2025 second_quarter Filing

Concerns with OSHA's proposed rulemaking regarding heat illness (Docket #:OSHA-2021-0009). SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - 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.

Supported farm bill reauthorization with a focus on risk management programs in Title I and crop insurance. Asked USDA to release 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. Concerns regarding the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) program tranche 3 funding cut. Worked with USDA, PDA, and House Ag Committee on a long-term solution for reauthorizing LFPA. Concerns regarding NASS' method for data collection of grapes. 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. 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. - 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. OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING: - Section 112032 (Tobacco duty drawback provision) in H.R.1 - House Ways and Means markup