreign destinations during the seven-day period. Almost all of that – about 1.7 million tons – went to China.
Take note: Chinese buyers were also contracting for a lot of sorghum during the Oct. 20-26 period. Total net export sales of U.S. sorghum reached 379,500 tons for the week and almost all of it – 311,500 tons – was purchased by Chinese buyers.
He said it. “If not those, what other ideas do they have?” – House Ag Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., on the ideas he’s trying to sell to Democrats for funding changes in the next farm bill.
Jacqui Fatka, Bill Tomson and Noah Wicks contributed to this report.
