October 12, 2023

Scalise Wins Majority in GOP Conference Vote

Yesterday afternoon, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) defeated Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) in a secret ballot vote for their party’s primary nominee for Speaker of the House. Reports are that he won by a tally of 113-99. The victory does not guarantee him an easy or certain path to the Speakership though, as it remains unclear whether he has enough support to pass in a vote on the floor. While two of the Members who voted out former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Tim Burchett (R-TN), have said they will support now support Scalise—Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Max Miller (R-OH) have already vowed to vote in favor of Jordan on the floor.



This gives Rep. Scalise only two more votes he can afford to lose if the vote for Speaker goes forward. Timing remains a question as of Wednesday afternoon. Some Republicans were eager to go ahead and force a floor vote, citing momentum for Rep. Scalise, while others warned there simply weren’t enough votes at this time. It remains to be seen what more he needs to do in order to shore up support from the more conservative wings, but with many Members wishing to vote on resolutions in support of Israel, mounting pressure to move quickly continues to build.

RMA Launches Controlled Environment Insurance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new crop insurance program for agricultural producers using controlled environments in their operations. The Controlled Environment program, provided by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), covers plants grown in fully enclosed controlled environments against plant diseases subject to destruction orders, and for producer-selected plants that are not in other nursery insurance programs. It will offer dollar-based insurance, coverage for various Controlled Environment plants, streamlined application, specific disease risk coverage, and allows standalone or combined policy purchase. The first sales closing date is December 1^st, 2023, and it will be available in select counties across multiple states. 

H-2A Grant Incentives Program Begins

The USDA’s Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP) will allocate up to $65 million from the American Rescue Plan to aid agricultural employers in implementing robust labor standards for U.S. and seasonal H-2A visa program workers from northern Central American countries. Administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service and the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center, the 2023 FLSP grant application period closes on November 28^th, 2023. The program aims to enhance food and agricultural supply chain resilience, address labor shortages, reduce irregular immigration, and improve working conditions for farmworkers. It offers funding opportunities for different types of employers, including Fixed-site Employers, Farm Labor Contractors, and Joint Employers. FSA gathered input to help shape the new grant program by holding virtual listening sessions and commissioned a research brief on the pilot’s concept. If you have questions about seasonal or temporary workers, please reach out to our team.

Heading Into 2024 Water Year, Central Valley Project Reservoirs in “Good Shape”

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project (CVP) kicks off the 2024 water year with an impressive 8.17 million acre-feet in reservoir storage, thanks to a record-breaking winter in 2023. California’s drought improved significantly between December 2022 and March 2023, and for the first time since 2020, there was no exceptional or extreme drought. The CVP is the largest single source of irrigation water in California, typically supplying water to about 3 million acres of agricultural land in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. Surplus water prompted Reclamation to offer Section 215 water for temporary service contracts in early 2023. The initial CVP allocation of 35% in February increased to 100% in April. While the CVP begins the 2024 water year with strong reserves, it is important to remember how quickly California’s can change so conservation continues to be a priority. Major CVP reservoirs including Trinity, Shasta, Folsom, New Melones, Millerton, and the federal share of San Luis Reservoir, are prepared for the coming year. The water year runs from October 1^st to September 30th.

USDA Announces 2501 Program Funding Awards for Underserved and Veteran Producers

Last week, the USDA announced a grant program totaling $27.6 million as part of their 2501 Program, which is administered by the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE). It aims to provide training, outreach and technical assistance to veteran farmers, ranchers, and foresters to support their success. The 2501 Program was originally established in the 1990 Farm Bill and now seeks to address the needs of historically underserved agricultural communities, including veterans. Grants are awarded to higher education institutions and non-profit and community-based organizations. For 2023, the funds will head to 41 organizations across 27 states to increase outreach and technical support. 

Reminder: Dumped Milk Disaster Payments Deadline Closing Soon

As a reminder, last month, the USDA officially opened up applications for ranchers to receive financial assistance for those that were forced to dump dairy milk due to disasters experienced between 2020 – 2022. The release says it will be for “…qualifying weather events and the consequences of those weather events that inhibited delivery or storage of milk.” Qualifying events include: droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze, and smoke exposure. Eligible applicants can receive up to $250,000 in funds; however, there are limitations on these distributions. Please see the button below more information. The deadline for applications is next Monday, October 16^th.

Matthew Viohl

Federal Policy, Director

Erin Huston

Federal Policy, Consultant

Isabella Quinonez

Public Policy Coordinator