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The Senate voted to confirm Howard Lutnick as Commerce secretary on Tuesday night in a 51-45 party-line vote.

The Senate is back in session this week with a key nomination for trade policy on senators’ to-do list, as well as the GOP budget resolution. Howard Lutnick’s nomination to be secretary of commerce is next in line for the Senate after the nomination of Kash Patel, the far more controversial pick to lead the FBI.

The Trump administration’s reciprocal tariff plan departs from established trade norms and could open new markets for U.S. agriculture, analysts say, but much depends on their implementation. 

The newly sworn in secretary of agriculture pledged Friday to return the agency to its “core mission” in an address to employees and supporters at the USDA’s headquarters. She also told USDA employees to cooperate with the Department of Government Efficiency initiative led by Elon Musk.

Food aid and other humanitarian assistance remains stalled in ports and warehouses despite State Department waivers that were supposed to clear the way for delivery of the products, a senior Senate Democrat told Agri-Pulse on Thursday.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that will pave the way for “reciprocal” tariffs on U.S. trading partners that subject U.S. exports to higher duty rates than their exporters face when selling into the U.S. market.

Republicans on Capitol Hill remain sharply divided over the best way to advance President Trump’s policy priorities.

Recent actions by the Trump administration have put at risk a collection of 19 university-based laboratories that conduct specialized research on agricultural challenges facing underdeveloped countries, including nutrition, food safety, irrigation and livestock management.

Ottawa and Beijing have unveiled their opening salvos in retaliation to Trump's tariffs and threats. While ag features prominently in both countries’ tariff lists, the responses are measured, analysts say. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is eying more U.S. ethanol purchases as a way to erode the U.S. trade deficit, appease President Donald Trump, and meet the country's climate goals as U.S. growers watch with interest.