Reported lobbying issue
Agriculture: Worked on efforts to support passage of "farm bill 2.0". Supported efforts for bridge payments/economic assistance. Worked on ensuring USDA released the $10 billion in economic assistance and $20.8 billion in disaster relief assistance from H.R.10545 (FY25 December 2024 CR). Informed Congressional delegation, White House Office of Public Liaison, and USDA of PFB's 2025 priorities (animal health, dairy, energy, environment/regulatory reform, farm bill (including Prop 12), labor, transportation, and wildlife). Supported compensation programs for animal health diseases impacting livestock and poultry such as HPAI. Advocated for science-based research when making decisions in the MAHA space. Monitored S.98, the Agriculture Innovation Act, which aims to improve USDA data collection and research on conservation practices to better inform farmers about which practices reduce risk and increase profitability, enhance crop yields, and improve soil health. Promoted our recommendations for the State FSA Committee. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R. 7567 otherwise known as "farm bill 2.0" - H.R. 4708, the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, which would make competitive grants available for research projects related to the mitigation of the Spotted Lanternfly. - S.581/H.R.295, the Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act, which would mandate cost and yield surveying of processors to participate in the NDPSR survey every two years. - S.741/H.R.1613, the Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act, which would require a USDA study on providing crop insurance for mushroom farmers. - S.1073/H.R.2117, the Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act, which would help our next generation of farmers by aligning the definition of Beginning Farmers to match that of other USDA programs - 10 crop years or less instead of the status quo of 5 crop years or less. - S.156/H.R.575, the Increased TSP Access Act, which would help streamline the technical service provider (TSP) certification at NRCS and leverage the programs and technical expertise of NRCS to make conservation programs available to more farmers and on more land. - S.29 / H.R.139, the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight savings time permanent. - S.469/H.R.1131, the Farmers First Act, which would reauthorize and increase funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) to $15 million annually for five years. - S.420/H.R.985, the Dairy Business Innovation Act, which would increase the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) program's funding from the current $20 million to $36 million. - H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act, which would allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. - S.1693/H.R.3283, the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act, which would strengthen the agricultural safety net by increasing premium support for higher levels of crop insurance coverage, making it more affordable, and by allowing farmers to participate in both enhanced crop insurance and other commodity programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC).
Economics/Economic Development: General concerns on ways to reduce inflation and agricultural input costs, especially for small businesses and family farms. Discussions on importance of some type of bridge payments from Congress due to the struggling farm economy.
Energy/Nuclear: Incentives and EOs regarding domestic energy production. Expand our energy resource portfolio. Secure our electric grid from vulnerabilities. Balance renewable and conventional sources of energy. Strategic placement of renewables (i.e. limit solar on productive farmland). Agrivoltaics. SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R. 3313, the Protecting American Farmlands Act, which would prohibit federal funds from being used for certain solar energy projects that would convert farmland and would exclude solar facilities on prime farmland from certain clean energy tax credits.
Environment/Superfund: Explained farmers and ranchers' voluntary conservation efforts as a way to express that more environmental regulations in production ag are not necessary. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R.3909, the FUELS Act, which would raise the fuel storage capacity exemption levels for small farmers, exempting them from costly infrastructure improvements (like building dikes or basins) otherwise required by the SPCC rule for spill containment. OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.1507/H.R.3077, the Agriculture Resilience Act, which would aim to reduce agriculture emissions by 50% before 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. - H.R.4133, the EQIP Improvement Act, which would primarily impact CAFOs by reducing the federal cost-share for large structural waste management practices (such as lagoons and manure transfer systems) that are often used by these operations, and by eliminating the mandatory 50% livestock funding set-aside.
Transportation: General concerns regarding reliable transportation infrastructure in rural America (roads, bridges, railroads, locks and dams, inland waterways, etc). OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R.3623, the Horse Transportation Safety Act, which would prohibit double-deck trailers.
Chemicals/Chemical Industry: Educated our MOCs offices on how our farmers use pesticides safely and effectively in relation to the MAHA debate. Supported pesticide availability and consistent labeling across all states. Advocated for farms to be exempt from any PFAS liability and if farms do experience PFAS contamination that there be a compensation fund. Concerns on CERCLA relative to PFAS contamination on farms. General concerns on EPA's Risk Assessments.
