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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
The inaugural episode of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers comes as USDA announced a $1 billion investment in climate-smart ag spending. In this week’s episode, we talk with Sen. John Boozman, the top Republican on the Senate Ag Committee, about how the announcement – and the funding source – will be received on Capitol Hill as well as where he stands on legislation to reform the cattle markets.
There’s also a panel discussion featuring Randy Russell and Laura Wood Peterson on the impact of USDA’s announcement on the nation’s farmers and ranchers, a look at foreign land ownership, and the latest on efforts to expand the nation’s meat processing capacity.
House Republicans are moving a budget plan that would slash USDA funding by $230 billion. South Dakota Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson joined Newsmakers to discuss the possible cuts, which will likely come from nutrition assistance.
Then, Jim Richards from Cornerstone Government Affairs explains how SNAP program cuts in budget reconciliation could shape farm bill debate and Nick Levendofsky from the Kansas Farmers Union discusses how mass layoffs at the U.S. Agency for International Development are impacting the distribution of U.S. commodities for food aid.
Trade has been top of mind for farm country this week as President Donald Trump imposed and delayed tariffs on the country’s top trading partners. Former Ag Secretaries Dan Glickman and Mike Johanns, USDA leaders during the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, discuss the impact of enacted and potential tariffs.
They also share their thoughts on Trump’s cabinet nominees, including Ag Secretary-nominee Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary-nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., is the new ranking member on the House Ag Committee. We sat down with her and Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Penn., to discuss their vision for leading the committee and their stance on nutrition programs, which could be subject to cuts in budget reconciliation.
Then, American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall joins the show from the organization’s convention in San Antonio, Texas, to discuss concerns he’s hearing from farmers.
Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States Monday. We asked former House Ag Committee Chair Frank Lucas how this Trump administration could be different than the last and if farmers should be concerned about another trade war.
Then, Michael Marsh from the National Council of Agricultural Employers and Jonathan Coppess of the University of Illinois discuss how farm and nutrition programs may fare in federal budget cuts and how the executive order directing mass deportations could impact farm labor.
After serving 12 of the last 16 years as agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack will end his tenure leading USDA at the change of administration Monday.
In an exit interview, he discussed the potential fate of climate and equity programs under the incoming administration and how his vision for USDA has changed since he first took office in 2009. He also discussed his ongoing concerns for the agriculture industry.