Morning Agriculture

Sen. John Boozman’s farm bill plan is out Largely mirrors House’s plan but without some controversial GOP priorities Also excludes Dems’ SNAP demands, as we reported yesterday subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

Scoop: Farm state Senate Republicans are pushing the WH to add $17.2 billion in farm aid to any Iran war package — with farmers still reeling from Trump’s tariffs + higher costs from the war Talks are ongoing as admin ramps up pressure for war and military funding. Senators want to raise this with Trump tomorrow during their lunch. WH officials privately believe number would be closer to $10 billion - if it’s attached at all. And, Senate GOP appropriators still want wildfire money attached too. All huge pitfalls for the WH and Trump to navigate. w/ @YarrowGrace subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

Scoop: Senate Ag Chair John Boozman will release his farm bill text on Tuesday Committee members and ag stakeholders will be privately briefed on the plans Monday subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

Scoop: USDA is sharing more details about the sweeping reorganization that will move thousands of employees out of the D.C. region and making clear workers must relocate if ordered or forfeit their jobs per 4 internal docs, including diagram below

NEW: Internal spending reviews at USDA and OMB slowed the federal government's response to the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating pest that threatens the U.S. cattle industry. “That sense of urgency wasn’t there,” said a former USDA official. @politico

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

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 ⬇️ politico.com/newsletters/we…

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

Scoop: Trump’s efforts to lower beef prices has divided his closest allies — prompting the White House to halt EO plans for now Last week’s EO was delayed after Sec. Rollins “at the last minute went into the Oval and threw a fit," one WH official said politico.com/news/2026/05/2…

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 subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

New: Inside a testy meeting between top USDA official and House Ag members about the department's sweeping reorganization plans Dems told us today's closed-door meeting didn't address their concerns with @rachel_shin_ subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

NEW: Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has subjected USDA workers to “government-sponsored religious coercion” with messages that promote her own Christian beliefs and violate the First Amendment, federal employees alleged in a lawsuit on Wednesday. politico.com/news/2026/05/1…

🍗 House adopts farm bill amendment that would allow SNAP participants to buy hot rotisserie chicken with their benefits in 384-35 vote @CongressmanGT warned last night the amendment could be a "slippery slope" and Dems argued that it should be applied to all hot food

Just now: The House has stripped pesticide language from farm bill via amendment from @realannapaulina 280-142 Major win for MAHA advocates despite intense whipping efforts from farm state Rs politico.com/live-updates/2…

GOP Reps @NancyMace, @RepLuna and others are demanding Republican leaders allow votes on amendments to strip out this pesticide provision — something leaders need to navigate for the rule vote

NEW: USDA Sec. Brooke Rollins is weighing reviving a Biden-era program designed to juice domestic fertilizer production amid the fallout from the war in Iran.

NEW: House GOP leadership is starting to whip the GOP-led farm bill set for the floor next week — amid a politically toxic fight with MAHA over pesticide and prop 12 provisions A whip notice sent to House Republicans tonight says the bill “restores regulatory certainty in the interstate marketplace” - in a reference to those fights Leadership will start actively whipping bill on the floor during 3pm votes tomorrow more w/ @YarrowGrace politico.com/live-updates/2… via @politico

Scoop: House Republicans are looking to bring their farm bill for a floor vote the last week of April, per four people That timing is still fluid and could be bumped to May The GOP-led farm bill advanced out of committee in March in a 34-17 vote politico.com/live-updates/2…

News: Farm state Rs are increasingly concerned their $15-17 bil farm aid package has no path forward There’s no clear vehicle or political will to get it done, per people close to talks, despite Trump’s call for more aid for farmers subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026/0…

NEW: In a new poll, @politico asked people what defined the Make America Healthy Again movement, who is in it and how much support the movement's ideas have in the general public. The results may surprise you ⤵️ Story w/ Kelly Hooper