G.T. Thompson

House Ag Chair GT Thompson said last week the Trump Tax Bill now headed to the Senate will finally shore up the farm safety net.  While most of last week’s House debate on the president’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” focused on SNAP and Medicaid savings opposed by Democrats, Thompson highlighted the bill’s improved farm safety net.   “The One Big Beautiful Bill ma...

The historically bipartisan Farm Bill turned political this week as majority Ag Republicans turned back every Democratic amendment and sent their Farm Bill budget to the House on a party-line vote.  It wasn’t just SNAP spending reforms Democrats went after, but Trump actions like tariffs, staff cuts, and USDA grant freezes.   “From ...

The clock on 2025 is ticking, and there are still no signs of Congress getting closer to a new Farm Bill.  Central Washington’s Dan Newhouse said it’s not easy, but he’s still confident an updated Bill will get done at some point.   “This is not the f...

Earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced moves to begin to clarify the Waters of the U.S. rule .  Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, says this is good news for farm country.   “...

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Thursday the selection of Idaho’s Tom Schultz to serve as the 21st chief of the Forest Service.  Upon being sworn in, Schultz will replace Chief Randy Moore, who recently announced his retirement after serving the agency for over four decades.   “Tom i...

House Ag Chair G.T. Thompson renewed his calls this week for Farm Bill SNAP reforms that scuttled last year’s Farm Bill effort.  That came during a debate on a narrowly-passed House budget that the Senate must still consider.   Thomps...

Last week, legislation was introduced to move the Food for Peace program from USAID to the USDA.  The move comes after the Trump Administration announced the dismantling of USAID due to what many Republicans have called questionable uses of taxpayer dollars.  Central...

By a 72-28 vote Thursday, Brooke Rollins was confirmed as the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture.  House Ag Committee Member, Central Washington Representative Dan Newhouse said he was excited when the vote became official.   “I'm delighted that a farm girl from Texas who knows something about agriculture is going to be at the helm of the USDA at a time when agriculture is facing a lot of challenges,&q

Republicans representing rural districts say they are confident that a Farm Bill will be passed within the first couple months of the year.  So, why is the GOP so confident they will replace the 2018 Farm Bill well ahead of the September deadline?  Re...

As Congress returns to D.C. the American people will notice some new faces are taking over leadership on the House and Senate Ag Committees.  Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the four leaders of the committees have a wealth of experience.   “...