Weekly Update for
February 20

Early this week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins engaged with farmers and agricultural leaders in Kansas and Missouri to outline her policy priorities. On Monday, Secretary Rollins was in Kansas for a tour and roundtable. Producers, including NAWG’s Secretary-Elect and KAWG’s Vice President Chris Tanner, shared insights on disaster assistance, regulatory concerns, and the current economic landscape. On Tuesday, Secretary Rollins talked with agricultural producers about the state of the farm economy and international market expansion at a fireside chat. Following the fireside chat, Secretary Rollins engaged with farmers from multiple states and sectors to discuss USDA policy priorities at a roundtable discussion.

Earlier today, NAWG Government Relations Representative Jack Long participated in the FIFRA 101 Hill Visits. NAWG joined alongside CropLife America, Corteva, and American Hort to advocate on behalf of crop protection tools. The group met with legislative offices, where they highlighted the importance of crop protection tools and discussed how registrant groups and Congress can work together to strengthen and advocate for the future of crop protection tools.    

The 2025 Commodity Classic is right around the corner! NAWG hopes to see you in Denver, CO, from March 2 to 5. When you register, make sure to mark the National Association of Wheat Growers as one of your associations. Please encourage any wheat grower in your state to attend the largest agriculture trade show in the country.

Following the confirmation of Brooke Rollins as the 33rd Secretary of Agriculture industry leaders, government officials, and interest groups expressed their congratulations. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson and Ranking Member Angie Craig expressed their congratulations and their desire to work together for rural America. NAWG’s CEO Chandler Goule was quoted “I appreciate Mrs. Rollins committing to getting the much-needed economic assistance for wheat producers rolled out during her confirmation hearing, as well as her interest in getting a long-term, meaningful farm bill signed into law this year that strengthens the farm safety net.” Secretary Rollins was confirmed on Thursday, February 13, after a senate vote of 72-28.

On February 19, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced the committee will hold a hearing “Perspectives from the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy, Part II.” The hearing will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 10:30 AM EST in 216 Hart Senate Office Building. Watch the hearing and get the full list of witnesses below.

On February 19, 13 senators including Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mark Warner (D-VA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Roger Marshall (R-KS), David McCormick (R-PA), Jerry Moran (R-KS) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging the department to address the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which is one of the largest animal health outbreaks U.S. poultry producers and dairy farmers have ever faced. In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Senators write: “The United States is now entering the fourth year of an outbreak of HPAI that has devastated farms, required the depopulation of more than 136 million birds on commercial poultry operations, and infected a small but growing number of farm workers. A new urgency is required from the USDA to address the evolving situation.” Read the entire letter below.

On February 18, Howards Lutnick of New York was confirmed as Secretary of Commerce. He was confirmed with a Senate vote of 51-45. On Wednesday, February 19, Kelly Loeffler of Georgia was confirmed to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration. She was confirmed with a Senate vote of 52-46. They join Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Interior Secretary Douglas Burgum, Energy Secretary Christopher Wright, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Douglas Collins, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Eric Turner, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins as confirmed members of Trump’s Administration.

On February 18, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture Amy Klobuchar and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture Angie Craig are demanding answers from the USDA regarding a halt in U.S. food aid programs due to a stop work order. This pause disrupted the delivery of hundreds of thousands of metric tons of American-grown food, impacting international school meal programs and agricultural markets. Despite some recent efforts to resume aid, confusion persists about the long-term future of these programs. The lawmakers are pressing for transparency on the decision-making process, USDA’s role in implementing a foreign aid pause, and the impact on farmers and global food security.

Carl has served as a director of the National Wheat Foundation for the past two years. Carl brings a wealth of grain industry experience to the board as he worked at Siemer Milling Company for 35 years. Carl is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Carl has served on many industry boards, such as the National Grain and Feed Association, the US Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative, the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, and the Illinois Wheat Association. Carl is a teacher at heart and loves to share his vast knowledge of the wheat industry, which makes him a perfect fit for the NWF Board of Directors. Thank you, Carl; we appreciate your service!

The Winner’s Reception celebrating the 2024 contest winners will be held from 7-9 pm in Denver on Sunday, March 2 at the Embassy Suites Hotel. All are welcome to come and celebrate with us. The contest website will be open for 2025 contest entries on March 1. Until then, please renew your membership with your state association and figure out what varieties you want to enter into the contest. We have exciting news about the Pilot Digital Yield category.  We are expanding the geography of this pilot category. Growers in dryland winter wheat in CO, KS, NE, OK, TX, and WY can enter this category if it fits for them. This category is entered by field. Spring wheat dryland growers in MN, MT, ND, and SD can also enter this category.  Learn more about the contest at www.wheatcontest.org.

Congratulations to David Boehm, new Director of the Northern Crops Institute, for an excellent interview with Mike Pearson that aired on February 8th, 2025. This Week in Agribusiness, Feb. 8, 2025. Among the many important educational programming that NCI does, the Summer Ag Academy is one that the National Wheat Foundation supports and encourages everyone with high school aged students to consider.