House Agriculture to lose one in five members
Between retirement and electoral defeat, 10 members will leave the House Agriculture Committee when the congressional session ends next month — one-fifth of its roster. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saluted one of the defeated Democrats, Rep. Tom O’Halleran of Arizona, as a respected leader on …
Midterms are likely to scorch Biden climate agenda for agriculture
Republican lawmakers, who have chafed and balked at President Biden's climate initiatives for months, would use their expanded strength from the midterm elections to hobble the administration's climate agenda for agriculture. Two members of the House Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture already have hinted at a crackdown on USDA's spending powers. (No paywall)
From a meat-processing ban to free school lunch, food and ag are on the ballot
In Tuesday's elections, voters will decide several ballot initiatives on food and agricultural issues, including a ban on meat processing facilities in a South Dakota city and the expansion of universal school lunch to Colorado. California voters will determine the fate of a tax on high income earners to pay for green energy and for fighting wildfires, which have cost the state’s agricultural sector tens of millions of dollars.
Two Democrats on House Agriculture facing uphill fights
Two Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee, Reps. Tom O’Halleran of Arizona and Cindy Axne of Iowa, are in uphill fights for re-election against Republicans, according to political handicapper Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
In race to control the House, three Agriculture Committee toss-ups
A relative handful of contests in the Nov. 8 general election — one month away — will decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the House in 2023. Three of those toss-up races are in farm-state districts with seats on the House Agriculture Committee.
Finstad wins in Minnesota, will face Ettinger again in November
Voters in politically conservative southern Minnesota chose Brad Finstad, a pro-Trump Republican, over Democrat Jeff Ettinger in a closer-than-expected special election on Tuesday to complete the term of the late Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who was a member of the House Agriculture Committee.
Election outlook softens for two House Democratic aggies
The political environment looks promising for Republicans in the House, said Sabato’s Crystal Ball on Wednesday. The political newsletter said two Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee, Sanford Bishop and Antonio Delgado, are facing races that have become more competitive than they once were.
High food prices have consumers and aid agencies scrambling
As food prices continue to rise, consumers around the country are being forced to adjust their habits and aid agencies are ramping up support. Overall, food prices were 4.6 percent higher in September than a year ago, driven largely by surging prices for meat, poultry and fish, which were up 10.4 percent, according to the Consumer Price Index.
Trump campaigning for farm-state Republicans in tight races
Three Senate races, seven House races, and three statewide referendums could dramatically change the food and agriculture policy landscape after Tuesday’s midterms. The Congressional races involve numerous members of the House and Senate agriculture and agriculture appropriations committees; …