Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act

Agriculture Resilience Act, H.R.3077 urging MN members of Congress to sign on to the bill. Strengthening Local Processing Act, S.1509 urging MN members of Congress to sign on to the bill. Opposing cuts to Local Food Purchase Agreements, Regional Food Business Centers, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program due to equity concerns. We shared action alerts for the Strengthening Local Food Security Act S. 2338, and Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act (H.R. 4782). Signaled opposition to the Save Our Bacon Act H.R. 4673. To expand disaster assistance for small and mid-sized and diversified growers beyond major commodity crop farmers. Staffing cuts at USDA and county NRCS offices and impact on access to conservation funding.

Client expense: $10,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Worked on efforts to support passage of "farm bill 2.0". Supported efforts for bridge payments/economic assistance. Worked on ensuring USDA released 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. Advocated for science-based research when making decisions in the MAHA space. 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. Promoted our recommendations for the State FSA Committee. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R. 7567 otherwise known as "farm bill 2.0" - H.R. 4708, the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, which would make competitive grants available for research projects related to the mitigation of the Spotted Lanternfly. - 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. - H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act, which would allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. - S.1693/H.R.3283, the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act, which would strengthen the agricultural safety net by increasing premium support for higher levels of crop insurance coverage, making it more affordable, and by allowing farmers to participate in both enhanced crop insurance and other commodity programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC).

Worked on efforts to support passage of "farm bill 2.0". Supported efforts for bridge payments/economic assistance. Worked on ensuring USDA released 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. Advocated for science-based research when making decisions in the MAHA space. 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. Promoted our recommendations for the State FSA Committee. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R. 7567 otherwise known as "farm bill 2.0" - H.R. 4708, the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, which would make competitive grants available for research projects related to the mitigation of the Spotted Lanternfly. - 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. - H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act, which would allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. ' - S.1693/H.R.3283, the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act, which would strengthen the agricultural safety net by increasing premium support for higher levels of crop insurance coverage, making it more affordable, and by allowing farmers to participate in both enhanced crop insurance and other commodity programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC).

H.R.1380 - Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act; support for establishing an "Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters" at USDA. H.R.2117 - Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act; support for aligning the definition of a beginning farmer with other programs, increasing premium subsidies for beginning and veteran farmers. H.R.649 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; support for allowing unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. H.R.1131 - Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act; support for exempting family farms and small businesses with less than 100 full-time employees from reporting land and equipment as assets during student financial aid contribution calculations. H.R.1991 - Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement Act; support adjusting USDA FSA loan limits and increasing options for distressed borrowers. H.R.2665 - Trade Review Act; support for increasing congressional oversight over the executive branch's ability to unilaterally impose tariffs and duties on foreign imports. H.R.3516 - Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act; support for reforms to USDA mandatory checkoff programs, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and oversight of checkoff dollars. H.R.3077 - Agriculture Resilience Act; support for providing crop insurance discounts to promote emissions' reductions in agriculture, improve soil health, and resilience to the effects of climate change. H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act; support for improvements to the farm safety net, crop insurance, and conservation programs; issues pertaining to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), trade promotion and facilitation, and other provisions affecting family farmers and ranchers; support for striking language in the bill that increases farm program payment limit amounts and support for closing loopholes in program eligibility. H.R.3227 - Farm Workforce Modernization Act; issues pertaining to reforming the current H-2A visa rules regarding the seasonality requirements and the current Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). H.R.4400 - Farmers First Act; support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. H.R.4782 - Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; support for establishing program at USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments to increase the purchase of local and regionally produced foods. H.R.4601 - Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act; support fo reforms to the Farm-Related Restricted CDL (Seasonal Ag CDL) program. H.R.6944 - Roll-Over Prevention and Safety Act; support for establishing a cost-share grant program at USDA to retrofit agricultural tractors with rollover protection structures. H.R.5818 - Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act; ; support for reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. H.R.7567 - Farm, Food, and National Security Act; issues pertaining to passing a farm bill that