Foreign Relations: SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.1969, the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) Improvements Act, which would modernize AFIDA by lowering the reporting threshold for foreign ownership, mandating an online disclosure system, increasing data sharing among federal agencies like CFIUS, and improving the USDA's ability to validate and enforce compliance. - S.2268/H.R.1713, the Agricultural Risk Review Act, which would add the USDA Secretary as a permanent member on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). - S.886/H.R.1920, the FARMLAND Act, which would authorize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review all purchases or leases of American farmland by foreign entities that exceed $5,000,000 or 320 acres. - S.732/H.R.1576, the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, which would add the USDA Secretary to CFIUS and require them to report certain transactions involving certain countries or their citizens to CFIUS.
Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace: Reform to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). Supported efforts to rescind the March 2023 AEWR methodology rule. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING: - DOL's final rule changing the AEWR: Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States (Docket # - ETA-2025-0008) - H.R.1624, the Supporting Farm Operations Act, which would freeze the H-2A program's Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) at the level that was established in 2023 until end of 2026. - S.4249, the FARM Stability Act, which would codify the basic tenets of DOL's interim final rule on the AEWR methodology effective October 2025.
Clean Air and Water (quality): Addressed concerns and advocated to amend the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) definition. Concerns on CAFO permitting requirements. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.795, the Farmers Freedom Act, which would amend the Clean Water Act to allow prior converted cropland (PCC) to remain exempt from being regulated under WOTUS. - H.R. 3898, the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT) Act, which would codify longstanding WOTUS exclusions for ephemeral features, groundwater, and prior converted cropland that have been included as part of WOTUS regulations over the years. - H.R.3824, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, which would prohibit the EPA or states from requiring permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program for discharges of pesticides into navigable waters if the pesticides are registered, used for their intended purposes, and used in compliance with their pesticide label requirements, as already required. - H.R.3935, the Reducing Permitting Uncertainty Act, which would prevent the EPA from vetoing a Section 404 dredge and fill permit before a permit application has been filed or after a permit has already been issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. - H.R.3897, the Confidence in Clean Water Permits Act, which would clarify that NPDES permits must include only clear, objective, concrete limits on specific pollutants or waterbody conditions, and that as long as permit holders are adhering to these clear effluent limitations, they are in compliance under the law, as outlined in the 2025 San Francisco v. EPA case.
Immigration: General immigration reform. Advocated for a secure border, while asking for flexibility for the ag workforce. Asked Congress to address and reform the H-2A program. Monitored the draft of the Affordable and Secure Food Act (not yet introduced) and offered our feedback to Senate offices if requested. Monitored H.R.4319, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would make reforms to the H-2A program. Reviewed H.R.4393, the DIGNITY Act, which would provide a pathway to legal status (but not citizenship) for certain undocumented immigrants. Reviewed H.R.4393, the Bracero Program 2.0 Act, which seeks to modernize the H-2A program. Concerns with the increasing Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) under the H-2A program. Supported a year-round agricultural visa program. Supported reform to the H-2A housing inspection process.
Railroads: General concerns on efficient rail systems as ag heavily relies off of railroads. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - Reintroduction of the Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act, which would require that trail sponsors obtain consent from all impacted landowners and provide fair compensation when converting abandoned railroad corridors into recreational trails.
Fuel/Gas/Oil: Worked on efforts surrounding the price of fertilizer given the situation in Iran. General advocacy for lowering gas and diesel (on and off road) prices. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.593/H.R.1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which would extend the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) volatility waiver to enable the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends up to 15 percent. - H.R.4562, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Information Act, which would direct the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) to include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) more explicitly on their weekly and monthly reports, in line with existing standards and consistent with other fuel types.
Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.): Supported whole and 2% milk being offered in all government programs and schools. Concerns regarding alternative milks being labeled as milk. Concerns regarding egg alternatives being labeled as eggs. Concerns regarding lab-grown meat or plant-based meat alternatives being labeled as 'chicken', 'beef', etc. Concerns regarding food additives and dyes in food. Worked to find solutions regarding a lack of USDA certified meat processing facilities. Recommended Scott Sechler to be appointed to the National Organic Standards Board SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.222/H.R.649, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would permit schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. - H.R.5383, the GIVE MILK Act, which would allow whole and reduced fat milk in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. - H.R.648, the Strengthening Our Servicemembers with Milk Act, which would require DOD to provide fluid or powdered milk to members of the Armed Forces at dining facilities on military installations. OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.421, the American Beef Labeling Act, which would reinstate Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (MCOOL) for beef, requiring the country where the cattle were born, raised, and slaughtered to be displayed on the product to ensure consumer transparency and support domestic producers.
