Tag: agriculture

Administration Budget Request Focuses on Defense– Proposes Agriculture and Water Cuts – Supports Transportation Spending

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by LICA-National

President Donald Trump transmitted his nearly $2.2 trillion fiscal 2027 spending request to lawmakers during the congressional Easter recess. The proposal sets out the Administration’s funding priorities for FY 2027 and serves as the starting point for negotiations with congressional appropriators in the annual federal budgeting process. The budget requests a major increase in defense spending, proposing a record $1.2 trillion. Significant cuts are proposed for agriculture and water programs with highway and bridge programs fairing better. The administration proposed similar cuts in last year’s budget which Congress did not adopt.


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OSHA Hiring Back More Inspectors- Construction, Agriculture Targeted

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by LICA-National

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has moved to hire back employees who were previously laid off, signaling a renewed emphasis on workplace safety and enforcement capacity. These layoffs, which reduced staffing levels across several regions, had strained the agency’s ability to conduct inspections, respond to complaints, and provide timely guidance to employers and workers. Rehiring experienced staff allows OSHA to quickly restore institutional knowledge and operational readiness without the delays associated with onboarding entirely new personnel.


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Farm Bill Could Be on Congressional Agenda

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by LICA-National

Looking ahead to other action on Capitol Hill, Agri-pulse reports that House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., has said he wants to move a farm bill this month to reauthorize key programs not included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last July. The piecemeal approach follows lawmakers failing once again last year to clear a full, five-year ag measure. The last time that happened was 2018, and the partisan divide since then has only widened.


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Agriculture Support Package Announcement Imminent

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by LICA-National

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said an announcement on a support package for farmers is imminent and could land at soon as this week. The Deputy Ag Secretary added that the payment plan would take into account recent changes in commodity markets.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) warned last week that its analysis of the seven major crops indicate that five are set to see larger average losses this year. AFBF said rising input costs and export uncertainty is exacerbating the economic squeeze on producers and increasing the need for further assistance. Some farm program critics are pushing the administration to learn from the assistance programs implemented in Trump’s first term to improve efficiency and avoid overspending. In a letter to Secretary Rollins the critics said that any aid should be subject to strict payment limits and oversight.

“USDA should take prudent measures to direct aid to where it is needed most and avoid unnecessary spending or waste that could further exacerbate our fiscal outlook,” the groups argue.

Trump Administration Unveils USDA Reorganization Focused on Streamlining and Decentralization- NRCS Impacted

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by LICA-National

On July 24, 2025, Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced a sweeping reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as part of the broader Trump “government efficiency” agenda. The plan would relocate over 2,600 of the roughly 4,600 Washington, D.C.–area employees to five new regional hubs—Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City—while retaining only about 2,000 staff in the capital. USDA will close multiple D.C. buildings, including the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, and consolidate programs like the National Agricultural Statistics Service from 12 offices to five, with the goal of reducing operating costs and lowering salary locality pay rates.


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NACD Urges Bipartisan Farm Bill Action

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by LICA-National

The Senate Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member John Boozman released a framework outlining Senate Republican farm bill priorities. NACD commends that the framework supports NACD’s top farm bill request by calling for the incorporation of all remaining Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) conservation investments into the conservation title of the bill. The framework also supports NACD priorities to simplify and streamline conservation programs, bolster Natural Resources Conservation Service watershed programs, and incentivize the enrollment of marginal land within the Conservation Reserve Program.


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Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau on 2024 for Agriculture

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by LICA-National

There’s nothing quite like the fresh start of a new year to charge forward in getting work done. After all the holiday decorations are put away and the college bowl games have wrapped up, many of us start making our resolutions for the year ahead. Just like with any big task, it’s important to get started right away—or the work may never get done. That’s why when it comes to our policy resolutions and priorities, Farm Bureau is calling on Congress to get right to work this January for agriculture and our nation’s food supply.


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