supports family farmers and ranchers and adequately addresses the severe economic challenges facing farmers and ranchers. H.R.7716 - Tariff Free Farming Act; support for restoring tariffs on agricultural inputs to the levels in effect on January 19, 2025. H.R.6720 - Fostering the Availability in Rural Markets of Home Loans Act; support for permitting farm credit institutions to lend to homebuyers in rural areas with a larger population (up to 10,000) than currently permissible (up to 2,500) H.R.8104 - Fertilizer Transparency Act; support for establishing a mandatory price reporting system for fertilizer. S.421 - American Beef Labeling Act; support for reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. S.1312 - Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act; support for establishing an "Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters" at USDA. S.469 - Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act; support for exempting family farms and small businesses with less than 100 full-time employees from reporting land and equipment as assets during student financial aid contribution calculations. S.910 - Farm Ownership Improvement Act; support for establishing a pre-approval process for loans secured through the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) for young and new farmers and creating a pilot program to establish pre-approval process for FSA direct ownership loans. S.1073 - Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act; support for aligning the definition of a beginning farmer with other programs, increasing premium subsidies for beginning and veteran farmers. S.222 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; support for allowing unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. S.899 - Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement Act; support adjusting USDA FSA loan limits and increasing options for distressed borrowers. S.1272 - Trade Review Act; support for increasing congressional oversight over the executive branch's ability to unilaterally impose tariffs and duties on foreign imports. S.Res.143 - A resolution supporting the designation of May 29, 2025, as "Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day" to raise awareness around mental health in the agricultural industry and workforce and to continue to reduce stigma associated with mental illness; support for the resolution. S.1848 - Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act; support for reforms to USDA mandatory checkoff programs, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and oversight of checkoff dollars. S.1507 - Agriculture Resilience Act; support for providing crop insurance discounts to promote emissions' reductions in agriculture, improve soil health, and resilience to the effects of climate change. S.Amdt.2360 to H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act; support for improvements to the farm safety net, crop insurance, and conservation programs; issues pertaining to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), trade promotion and facilitation, and other provisions affecting family farmers and ranchers; support for striking language in the bill that increases farm program payment limit amounts and support for closing loopholes in program eligibility. S.2282 - Farmers First Act; support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. S.2238 - Strengthening Local Food Security Act; support for establishing program at USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments to increase the purchase of local and regionally produced foods. S.3552 - Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety Act; support for modifying and expanding agricultural exemptions from hours-of-service requirements. S.4168 - Livestock Consolidation Research Act; support for directing USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) to conduct research into consolidation and concentration in the livestock industry, examining the impacts to farmers, ranchers, and downstream consumers. S.4182 - Fostering the Availability in Rural Markets of Home Loans Act; support for permitting farm credit institutions to lend to homebuyers in rural areas with a larger population (up to 10,000) than currently permissible (up to 2,500) S.4007 - Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act; issues pertaining to provisions that seek to reduce concentration in the meatpacking industry, breaking up large meatpacking companies above established concentration caps, and scrutinizing foreign influence. S.4148 - Homegrown Fertilizer Act; issues pertaining to establishing a grant and loan program to expand domestic fertilizer production and storage capacity. S.4152 - Fertilizer Transparency Act; support for establishing a mandatory price reporting system for fertilizer. Issues other than legislation: Issues pertaining to the reauthorization of programs and policies under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334). Issues pertaining to implementation of agricultural provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21). Issues pertaining to a federal lapse in appropriations. Issues pertaining to support for a swift resumption of appropriations. Issues pertaining to economic and disaster assistance payments to farmers. Issues pertaining to support for directing aid payments to family agricultural operations, prohibiting foreign-owned and large, concentrated agribusinesses from receiving aid; support for pairing aid with efforts to investigate corporate monopolies and their impacts to the farm economy. Issues pertaining to support for developing new, high-value domesitc markets for American crops and enhancing existing markets. Issues pertainging to the rollout of the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. Issues pertaining to government efforts to lower beef prices; support for rebuilding cattle herds. Issues pertaining to opposition to the removal of the Prevented Planting "buy-up" coverage option; support for reinstating it in the 2027 crop year. Issues pertaining to support for further extending the "registration review" deadline under Section 3(g) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide (FIFRA) Act. Issues pertaining to business size standards for the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Issues pertaining to the freezing of federal funding and contracts. Issues pertaining to the suspension and termination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program and Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Issues pertaining to the termination of federal employees and reductions-in-force at federal departments and agencies. Issues pertaining to the imposition of tariffs and duties on foreign imports and their impacts on farmers. Issues pertaining to fairness, transparency, and competition in fed cattle markets. Issues pertaining to the technical guidelines for climate-smart agriculture feedstocks. Issues pertaining to payment calculations under the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). Issues pertaining to adjusting farm program loan rates and price-based triggers to reflect commodity prices and input costs. Issues pertaining to creating a dual enrollment option for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). Issues pertaining to authorizing a voluntary update of base acres and yields for farm programs. Issues pertaining to disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers, including establishing a permanent disaster program. Issues pertaining to crop insurance, including funding and prioritization. Issues pertaining to strengthening federal antitrust enforcement. Issues pertaining to strengthening protections for farmers and ranchers producing agricultural commodities under contract. Issues pertaining to strengthening Product of the United States labeling standards. Issues pertaining to mandatory country-of-origin labeling. Issues pertaining to ensuring farmers, ranchers, and independent repair professionals have access to parts and service materials needed to repair farm equipment. Issues pertaining to strengthening Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting. Issues pertaining to improvements to meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to increase processing capacity. Issues pertaining to balancing supply and demand for the dairy industry. Issues pertaining to support for higher-level blends of ethanol. Issues pertaining to support for sustainable aviation fuel. Issues pertaining to support for the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Issues pertaining to climate change and its impact in the agriculture, food, and forestry sectors. Issues pertaining to funding for climate-smart agriculture. Issues pertaining to funding for agricultural conservation programs and conservation technical assistance. Issues pertaining to funding for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Issues pertaining to funding and support for investments in research, outreach, and education to support on-farm climate mitigation and adaptation. Issues pertaining to funding and support for cooperative development, the Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program (RCDG), and Cooperative Development Centers. Issues pertaining to support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN). Issues pertaining to national crisis hotlines for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers. Issues pertaining to implementation and funding for broadband and high-speed internet in rural areas, including support for the ReConnect program. Issues pertaining to agricultural workforce and immigration reform. Issues pertaining to fair and predictable H-2A program wages. Issues pertaining to health and safety of farm workers and rural communities. Issues pertaining to domestic nutrition assistance programs. Issues pertaining to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Issues pertaining to livestock animal identification rules. Issues pertaining to the labeling and use of pesticides. Issues pertaining to supporting beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through farm programs. Issues pertaining to the distribution, sale, and use of dicamba herbicide products. Issues pertaining to U.S. involvement in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Issues pertaining to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission report. Issues pertaining to presidential nominees and appointments. Issues pertaining to USDA's Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program funding roll out. Issues pertaining to support for strong investments in USDA's Rural Development (RD) programs. Issues pertaining to USDA's proposed reorganization.

Issues related to local foods for schools; issues related to USDA Foods; issues related to H.R. 4782-Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; issues relating to the Farm Bill; and issues related to child nutrition.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Agriculture Resilience Act, H.R.3077 urging MN members of Congress to sign on to the bill. Strengthening Local Processing Act, S.1509 urging MN members of Congress to sign on to the bill. Opposing cuts to Local Food Purchase Agreements, Regional Food Business Centers, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program due to equity concerns. We shared action alerts for the Strengthening Local Food Security Act S. 2338, and Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act (H.R. 4782). Signaled opposition to the Save Our Bacon Act H.R. 4673. To expand disaster assistance for small and mid-sized and diversified growers beyond major commodity crop farmers.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Supported efforts for bridge payments/economic assistance. Worked on efforts to support introduction and passage of "farm bill 2.0". Worked on ensuring USDA released 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. Advocated for science-based research when making decisions in the MAHA space. 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. Promoted our recommendations for the State FSA Committee. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R. 4708, the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, which would make competitive grants available for research projects related to the mitigation of the Spotted Lanternfly. - 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. - H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act, which would allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. ' - S.1693/H.R.3283, the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act, which would strengthen the agricultural safety net by increasing premium support for higher levels of crop insurance coverage, making it more affordable, and by allowing farmers to participate in both enhanced crop insurance and other commodity programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC).

