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/wee…

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/2026/05/21…

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/a…

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/a…

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/2026/05/13…

🍗 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/20…

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/20… 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/20…

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/a…

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

Nine people have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to Raw Farm dairy. But Raw Farm, which is a favored raw milk purveyor of RFK Jr., is refusing to a voluntary recall, arguing the FDA hasn't provided enough evidence its products are to blame. @Gardner_LM @politico

NEW: RFK Jr. brought new voters into Trump's 2024 coalition. But a new @politico poll finds that MAHA doesn't think Kennedy or Trump has done enough to make America healthy. That could help sway the midterms. @AliceOllstein @erinpdoherty @carmenpaun Story-->

Trump weighs in on farm bill (!)

This St. Patrick’s Day, the international alcohol industry is fighting for lower tariffs. “It's disrupted distribution. It's resulted in weaker shelf presence, and in some shelves, no presence at all,” American Whiskey Association CEO Michael Bilello said.

News: top farm groups implored fertilizer execs to ask Trump admin to remove fertiziler duties Iran war is driving up fertilizer prices ahead of spring planting season @SecRollins today: “We are very close to having an announcement on some solutions” subscriber.politicopro.com/a…