Tom Vilsack

On Monday, Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse as well as Representative Austin Scott, of Georgia, led a letter to United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack with Chair of House Agriculture Committee “GT” Thompson urging immediate action to improve outdated and inefficient FSA program operations.    “...

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced late last week major initiatives that he said will support and enhance the health of America's children through nutritious school meals.  At the USDA Conversation on Healthy School Meals Roundtable, Vilsack says, “Our commitment to the school meal programs comes from a common goal we all share – keeping kids healthy and helping them reach their full pote

Due to language missing from the 2018 Farm Bill, the Secretary of Agriculture is not permitted to waive the match requirement within the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, a key USDA plant pest and disease prevention research program targeting fruits and vegetables...

Agriculture groups welcomed President Biden's call on Congress to avert a potential rail worker strike.   Corey Rosenbusch of The Fertilizer Institute praised the action by Biden, adding, “Congress must act now to ensure that fertilizers and other critical materials and goods that U.S. consume...

On Thursday, the USDA awarded $502 million in loans and grants to provide high-speed internet access for rural residents and businesses in 20 states.  USDA is making the investments through the third funding round of the ReConnect Program.   ...

Last week a group of western lawmakers asked the Department of Agriculture and Interior Department for additional wildfire fighting resources.  Oregon’s Peter DeFazio joined 24 other lawmakers, primarily from California, asking the federal government to assist in continuing to fight fires aggressively, communicate clearly and take administrative steps now to prepare additional personnel for when t

Three Washington state representatives are inviting Biden administration officials to see damage from wildfires. Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dan Newhouse and Kim Schrier want Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to see the destruction caused by major fires, including the Babb Road fire last year that destroyed Malden and Pine Springs ...