Issues related to local foods for schools; issues related to USDA Foods; issues related to H.R. 4782-Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; and issues related to child nutrition.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R.1380 - Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act; support for establishing an "Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters" at USDA. H.R.2117 - Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act; support for aligning the definition of a beginning farmer with other programs, increasing premium subsidies for beginning and veteran farmers. H.R.649 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; support for allowing unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. H.R.1131 - Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act; support for exempting family farms and small businesses with less than 100 full-time employees from reporting land and equipment as assets during student financial aid contribution calculations. H.R.1991 - Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement Act; support adjusting USDA FSA loan limits and increasing options for distressed borrowers. H.R.2665 - Trade Review Act; support for increasing congressional oversight over the executive branch's ability to unilaterally impose tariffs and duties on foreign imports. H.R.3516 - Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act; support for reforms to USDA mandatory checkoff programs, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and oversight of checkoff dollars. H.R.3077 - Agriculture Resilience Act; support for providing crop insurance discounts to promote emissions' reductions in agriculture, improve soil health, and resilience to the effects of climate change. H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act; support for improvements to the farm safety net, crop insurance, and conservation programs; issues pertaining to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), trade promotion and facilitation, and other provisions affecting family farmers and ranchers; support for striking language in the bill that increases farm program payment limit amounts and support for closing loopholes in program eligibility. H.R.3227 - Farm Workforce Modernization Act; issues pertaining to reforming the current H-2A visa rules regarding the seasonality requirements and the current Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). H.R.4400 - Farmers First Act; support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. H.R.4782 - Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; support for establishing program at USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments to increase the purchase of local and regionally produced foods. H.R.4601 - Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act; support fo reforms to the Farm-Related Restricted CDL (Seasonal Ag CDL) program. H.R.6944 - Roll-Over Prevention and Safety Act; support for establishing a cost-share grant program at USDA to retrofit agricultural tractors with rollover protection structures. H.R.5818 - Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act; ; support for reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. S.421 - American Beef Labeling Act; support for reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. S.1312 - Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act; support for establishing an "Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters" at USDA. S.469 - Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act; support for exempting family farms and small businesses with less than 100 full-time employees from reporting land and equipment as assets during student financial aid contribution calculations. S.910 - Farm Ownership Improvement Act; support for establishing a pre-approval process for loans secured through the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) for young and new farmers and creating a pilot program to establish pre-approval process for FSA direct ownership loans. S.1073 - Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act; support for aligning the definition of a beginning farmer with other programs, increasing premium subsidies for beginning and veteran farmers. S.222 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; support for allowing unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. S.899 - Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement Act; support adjusting USDA FSA loan limits and increasing options for distressed borrowers. S.1272 - Trade Review Act; support for increasing congressional oversight over the executive branch's ability to unilaterally impose tariffs and duties on foreign imports. S.Res.143 - A resolution supporting the designation of May 29, 2025, as "Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day" to raise awareness around mental health in the agricultural industry and workforce and to continue to reduce stigma associated with mental illness; support for the resolution. S.1848 - Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act; support for reforms to USDA mandatory checkoff programs, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and oversight of checkoff dollars. S.1507 - Agriculture Resilience Act; support for providing crop insurance discounts to promote emissions' reductions in agriculture, improve soil health, and resilience to the effects of climate change. S.Amdt.2360 to H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act; support for improvements to the farm safety net, crop insurance, and conservation programs; issues pertaining to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), trade promotion and facilitation, and other provisions affecting family farmers and ranchers; support for striking language in the bill that increases farm program payment limit amounts and support for closing loopholes in program eligibility. S.2282 - Farmers First Act; support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. S.2238 - Strengthening Local Food Security Act; support for establishing program at USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments to increase the purchase of local and regionally produced foods. S.3552 - Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety Act; support for modifying and expanding agricultural exemptions from hours-of-service requirements. Issues other than legislation: Issues pertaining to the reauthorization of programs and policies under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334). Issues pertaining to implementation of agricultural provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21). Issues pertaining to a federal lapse in appropriations. Issues pertaining to support for a swift resumption of appropriations. Issues pertaining to economic and disaster assistance payments to farmers. Issues pertaining to support for directing aid payments to family agricultural operations, prohibiting foreign-owned and large, concentrated agribusinesses from receiving aid; support for pairing aid with efforts to investigate corporate monopolies and their impacts to the farm economy. Issues pertaining to support for developing new, high-value domesitc markets for American crops and enhancing existing markets. Issues pertainging to the rollout of the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. Issues pertaining to government efforts to lower beef prices; support for rebuilding cattle herds. Issues pertaining to the removal of the Prevented Planting "buy-up" coverage option. Issues pertaining to the freezing of federal funding and contracts. Issues pertaining to the suspension and termination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program and Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Issues pertaining to the termination of federal employees and reductions-in-force at federal departments and agencies. Issues pertaining to the imposition of tariffs and duties on foreign imports and their impacts on farmers. Issues pertaining to fairness, transparency, and competition in fed cattle markets. Issues pertaining to the technical guidelines for climate-smart agriculture feedstocks. Issues pertaining to payment calculations under the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). Issues pertaining to adjusting farm program loan rates and price-based triggers to reflect commodity prices and input costs. Issues pertaining to creating a dual enrollment option for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). Issues pertaining to authorizing a voluntary update of base acres and yields for farm programs. Issues pertaining to disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers, including establishing a permanent disaster program. Issues pertaining to crop insurance, including funding and prioritization. Issues pertaining to strengthening federal antitrust enforcement. Issues pertaining to strengthening protections for farmers and ranchers producing agricultural commodities under contract. Issues pertaining to strengthening Product of the United States labeling standards. Issues pertaining to mandatory country-of-origin labeling. Issues pertaining to ensuring farmers, ranchers, and independent repair professionals have access to parts and service materials needed to repair farm equipment. Issues pertaining to strengthening Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting. Issues pertaining to improvements to meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to increase processing capacity. Issues pertaining to balancing supply and demand for the dairy industry. Issues pertaining to support for higher-level blends of ethanol. Issues pertaining to support for sustainable aviation fuel. Issues pertaining to support for the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Issues pertaining to climate change and its impact in the agriculture, food, and forestry sectors. Issues pertaining to funding for climate-smart agriculture. Issues pertaining to funding for agricultural conservation programs and conservation technical assistance. Issues pertaining to funding for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Issues pertaining to funding and support for investments in research, outreach, and education to support on-farm climate mitigation and adaptation. Issues pertaining to funding and support for cooperative development, the Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program (RCDG), and Cooperative Development Centers. Issues pertaining to support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN). Issues pertaining to national crisis hotlines for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers. Issues pertaining to implementation and funding for broadband and high-speed internet in rural areas, including support for the ReConnect program. Issues pertaining to agricultural workforce and immigration reform. Issues pertaining to fair and predictable H-2A program wages. Issues pertaining to health and safety of farm workers and rural communities. Issues pertaining to domestic nutrition assistance programs. Issues pertaining to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Issues pertaining to livestock animal identification rules. Issues pertaining to the labeling and use of pesticides. Issues pertaining to supporting beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through farm programs. Issues pertaining to the distribution, sale, and use of dicamba herbicide products. Issues pertaining to U.S. involvement in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Issues pertaining to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission report. Issues pertaining to presidential nominees and appointments. Issues pertaining to USDA's Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program funding roll out. Issues pertaining to support for strong investments in USDA's Rural Development (RD) programs. Issues pertaining to USDA's proposed reorganization.

