Washington Watch

NBGA President to Testify at Senate Ag Committee Hearing

Chris Engelstad, NBGA President has been invited to testify at the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee hearing on February 5, 2025, at 10:30a.m. The hearing will focus on producers' perspectives on the agricultural economy. Chris will provide four minutes of testimony sharing insights on key issues affecting barley farmers and the broader agricultural sector.

The hearing can be watched live here

Brooke Rollins Senate Confirmation Hearings

At her Senate confirmation hearing on December 23, 2025, Brooke Rollins, nominated to be Secretary of Agriculture, outlined her top priorities: disaster and economic aid, animal disease control, modernization, and investing in rural communities. She emphasized rolling out $10 billion in disaster assistance and tackling animal diseases like avian flu in her first 100 days, which she described as "fast and furious."

On trade, Rollins assured Senators that financial aid would be available to support farmers affected by tariffs, referencing past responses under the Trump administration. Rollins discussed her key priorities, including expanding markets across the country, shrinking the trade deficit, and referencing the response to tariffs during the last Trump administration. She stressed the need to reduce the $45 billion trade deficit and address food inflation.

Regarding immigration, Rollins aligned with President Trump’s stance on mass deportations but committed to expanding the H-2A program to address labor shortages in agriculture. She suggested to modernize the program while listening to the concerns of farmers and ranchers.

Congressional Letters on Tariffs Circulated

The National Barley Growers Association (NBGA) recently sent letters to Congressional offices expressing concerns about the incoming Trump administration’s proposed tariff on Mexican imports. The letters highlighted that Mexico is a key market for U.S. barley, and the tariffs could increase costs for farmers, manufacturers, and consumers. NBGA also stressed that the proposed tariffs may disrupt the vital U.S.-Mexico trade relationship, which is crucial for U.S. barley farmers.

The full letter can be read here

Trade and Tariffs

President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, along with a 10% tariff on China, as early as February 1st. In response, Canada has vowed to act swiftly if these tariffs are enacted, noting that it has prepared a list of commodities valued at $105 billion on which it would impose retaliatory tariffs. However, much of this list remains unknown. Mexico has also indicated that it will respond accordingly to any tariffs placed on them but has not specified what retaliatory actions might be taken. While the February 1st deadline is fast approaching, many believe this could simply be a negotiation tactic, and that any tariffs would likely be implemented after April 1st, following Trump’s signing of a memorandum requiring agencies to compile individual trade analyses for all countries. Tariffs on the EU and Russia have also been discussed, though details on what these tariffs might entail have not been provided.

USDA sets Enrollment Periods for ARC and PLC Programs

The USDA announced the 2025 enrollment periods for key commodity programs. The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will accept applications from January 21 to April 15, 2025. Growers are encouraged to contact their local FSA offices for enrollment, even for those not changing their program elections.

NBGA DC Flyin and Board Meeting

NBGA will hold its winter board meeting from February 3rd to 6th in Washington, D.C. Attendees will also have the opportunity to visit congressional offices in D.C. and present the 2025 NBGA priorities.

The agenda for next week's meeting can be found here.

BARLEY IN THE NEWS

Biden Administration Proposes Nutrition Labels for Alcohol

POLL: Beer Still King of Dry January

STAY CONNECTED

Want to keep up with the latest updates. Follow and like us below!

SHARE THE NEWSLETTER BELOW

Share This Email