Weekly Update for
May 15

On May 14, the House Committee on Agriculture advanced its portion of the reconciliation bill by a vote of 29-25. In response, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Pat Clements made the following statement: “NAWG appreciates Chairman Thompson’s leadership in advancing these critical investments in the farm safety net, conservation, trade, research, and other programs. Farm Bill This legislation reflects many of the key priorities that America’s wheat growers have been advocating for over the past three years. It is essential that these improvements to the farm safety net remain intact as Congress continues through the reconciliation process. While the committee bill does not include all NAWG’s Farm Bill priorities, it works to protect and enhance the crop insurance program, provides a meaningful increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, doubles funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program, and invests in agricultural research. Congress must act this year to strengthen the farm programs to provide farmers with a robust safety net and long-term certainty. Farmers need these improvements this year, not next year.” Read the entire press release below.

Groups representing farmers across the United States have filed a brief encouraging the Supreme Court to hear a case on labeling for glyphosate and other pesticides. The groups, which represent a broad swath of agriculture and cover more than 300 million acres, argue glyphosate is a “once-in-a-century” herbicide given its effectiveness at controlling an array of damaging weeds, with affordability and low toxicity. “Glyphosate remains one of the safest and most effective tools wheat growers rely on to manage weeds while supporting vital conservation practices,” said Pat Clements, NAWG President. “We hope the Supreme Court will take up this case and provide clarity to farmers so they may use the crop protection tools they need to grow healthy, reliable food for communities around the world.”

NAWG has launched a letter campaign to address the growing Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement and the newly created MAHA Commission. The Commission is expected to release its initial assessment around May 24. NAWG and many of our partners are actively engaging in multiple initiatives to ensure that crop protection tools vital to wheat production are evaluated fairly, with recognition that these tools undergo rigorous scientific review, are used safely, and remain essential to American wheat farmers. As a critical part of our advocacy efforts, we have launched a campaign to link wheat farmers directly with key decision-makers. Learn more and join the campaign below.

On May 12, Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA-15) issued the following statement after releasing the committee print to comply with the reconciliation directives included in H. Con. Res. 14 Section 2001(b)(1): “For far too long, the SNAP program has drifted from a bridge to support American households in need to a permanent destination riddled with bureaucratic inefficiencies, misplaced incentives, and limited accountability. This portion of the One Big, Beautiful Bill restores the program’s original intent, offering a temporary helping hand while encouraging work, cracking down on loopholes exploited by states, and protecting taxpayer dollars while supporting the hardworking men and women of American agriculture." Read the full text below.

On May 12, Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, issued a statement in response to House Republicans' budget reconciliation proposal. “Instead of working with Democrats to lower costs from President Trump’s across-the-board tariffs, House Republicans have decided to pull the rug out from under families by cutting the SNAP benefits that 42 million Americans rely on to put food on the table – all to fund a tax cut for billionaires. That’s shameful,” said Ranking Member Klobuchar. “This means more seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and children will go to bed hungry. It means farmers, who are already operating on razor-thin margins, will see billions in lost revenue. It will mean job losses and lost wages for everyone who is a part of the food system – from truck drivers to local grocers. And ultimately, these cuts threaten the Farm Bill coalition that has delivered bipartisan support for farmers, families and rural communities for decades, and will make it harder for Congress to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill.” On May 12, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN-02) issued a statement in response to House Republicans' budget reconciliation proposal. “With American families feeling anxious about the economy and so much uncertainty in farm country, this is not the time to make reckless cuts to basic needs programs. Yet, Republicans are fast-tracking catastrophic cuts to food assistance, taking food away from seniors living on fixed incomes and parents who are struggling to afford groceries for their children. Decimating the nutrition title of the farm bill to fund tax breaks for the already wealthy and large corporations leaves farmers and the families they feed behind. These cuts also reduce demand for the food farmers grow and grocery stores sell, meaning lost income and jobs in rural America and throughout the country. This smash-and-grab job busts up the farm bill coalition and abandons the traditionally bipartisan legislation that American agriculture relies on to remain competitive and that family farmers need to get through these tough economic times. We should make food assistance work better for those it was designed to protect – like children and moms – not cut it so Republicans can fund more tax breaks for those at the very top.”

On May 13, the Senate Ag Committee held a hearing titled “Perspectives from the Field, Part 4: Conservation”. The hearing featured testimonies from key voices in agricultural conservation, including Gary Blair, President of the National Association of Conservation Districts; Brad Doyle, Board Member and Producer at Arkansas Farm Bureau; Lynn Tjeerdsma, Board Member of Pheasants Forever; Chad Ellis, CEO of Texas Agricultural Land Trust, and Megan Dwyer, Director of Conservation and Nutrient Stewardship at Illinois Corn Growers Association. Witnesses shared on-the-ground insights into conservation practices and priorities across rural America. Watch the full hearing below.

On May 12, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning today through June 6, 2025.  “With 1.8 million acres available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year, we are very aware that we are bumping up against the statutory 27-million-acre statutory cap,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Now more than ever, it’s important that the acres offered by landowners and those approved by USDA address our most critical natural resource concerns. With the limited number of acres that we have available, we’re not necessarily looking for the most acres offered but instead prioritizing mindful conservation efforts to ensure we maximize the return on our investment from both a conservation and economic perspective.”

On May 13, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the appointment of Erin Morris as the next Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which operates under the Department’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area. “My fellow Fightin’ Texas Aggie Erin Morris brings a strong track record of leadership, technical knowledge, and dedication to the agricultural community,” said Secretary Rollins. “She has spent over 25 years advancing the work of AMS and has earned the trust of her peers and stakeholders across the industry. I’m confident that under her leadership, AMS will continue to deliver for farmers, ranchers, and American consumers. We are deeply grateful to Bruce Summers for his four decades of tireless service to American agriculture. His leadership has shaped AMS into a cornerstone of USDA’s mission, and his legacy will have a lasting impact on farmers, ranchers, and consumers for years to come.”

This week, NWF Project Manager Anne Osborne and Board members Ken Wood, Brian Walker, Dennis Schoenhals participated in the Wheat Quality Council’s Hard Winter Wheat Tour across Kansas. The tour provided a valuable opportunity to assess the condition and quality of this year’s hard winter wheat crop firsthand, even before harvest begins. Participants also gained valuable insights and had the chance to network with experts and specialists in the field of wheat quality.

The deadline for Winter wheat categories is May 15.  Please get your entries in by the deadline, no late entries are accepted.  The contest is a great way for wheat growers to challenge themselves to achieve their best yield, quality and profit on their wheat crop this year.  The contest will be announcing 28 National Winners.  In the Dryland categories, there is a % over county category so winners from all across the country have the opportunity compete.  The new Digital Yield pilot category allows growers in certain states to submit their harvest data using their technology, this category will judge yield on a larger portion of their selected fields.  For all these details and to get entered, please go to www.wheatcontest.org.