There’s never a shortage of agriculture news. Here are a few policy stories you may have missed recently.

Lawmakers push for immediate ag funding

While Southeastern famers struggle to recover from Hurricane Helene, Congress is nowhere in sight. The House and Senate left for recess in late September. They are not scheduled to return to until after Election Day.

If Southeastern lawmakers have their way, Congress will come back sooner to pass additional agriculture funding. Last week more than 30 senators and representatives from affected states called on party leaders to bring Congress back and pass additional funding.

In a Sept. 30 letter to Senate and House leadership, those lawmakers say Hurricane Helene has caused “catastrophic losses” to their states’ agriculture sectors. They say additional funding is needed as soon as possible to prevent deep and lasting economic damage to the agriculture industry.

“Additionally, farmers and growers nationwide, not only those damaged by Helene, have now faced multiple growing seasons without sufficient federal support,” they add. “Our constituents are counting on us to act swiftly.”

During an October 6 television interview, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he did not intend call Congress back early to provide more funding. As pressure mounts from affected communities while another hurricane bears down on Florida, time will tell if his political calculations changes.

Related:FTC sues John Deere for unfair practices

USDA investing $1.7 billion in food programs

USDA announced last week it is investing $1.7 billion in food assistance. Approximately $1.2 billion will be used to help schools and other childcare facilities purchase locally sourced food. The remaining $500 million is devoted to purchasing domestic commodities for emergency food providers. Both investments will be funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation.

According to USDA officials, these funds are intended to build upon previous investments in local and regional food systems to help farmers find new markets and recover form supply chain disruptions. They are also meant to address needs that were exacerbated by Hurricane Helene.

“The investments USDA is announcing today provide immediate and long-term assistance to American farmers, families, and communities,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “By delivering food from domestic producers to schools, childcare facilities and emergency feeding organizations, we’re securing local and regional markets for those farmers and ensuring our students, young children and neighbors in need are getting nutritious, reliable meals. These types of investments keep local economies strong and help build resilient food systems with lasting impact.” 

Related:Senate announces Brooke Rollins confirmation hearing

House lawmakers fear USPS changes could harm rural mail

A bipartisan collection of 18 House lawmakers is urging the U.S. Postal Service to reconsider changes they fear will delay rural mail delivery. In an open letter addressed to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D- Ill, and Jared Golden, D- Maine, say the changes announced by the USPS in August could result in additional mail delays for people living in rural communities as well as those who live more than 50 miles from a U.S. mail processing center.

“While we understand the need for modernization and financial changes across the Postal Service, these changes cannot come at the expense of rural residents who rely on the USPS,” the letter reads. “Americans, particularly those living in rural areas depend on the Postal Service for medicine, food, paychecks and bills. For many families that we represent, a one-day delivery delay could mean late fees on a bill, a held-up paycheck creating financial stress and increased health risks awaiting critical medication.”

Other lawmakers signing on to the letter included Reps. Alma Adams, D-N.C., Becca Balint, D-Vt., Jack Bergman, R-Mich., Sanford Bishop, Jr., D-Ga., Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo., Mike Carey, R-Ohio, Donald Davis, D-N.C., Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., Steven Horsford, D-Nev., Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Wiley Nickel, D-N.C., Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., Adrian Smith, R-Neb., Pete Stauber R-Minn., Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., Thomas Tiffany, R-Wisc., Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, and Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M.

Related:Treasury Department announces new clean fuel tax credit guidance

Could new Mexican president help resolve long-running corn dispute?

Twenty-one lawmakers, led by Reps. Randy Feenstra, R- Iowa, and Dan Kildee, D- Mich. of the House Ways and Means Committee, are calling for new efforts to revolve the ongoing dispute with Mexico over genetically modified corn.

This month, Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in to a six-year term as Mexico’s president. She replaces Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who issued an executive order banning GMO corn imports for human consumption.

In a letter addressed to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the 21 congressional lawmakers say Executive Branch officials should “engage” with the new Mexican administration to address the ongoing trade dispute. They say Mexico’s ban is not based on science.

“With over 90% of the corn in the U.S. grown with GM varieties, this decree has created massive uncertainty for our farmers, businesses, and seed developers since the original decree in 2020,” the lawmakers say.

Some U.S. officials have expressed hope that a new Mexican president could lead to a change in corn policy. However, incoming Mexico Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué Sacristán has indicated in previous interviews he intends to maintain the current corn policy.

The U.S. has consistently argued the GMO corn ban violates the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. Earlier this year, a USMCA dispute resolution panel heard arguments from both sides. That panel is expected to release its decision in the coming months.