Agriculture Resilience Act, H.R.3077 urging MN members of Congress to sign on to the bill. Strengthening Local Processing Act, S.1509 urging MN members of Congress to sign on to the bill. Opposing cuts to Local Food Purchase Agreements, Regional Food Business Centers, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program due to equity concerns. We shared action alerts for the Strengthening Local Food Security Act S. 2338, and Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act (H.R. 4782). Signaled opposition to the Save Our Bacon Act H.R. 4673.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Worked on efforts to support introduction and passage of "farm bill 2.0". Worked on ensuring USDA released 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. Advocated for science-based research when making decisions in the MAHA space. 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. Promoted our recommendations for the State FSA Committee. SUPPORTED THE FOLLOWING BILLS: - H.R. 4708, the Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act, which would make competitive grants available for research projects related to the mitigation of the Spotted Lanternfly. - 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. - H.R.4782, the Local Farmers Feeding Our Communities Act, which would allow states, through USDA, to establish cooperative agreements connecting local farmers and producers with local food distribution organizations. ' - S.1693/H.R.3283, the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act, which would strengthen the agricultural safety net by increasing premium support for higher levels of crop insurance coverage, making it more affordable, and by allowing farmers to participate in both enhanced crop insurance and other commodity programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC). OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING: - Amendment 2527 (Grassley) during the OBBBA debate, which would have weakened farmers' safety nets.

H.R.1380 - Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act; support for establishing an "Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters" at USDA. H.R.2117 - Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act; support for aligning the definition of a beginning farmer with other programs, increasing premium subsidies for beginning and veteran farmers. H.R.649 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; support for allowing unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. H.R.1131 - Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act; support for exempting family farms and small businesses with less than 100 full-time employees from reporting land and equipment as assets during student financial aid contribution calculations. H.R.1991 - Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement Act; support adjusting USDA FSA loan limits and increasing options for distressed borrowers. H.R.2665 - Trade Review Act; support for increasing congressional oversight over the executive branch's ability to unilaterally impose tariffs and duties on foreign imports. H.R.3516 - Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act; support for reforms to USDA mandatory checkoff programs, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and oversight of checkoff dollars. H.R.3077 - Agriculture Resilience Act; support for providing crop insurance discounts to promote emissions' reductions in agriculture, improve soil health, and resilience to the effects of climate change. H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act; support for improvements to the farm safety net, crop insurance, and conservation programs; issues pertaining to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), trade promotion and facilitation, and other provisions affecting family farmers and ranchers; support for striking language in the bill that increases farm program payment limit amounts and support for closing loopholes in program eligibility. H.R.3227 - Farm Workforce Modernization Act; issues pertaining to reforming the current H-2A visa rules regarding the seasonality requirements and the current Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). H.R.4400 - Farmers First Act; support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. H.R.4782 - Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; support for establishing program at USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments to increase the purchase of local and regionally produced foods. H.R.4601 - Seasonal Agriculture CDL Modernization Act; support fo reforms to the Farm-Related Restricted CDL (Seasonal Ag CDL) program. S.421 - American Beef Labeling Act; support for reinstating mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef. S.1312 - Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act; support for establishing an "Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters" at USDA. S.469 - Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act; support for exempting family farms and small businesses with less than 100 full-time employees from reporting land and equipment as assets during student financial aid contribution calculations. S.910 - Farm Ownership Improvement Act; support for establishing a pre-approval process for loans secured through the USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) for young and new farmers and creating a pilot program to establish pre-approval process for FSA direct ownership loans. S.1073 - Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act; support for aligning the definition of a beginning farmer with other programs, increasing premium subsidies for beginning and veteran farmers. S.222 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; support for allowing unflavored and flavored whole milk to be offered in school cafeterias. S.899 - Producer and Agricultural Credit Enhancement Act; support adjusting USDA FSA loan limits and increasing options for distressed borrowers. S.1272 - Trade Review Act; support for increasing congressional oversight over the executive branch's ability to unilaterally impose tariffs and duties on foreign imports. S.Res.143 - A resolution supporting the designation of May 29, 2025, as "Mental Health Awareness in Agriculture Day" to raise awareness around mental health in the agricultural industry and workforce and to continue to reduce stigma associated with mental illness; support for the resolution. S.1848 - Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act; support for reforms to USDA mandatory checkoff programs, prevent conflicts of interest, and increase transparency and oversight of checkoff dollars. S.1507 - Agriculture Resilience Act; support for providing crop insurance discounts to promote emissions' reductions in agriculture, improve soil health, and resilience to the effects of climate change. S.Amdt.2360 to H.R.1 - One Big Beautiful Bill Act; support for improvements to the farm safety net, crop insurance, and conservation programs; issues pertaining to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), trade promotion and facilitation, and other provisions affecting family farmers and ranchers; support for striking language in the bill that increases farm program payment limit amounts and support for closing loopholes in program eligibility. S.2282 - Farmers First Act; support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. S.2238 - Strengthening Local Food Security Act; support for establishing program at USDA to enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments to increase the purchase of local and regionally produced foods. Issues other than legislation: Issues pertaining to the reauthorization of programs and policies under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334). Issues pertaining to economic and disaster assistance payments to farmers. Issues pertaining to the freezing of federal funding and contracts. Issues pertaining to the suspension and termination of the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program and Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Issues pertaining to the termination of federal employees and reductions-in-force at federal departments and agencies. Issues pertaining to the imposition of tariffs and duties on foreign imports and their impacts on farmers. Issues pertaining to fairness, transparency, and competition in fed cattle markets. Issues pertaining to the technical guidelines for climate-smart agriculture feedstocks. Issues pertaining to payment calculations under the Emergency Relief Program (ERP). Issues pertaining to adjusting farm program loan rates and price-based triggers to reflect commodity prices and input costs. Issues pertaining to creating a dual enrollment option for Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). Issues pertaining to authorizing a voluntary update of base acres and yields for farm programs. Issues pertaining to disaster assistance for farmers and ranchers, including establishing a permanent disaster program. Issues pertaining to crop insurance, including funding and prioritization. Issues pertaining to strengthening federal antitrust enforcement. Issues pertaining to strengthening protections for farmers and ranchers producing agricultural commodities under contract. Issues pertaining to strengthening Product of the United States labeling standards. Issues pertaining to mandatory country-of-origin labeling. Issues pertaining to ensuring farmers, ranchers, and independent repair professionals have access to parts and service materials needed to repair farm equipment. Issues pertaining to strengthening Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting. Issues pertaining to improvements to meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to increase processing capacity. Issues pertaining to balancing supply and demand for the dairy industry. Issues pertaining to support for higher-level blends of ethanol. Issues pertaining to support for sustainable aviation fuel. Issues pertaining to support for the Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Issues pertaining to climate change and its impact in the agriculture, food, and forestry sectors. Issues pertaining to funding for climate-smart agriculture. Issues pertaining to funding for agricultural conservation programs and conservation technical assistance. Issues pertaining to funding for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative. Issues pertaining to funding and support for investments in research, outreach, and education to support on-farm climate mitigation and adaptation. Issues pertaining to funding and support for cooperative development, the Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program (RCDG), and Cooperative Development Centers. Issues pertaining to support for reauthorizing and increasing funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN). Issues pertaining to national crisis hotlines for farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers. Issues pertaining to implementation and funding for broadband and high-speed internet in rural areas, including support for the ReConnect program. Issues pertaining to agricultural workforce and immigration reform. Issues pertaining to fair and predictable H-2A program wages. Issues pertaining to health and safety of farm workers and rural communities. Issues pertaining to domestic nutrition assistance programs. Issues pertaining to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). Issues pertaining to livestock animal identification rules. Issues pertaining to the labeling and use of pesticides. Issues pertaining to supporting beginning, veteran, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through farm programs. Issues pertaining to the distribution, sale, and use of dicamba herbicide products. Issues pertaining to U.S. involvement in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Issues pertaining to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) commission report. Issues pertaining to presidential nominees and appointments. Issues pertaining to USDA's Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program funding roll out. Issues pertaining to support for strong investments in USDA's Rural Development (RD) programs. Issues pertaining to USDA's proposed reorganization.

Issues related to local foods for schools; issues related to USDA Foods; issues related to H.R. 4782-Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; and issues related to child nutrition.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R.649 - Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act; NYCAHM ROPS Program Funding; H.R.4782 - Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act; H.R. 4797 - EATS Act.

Client expense: $20,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Agriculture, Dept of (USDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE