We achieved a major milestone for The Toothpick Project, benefitting East Africa farmers and global sustainable agriculture:
We are proud to announce that Kichawi Kill, our Striga biocontrol seed coating, has officially received regulatory approval in Uganda. 🇺🇬
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Nine Republican Montana state senators voted with 18 Democrats to form a new majority to pass major legislation last session, undermining the influence of the ultra-conservative caucus of the state’s GOP.
Dubbed “The Nasty Nine,” the Republican senators were censured by their own party, stripped of their GOP status and cut off from voting rights at their party’s conventions in June.
Some of those senators — and two of the Democrats they voted with — spoke with @jolingkent about what they accomplished: “We voted for lower income tax relief. We invested in infrastructure. We invested in the future of Montana.”
@SteveDaines@USGAO Had to scroll far to see your comment on health insurance. My policy for catastrophic care for my family of 4 went up to $36,000 for 2026. We ended up getting the cheapest catastrophic plan available ($21,000, $10,500 deductible). PLEASE address solutions, covering preexisting.
We have wrapped up the week at @TheAGRF in #Dakar#Senegal. I'm grateful my presentation was in the morning on day two so I could focus my energy on sessions and meetings with stakeholders, funders, and ministries. Missions accomplished!
#AFSForum2025#AFSF2025#foodsecurity
What an incredible journey so far at #AFSForum2025!
Day 2 brought together great conversations, high energy sessions and bold declarations by and for our youth.
The energy in Dakar is electric and we are only halfway through.
With two more packed days to go, the momentum is building. Catch the highlights from Day 2 and stay tuned.
#OurFoodOurFuture
MAGA gets their panties in a twist about Epstein and Trump and the possibilities Trump was on "the plane".....and yet 27 women come forward and say Trump assaulted them,
and
they
ignore
it.
@MaritsaGeorgiou@jontester#groundedpodcast
Can you shed some light on this map? What kind of deal did @SteveDaines make to exclude Montana from the federal land sale mandate? This is a big deal...so I'm wondering what has been compromised.
https://t.co/8K7ZXpwomf
@USDA@SecRollins Does this mean the existing USDA Organic Market Development grants are canceled or will they eventually be unfrozen? They align with #MAHA and @SecKennedy.
@SecRollins@POTUS@USDA There are still some big problems with the frozen @USDA Organic Market Development grants. When will they be unfrozen? This ongoing freeze on grants funds that are past due has created a crisis for SMEs and farmers. @SecretaryZinke has a helpful staffer who is trying to help.
@SteveDaines@USDA@TimSheehyMT@SteveDaines@TimSheehyMT This kind of contract breach can kill a small Montana business that is trying to grow. You can't ask farmers to grow more oats if they have to be sent to #Canada for processing. The farmers' contracts require the funding release. No word from @USDA.
@SteveDaines@SteveDaines FYI the @usda#OMDG funds are still frozen, including $1.5 million for grain mill expansion in MT. Can you push for the release of these funds? This isn't #DEI. It is a highly competitive market development grant that was well evaluated and vetted. @TimSheehyMT
@SteveDaines@USDA OMDG signed contracts to build up manufacturing infrastructure in MT. The funds are still frozen, despite legally binding POs with MT manufacturers & MT farmers pre-Jan. 20. Will MT farmers & businesses need to sue @USDA for breach of contract? Please help with this mess!
@SteveDaines Your staffer told me you have nothing to do with USDA OMD grant funds that haven't been released despite legally binding contracts...but the freeze (that was rescinded over a month ago) still isn't unfrozen. Will MT farmers and businesses need to sue @USDA for breach of contract?
The grant uses the word "diversity" (diversity of crops) and identifies that 2 of the growers are considered at-risk according to gov. guidelines. The PI is a woman. Are any of these things the reasons the funds haven't been released? How do we proceed?
@RyanZinke@elonmusk@DOGE_USDA@USDA Our USDA OMDG grant was frozen and then the freeze was rescinded. But, the funds were not released. As requested we submitted POs for expenses. Of $150k requested, only $2200 was released. Should the grant be considered cancelled?
@RyanZinke@RyanZinke USDA OMDG grant funds are still locked. $325,000 (allocated by Congress) for staff/contractors & equipment should never have been locked and needs to be released ASAP. In addition to the existing crisis, it restricts investments. This is horrible for a small business!
The grant is for value-added organic production in Montana - boosting nutritional grains, expanding product line, bringing manufacturing closer to growers. Past due invoices are for necessary equipment & farmer contracts. It aligns with #MAHA@RobertKennedyJr. It is good for MT.
@RyanZinke@RyanZinke USDA OMDG grant funds are still locked. $325,000 (allocated by Congress) for staff/contractors & equipment should never have been locked and needs to be released ASAP. In addition to the existing crisis, it restricts investments. This is horrible for a small business!
@RyanZinke The USDA funding freeze rescinded two weeks ago is still frozen...multi year grower contracts can't be fulfilled. This is bad for small MT businesses and farmers. Please fix this ASAP. Why isn't Congress pushing back on budget cuts for funding already allocated by Congress?
@MaritsaGeorgiou is a journalist I have respected for years for her articulate balanced style. She & @SenatorTester teamed up to create a new political podcast, Grounded! Their first two guests are former Ark. gov. @AsaHutchinson (R) and Bush's ethics council Richard Painter. ✔️