NRF Commends House Passage of Federal Retail Crime Bill

The following statement may be attributed to National Retail Federation Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French following the House passage of H.R. 2853, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.

“Organized retail crime is one of the most urgent challenges facing retailers large and small in the communities they serve. NRF has long advocated for federal legislation that strengthens coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to combat these criminal networks and better protect retail employees and customers nationwide.

“NRF is grateful to Representatives David Joyce, R‑Ohio; Susie Lee, D‑Nev.; Dina Titus, D-Nev.; and David G. Valadao...

Sen. Schiff Outlines Farm Bill Priorities for California

Today [May 7, 2026], U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released an outline of his priorities for the 2026 Farm Bill following the recent passage of a Farm Bill by the U.S. House of Representatives.  

As the first U.S. Senator from California to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in over 30 years, Senator Schiff is advocating for a Farm Bill and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that reflects economic opportunity, health, sustainability, national security, and prosperity. He is also reiterating his opposition to a...

Secretary Naig Thanks Iowa Senate for Unanimous Passage of Iowa Farm Act

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today thanked the Iowa Senate for its unanimous passage of the Iowa Farm Act, Senate File 2465, by a vote of 47-0.

“I appreciate members of the Iowa Senate for their support in advancing the Iowa Farm Act with a strong bi-partisan vote. Thank you to Sen. Annette Sweeney and Sen. Tom Shipley for managing the bill through the process, Sen. Dawn Driscoll for her leadership of the Agriculture Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh for his work to...

FMI Condemns Federal Regulatory Action on State Swipe Fee Reform

Today [April 24, 2026], FMI – The Food Industry Association condemned in the strongest terms the action taken by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), banking regulators under the U.S. Treasury Department, to issue two interim final rules that override the Illinois swipe fee reform law and to prohibit other states from enacting swipe fee reform laws.  

FMI President and CEO Leslie G. Sarasin stated, “At a time when the largest banks and credit card networks are pulling in record profits on the backs of grocers, main street businesses and millions of American consumers through credit card swipe fees...

Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Introduced to Add Hot Rotisserie Chicken in SNAP

Sens. Jim Justice (D-WV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act which would allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase hot rotisserie chicken with their benefits. Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) introduced companion legislation in the House.

The bill does not increase funding or participant eligibility for SNAP or allow all hot foods to be included for purchase, only hot rotisserie chicken.

“The Hot Rotisserie Chicken...

Grassley, Smith Introduce Legislation to Study Impact of Concentration in Livestock Industry

Senate Agriculture Committee members Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the Livestock Consolidation Research Act, bipartisan legislation to support research into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on farmers, ranchers and consumers.

“Consolidation in the meat and poultry industry impacts Iowa producers and consumers alike, and right now, they’re feeling the squeeze. The current patchwork of available data...

Summer Waiver and Increased Urgency for Year-Round E15

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall called for EPA’s summer waiver to allow sales of fuels blended with 15% ethanol, or E15, to be made permanent amidst growing urgency and calls for the passage of legislation.

“Farm Bureau thanks Administrator Lee Zeldin and EPA for granting a waiver to allow E15 to be sold during the summer, but the time is now for Congress to make the availability of E15 permanent.

“Biofuels play an important role in meeting America’s energy needs and are a win-win for farmers and drivers...

OKFB Members Discuss MAHA, Legislative Outlook at Annual Leadership Conference

Oklahoma Farm Bureau members made the trek to Oklahoma City for the organization’s annual leadership conference on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

More than 150 members had the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and fellowship with other Farm Bureau members and state legislators during the one-day event as they honed their leadership skills and received updates on several top issues facing agriculture.

The conference kicked off with an update on the Make America Healthy Again initiative with Corteva’s Warren Mayberry and John Campbell of the Southern Crop Production...

Advancing US Leadership in Protein Innovation with the PROTEIN Act

Congresswoman Julia Brownley (CA-26) has introduced the PROTEIN Act to bolster US leadership in protein innovation amid rising global meat demand expected to double by 2050. The act addresses the US's lag in investment compared to other nations and aims to diversify protein sources to strengthen food security, stimulate economic growth, and tackle climate challenges.

The PROTEIN Act will support US farmers and expand domestic capacity via research centers, grant programs, and workforce development initiatives.

California, leading with over 150 companies, holds substantial...

NCBA Notches Legal Victory Protecting Cattle Producers from Overreaching Emissions Regulations

Last week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) notched a legal victory in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirming protections for cattle farmers and ranchers from onerous and unnecessary air emissions reporting requirements. NCBA, along with a coalition of other livestock and farm groups, has engaged in this litigation for years to ensure that family farmers and ranchers were not forced to file complex, overreaching reports with the federal government about emissions under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and Comprehensive...

Bill Aims to Protect Texas Livestock from Screwworm Threat

A bill introduced in Congress aims to safeguard livestock and wildlife in Texas and the U.S. from the New World screwworm, a destructive pest that once devastated ranches across the southern U.S.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) authored the New World Screwworm Preparedness Act to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a comprehensive study on screwworm surveillance and prevention efforts. The bill also requires USDA to recommend improvements that would strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to a potential outbreak...