House Ag Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson still isn’t giving up on passing a farm bill this year.
He says he’s “willing to entertain" an informal pre-conference negotiation with Senate Ag Committee leaders on a farm bill. His comment came as a panel of farmers, bankers and extension economists warned him Tuesday of economic headwinds expected to face farm country over the next year.
The Pennsylvania Republican, who appears to be getting nowhere with Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, stressed a pre-conference was “not his preferred option.” He was critical of Stabenow’s refusal to release farm bill text, adding “I cannot reconcile nor negotiate a bipartisan 900-page bill with a partisan 90-page summary.”
Keep in mind: Thompson still has a significant funding gap in his own committee’s bill that would have to be bridged before it can pass the House.
By the way: While Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Dana Allen-Tully warned that another extension of the 2018 farm bill will not be enough to “head off the economic hemorrhaging that is coming,” she also said a new bill “may not be timely or sufficient to address the current situation.” The situation she is referring to is a mixture of relatively high production costs and interest rates and falling crop prices.
For more coverage of the hearing, check out our story here.
Treasury urged to move fast on 45Z tax credit
The Treasury Department needs to issue regulations for its 45Z clean fuel tax credit by September and a final rule by November, 14 senators and 36 House members say in a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen today.
Led by Sen. Joni Ernst and other House and Senate lawmakers, the letter says, “Lack of regulatory certainty is already putting thriving businesses at risk as fuel producers are unable to make important business decisions regarding their fuel. Capital investment remains uncommitted, threatening certain projects and expansion plans, including the administration’s stated goals to support new markets like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and low-carbon transportation fuels.”
The new credit, included in the Inflation Reduction Act, will replace the current 40B credit for SAF.
The rules for that credit, which limit eligible ag feedstocks to farmers who use three climate-smart practices, must be revised for 45Z, the lawmaker say. Those rules limit farmers’ access to the tax incentives.
Colorado implementing bulk-tank testing at dairy facilities
Colorado will implement mandatory statewide surveillance of commercial dairies in the state to curb further spread of the avian flu virus that has infected dairy herds in the state.
Ag Commissioner Kate Greenberg has signed an order requiring bulk-tank testing at dairy operations. The state has the highest number of reported cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy herds in the United States, with 47 confirmed detections.
All Colorado dairy cow facilities licensed by the state to produce milk for human consumption will be required to submit weekly samples for testing.
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The state says there have been “spillover” events where the virus went from dairy operations to poultry, resulting in infections of 3.2 million birds.
Lawmakers revive efforts to create a Federal Food Administration
Senior Democrats in the House and Senate are proposing to establish a Federal Food Administration, separate from the FDA.
FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Center for Veterinary Medicine, and the Office of Food Policy and Response would all move to the new agency under the bill introduced by House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Durbin introduced a similar measure, the Food Safety Administration Act, in 2022, and DeLauro reintroduced another version, the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act, in 2023.
FDA is in the process of reorganizing its Human Foods Program following a set of recommendations from the Reagan-Udall Foundation. Despite this, lawmakers said a unified structure with a Senate-confirmed commissioner would improve oversight of the food supply.
“FDA's recent efforts to reorganize the Human Foods Program has represented a positive first step toward improving operations and accountability at the agency,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports. “Ultimately, we need an independent, single agency focused solely on preventing foodborne illness and promoting nutrition goals in order to effectively carry out its mission.”
Menendez resigning in August
Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., said Tuesday he would leave the Senate Aug. 20, giving in to demands that he resign after being convicted in federal court.
Menendez was found guilty by a federal jury in New York of 16 counts including bribery and acting as a foreign agent for Egypt, which involved his advocacy on behalf of a New Jersey man who received a monopoly to perform halal certification in the United States despite having no experience in the practice.
Menendez continued to insist he would appeal his conviction, all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Rebekah Alvey and Noah Wicks contributed to this report.
