With the state holiday Monday, lawmakers honored César Chávez with reflections on the union leader’s activism for farmworkers and with calls to do more.
As chair of the Latino Caucus, Asm. Liz Ortega of Hayward ticked through a list of recent labor wins for farmworkers, from indoor heat illness protections to ag overtime and card check. Last year Ortega, a longtime labor leader, shot down an attempt to reform the law on overtime pay.
Democrats in both houses lauded Chávez for fighting against white supremacy, for his indigenous ancestry and for joining in solidarity with Jewish, LGBTQ and Filipino activists.
Padilla looks to preserve farmworker historical sites
A new House bill would create a new historical site in commemoration of César Chávez and the farmworker movement of the 60s and 70s.
The Farmworker Movement National Historical Park would incorporate California landmarks like the César E. Chávez National Monument and McDonnell Hall on the campus of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in San Jose and the Arizona-based Santa Rita Center. The bill would also establish a National Historic Trail Study for the 300-mile march route taken by farmworkers between Delano and Sacramento in 1966.
Sen. Alex Padilla of California co-authored the measure with Rep. Raul Ruiz of California.
2025 almond outlook faces uncertainty
With uneven weather patterns, reduced inputs and bee shortages, there is increasing uncertainty around almond yields this year, a Terrain report shows.
Specialty crop analyst Matt Woolf suggests the market confirms the predication as prices remain steady during the 2025 bloom.
‘Liberation Day’ could come early
President Donald Trump says that his reciprocal tariffs could land earlier than expected. He told reporters Monday that the new duties could drop as soon as tonight but added that Wednesday is the likely deadline.
The administration will impose new duties on trade partners that impose higher tariffs than the U.S., Trump said. But he suggested the U.S. tariff rates could be lower than theirs. “Whatever they charge us, we charge them, but we're being nicer than they were,” Trump said.
The president said that he would show even more leniency to countries that have not “made a fortune” off the U.S. He did not elaborate on what he meant by that. “The ones that haven't, we're going to be very nice to them,” Trump said.
Take note: Senior trade officials from China, South Korea and Japan met Sunday for the first time in five years to discuss economic and trade cooperation. But the president dismissed concerns that his tariffs might drive U.S. allies to deepen ties to China. “I’m not worried about it,” he said.
Rollins: Timing of trade support rollout depends on April 2 tariffs
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the timeline for providing support for farmers impacted by tariff retaliation depends on what the president unveils this week.
During one of several stops in Iowa Monday, Rollins said she hopes a compensation package for farmers similar to what they got in Trump’s first term won’t be needed.
“My hope and prayer and goal is that we don't have to use those again, that in fact, these tariff renegotiations will be so positive on the front end for our farmers and our ranchers and our ag community,” she said.
Take note: Some in the ag sector want the rollout of trade support to accompany any tariffs announced on Wednesday to dampen any anxieties over sweeping new duties.
Ag researchers told to avoid certain words, like ‘ethanol’ and ‘water conservation’
A memo to Agricultural Research Service staff directs them to remove dozens of problematic words and terms from agreements apparently subject to a funding freeze.
In addition to words such as “queer,” “trans,” “equitable” and “inclusion,” the memo includes some less obvious entries — terms such as “safe drinking water,” “water treatment,” “water conservation,” “nonpoint source pollution” and “PFAS.”
There are more words: “biofuel,” “biogas,” “clean energy,” “biomethane,” “ethanol” and “aviation fuel.” The memo, leaked to activist group More Perfect Union, does not specify the agreements subject to the deletions but says they are now subject to a moratorium and must be revised to comply with Trump administration executive orders.
USDA spokespeople did not respond to a request for comment.
Senate GOP to push through budget blueprint
Senate Republicans are preparing to trigger the budget reconciliation process by pushing through a final budget resolution.
Leaving Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office late Monday, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told reporters the plan is to release the resolution Wednesday. The final vote would fall on Friday or Saturday, he said.
Spending cuts won’t dip below $1.5 trillion, but the target is $2 trillion, Mullin said. The instructions for committees “will be a little bit vague” and the Senate was limited in what they could instruct, he continued.
By the way: Thune, R-S.D., seemed less confident on the timeline, telling reporters it would come up “maybe” later this week. Thune told colleagues the budget resolution will “lay the groundwork for legislation to make the 2017 tax relief permanent, secure the border, unleash American energy and provide for our nation’s defense.”
Final word
“Hopefully, our farmers and our ag community won't be hurt, at least in the short term, by these decisions. But if they are, the president's commitment is the same today as it was five or six years ago, and we at USDA and our partners across Congress and in Washington will work around the clock to ensure that we have the programs in place to do what we did the last time with the CCC.” – Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins in Iowa Monday, discussing the potential use of the Commodity Credit Corp. to compensate farmers hurt by retaliatory tariffs.