Animals: Concerns regarding Prop 12 relative to animal welfare. Supported Section 12007 from H.R.7567, which would establish USDA and FDA as the national standard for food that can be moved between state lines. Concerns regarding New World Screwworm. Concerns regarding HPAI. Concerns regarding Fish and Wildlife Service's depredation permits. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R.3915, the Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act, which would increase funding to fight foreign animal disease and extend authorization for the Animal Health Protection Act through 2030. - S.1823/H.R.2462, the Black Vulture Relief Act, which would allow livestock producers to take black vultures without a permit if the bird is causing death or injury to their animals. - H.R. 1897, the ESA Amendments Act, which would update the outdated ESA by establishing clear statutory definitions, focusing on species recovery, and streamlining the ESA permitting process. - S.574/H.R.1376, the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act, which would make all poultry growers and layer operations within a HPAI control area eligible to receive payments from APHIS compensation program, rather than only flocks that test positive. - H.R.845, the Pets and Livestock Protection Act, which would delist the gray wolf from the ESA to protect livestock. - S.1751/H.R.3392, the STOP Screwworms Act, which would require the USDA Secretary to establish one or more facilities in the U.S. to disperse sterile New World screwworm flies to combat infestations and prevent their spread.
Telecommunications: Supported increasing rural broadband connection and cell service. Supported increasing funds for farmers to access precision ag technologies. Reviewed vertical farming opportunities. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.315/H.R.979, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule that requires all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. - S.1616, the Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment (PRECISE) Act, which would provide funding through existing USDA loan programs to help producers purchase precision agriculture equipment.
Natural Resources: Reauthorization of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.1462/H.R.471, the Fix Our Forests Act, which would establish requirements for managing forests on federal land, including requirements concerning reducing wildfire threats, expediting the review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities.
Budget/Appropriations: Supported H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill, which included some farm bill programs and key tax provisions that impact agriculture. Ensuring FSA and NRCS offices are adequately staffed and funded. Monitored funding cuts to government departments and agencies and their programs.
Small Business: SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R.425, the Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act, which would repeal the Corporate Transparency Act.
Trade (domestic/foreign): Concerns regarding Prop 12 relative to domestic and international trade. Addressed concerns regarding Trump Administration's tariffs. Monitored the issue of countries importing "organic" products that have contaminants. Concerns regarding Canada not abiding by the USMCA dairy trade agreement. SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R.4673, the Save Our Bacon Act, which would prohibit state and local governments from interfering with the production of livestock in other states. - S.1326, the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, which would prohibit any state or local government from interfering with commerce and agricultural practices in another state outside their jurisdiction.
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code: Supported tax provisions included in H.R. 1, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act - particularly Section 199A and the estate tax exemption. SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.213/H.R.703, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, which would make permanent the 20% deduction for small- and individually-owned businesses (Section 199A). - S.587/H.R.1301, the Death Tax Repeal Act, which would Would repeal the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes. It also makes conforming amendments related to the gift tax. OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING: - Section 112025 (UBIT provision) in H.R.1 - House Ways and Means markup
Education: SUPPORT FOR THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.469/H.R.1131, the Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act, which would restore the exemptions family farm and small business assets from the FAFSA calculation process in higher ed. - H.R. 4945, the GO Ag Act, which would create a $5 million grant program to help high schools cover the startup costs associated with agriculture education programs. - H.R. 7989, the ACE Act, which would ensure a more equitable distribution of federal education funding by eliminating a "number weighting" system that currently favors large, populous school districts, shifting the formula to prioritize districts based on their actual percentage of poverty regardless of their size.
Banking: SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - S.910, the Farm Ownership Improvement Act, which would require USDA to implement a pre-qualification or pre-approval process for all farmers and ranchers seeking FSA Direct Farm Ownership loans. - H.R.1991, the Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement (PACE) Act, which would improve farmer's access to credit by increasing loan limits and updating FSA lending programs to better reflect the rising costs of agricultural production. - S.838/H.R.1822, the ACRE Act, which would amend the IRS code to allow community banks to administer agricultural real estate loans by granting them tax exempt status on earned interest.
