Unbelievably excited to announce that I’m officially joining @POLITICO as a food/agriculture policy reporter and author of @Morning_Ag.
Send me tips/ideas and add me to your press lists at [email protected].
Worth noting: the infected calf was in La Pryor, which is located in #TX23 — the congressional district vacated by Tony Gonzales, and where no special election has been scheduled
NEWS: Screwworm has been detected in Texas, USDA confirmed - marking a serious threat to US cattle and other animals
Larvae of the parasite were found in the umbilical cord of a 3 week old calf
Screwworm was eradicated from the US in 1966
New: Parasitic screwworm ‘may’ have been detected in Texas, USDA says
If the pest is confirmed to be in the US, officials will implement quarantine protocols for animals - which will have sweeping impacts on the ag industry
https://t.co/QXre2deoGt
Scoop: Florida Republicans are requesting $3.5 billion in aid for their state’s farmers after a severe winter
They’re hoping to add the aid — in the form of block grants — to a supplemental package
https://t.co/4CKFM68dmK
Grassley asked about the Justice Department statement on the anti-weaponization fund:
"it's pretty clear that the President has to say very explicitly that there's not going to be a weaponization fund"
News: Trump admin is set to finalize a rule delaying implementation of a Biden-era overhaul of pay systems for contract poultry growers
(Despite backlash from Farm Bureau & poultry growers)
More for Pros:
https://t.co/Y0iQhxg7nf
New: The FTC has launched a probe into the fertilizer industry's market concentration and pricing practices
Comes as Trump admin is trying to address high fertilizer prices/economic stress amid Iran war
https://t.co/jpjoGTdXne
ICYMI in @Morning_Ag: Congress is poised to make a major change to SNAP through the farm bill — allowing participants to use benefits to buy rotisserie chicken
Inside the lobbying/divides on the issue ⬇️
https://t.co/o8VDohZuJ2
News: Long-awaited ag labor bill is being circulated
Would expand H-2A program as farmers grapple with nationwide labor shortages
@rachel_shin_ has the scoop!
⬇️
NEW: A draft of GT Thompson's H-2A bill would grant year-round industries access to the visa program, according to copy of the draft
Would allow any contract under 350 days to qualify as “temporary” and transfers approval authority for H-2A petitions from AG to DHS
@politico
👋 Personal news: I was one of the people to take the POLITICO buyout — my last day was Friday. It’s bittersweet to end my seven years here this way, but I’m grateful for all the great stories I got to report, the impact my work had and the great reporters and editors I got to work alongside.
I’m not sure what’s next, but if anyone has leads for a policy or politics reporter, I come with a pretty versatile set of skills from the seven years I spent covering Congress, state governments, policy and campaigns for POLITICO & POLITICO Magazine. I’m also open to freelancing in the meantime!
late night NEWS — Maryland state lawmakers are looking at a special session and a constitutional amendment THIS YEAR that could clear the way for a redrawing of the state's congressional maps in future cycles, @NOTUSreports has learned
State Senate President Bill Ferguson tells me in a statement that he is in active talks with Dems to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot this November
Maryland Dems will meet after the state's primaries in late June
"Maryland must respond as the ground shifts under us," Ferguson said
Ferguson and other Maryland Dems have been under increasing pressure from national Dems to redistrict after the VRA decision
Rep. Andy Harris, the state's only GOP member of Congress, could be in trouble
https://t.co/8fi4W7Izh8
Including Dems' priority in the Senate farm bill could lead to a major math problem for Sen. Boozman, who's trying to keep the bill cost-neutral
Forcing states to pay for some of SNAP benefits (starting Oct 2027) was a key way Rs paid for their domestic policy megabill last year
Scoop: Senate GOP is considering delaying a cost-share SNAP requirement passed in their megabill last year - in order to garner enough support to pass a farm bill
Some Rs privately support delaying it, as their states will be hit by the SNAP overhaul
https://t.co/Wl0Vt410Dn
Scoop: GOP senators discussed the future of E15 for upwards of 30 min during their closed-door lunch Tuesday
The issue has divided oil and farm state members of the caucus
More details in @Morning_Ag:
https://t.co/m5QcfO5sJd