Register Now! Educational programming for January:

Jan. 21, AgWorks: Wage and Hour Laws—Requirements and Exemptions

Jan. 23, Understanding the Basics of Pennsylvania’s Seasonal Farm Labor Law (Atty CLE)

Jan. 27, Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar: Standards of Identity—Regulations & Current Issues (Atty CLE)

Food Policy: USDA, HHS Publish Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 🌾
On January 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 directing Americans to “eat real food,” along with an accompanying website, realfood.gov. The new dietary guidelines recommend that people “prioritize protein foods at every meal,” “consume full-fat dairy with no added sugars,” “eat vegetables and fruits throughout the day,” “incorporate healthy fats from whole foods,” and “focus on whole grains.” Additionally, the new guidelines encourage Americans to “avoid highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat, or other foods that are salty or sweet” and to “avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda, fruit drinks, and energy drinks.” The guidelines explicitly state that “no amount of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is recommended or considered part of a healthy or nutritious diet” and directs parents “to completely avoid added sugar for children aged four and under.” Also announced by HHS, along with an accompanying fact sheet, the guidelines recommend daily food group servings according to daily caloric intake. Notably, the new guidelines introduce an inverted food pyramid depicting meats, vegetables, and fruits on top, as opposed to the previous food pyramid, which displayed the largest food group as grains at the pyramid’s base, and the MyPlate icon, which divided proteins, grains, fruits, and vegetables roughly into quarters on a plate.  

Nutrition Programs: USDA Publishes SNAP Food Restriction Waiver Retailer Compliance Memo
On December 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a policy memo titled “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—Clarifications on Food Restriction Waivers and Retailer Compliance.” FNS states, “As of Dec. 30, 2025, FNS has approved 18 state agency requests to implement a SNAP Food Restriction Waiver,” which “prohibit purchasing foods such as candy and sugar-sweetened beverages with SNAP benefits.” Additionally, the agency “has developed plans for monitoring SNAP retailers’ compliance with these waivers and the consequences for non-compliance,” to be administered through the FNS Office of Retailer Operations and Compliance (ROC), which “initiates and conducts undercover investigations to determine if a retailer is complying with program requirements.” According to the memo, 90 days after a state’s implementation date for its waiver, “ROC investigators will incorporate attempts to purchase restricted items according to the state’s SNAP Food Restriction policy” and, “[i]n the event ROC obtains evidence of non-compliance with applicable, waiver-based food restrictions,” FNS will take “administrative actions.” Additionally, the memo notes that “state agencies may also employ resources to monitor SNAP retailer compliance,” although if they do, they are “required to send results of compliance monitoring to FNS.” Further, FNS states that “FNS has sole authority for administrative actions against retailers that commit SNAP violations” and notes that “[s]tate agencies are not permitted to administer penalties to retailers that would adversely impact their ability to participate in SNAP for failing to comply.” See also ALWR—Jan. 6, 2026, “USDA Approves More SNAP Restriction Waivers, Eighteen States Now with Waivers.” 

Nutrition Programs: USDA Publishes Final Household Food Security Report
On December 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) published its Household Food Security in the United States in 2024 report (PDF), the final such report after announcing in September 2025 that the agency will discontinue its publication. According to a summary of the report, 13.7 percent of U.S. households were food insecure, meaning that they “had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members because of a lack of resources,” which the report states “was not statistically significantly different from the 13.5 percent in 2023 nor the 12.8 percent in 2022.” See also ALWR—Oct. 14, 2025 “Nutrition Programs: USDA Discontinues Household Food Security Reports.” 

National Agricultural Policy: USDA Announces Commodity Payment Rates for Farmer Bridge Assistance Program
On December 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced commodity per-acre payment rates for the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA), which, USDA announced on December 8, will provide $12 billion in payments to farmers “in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs.” According to the announcement, “FBA payments are based on 2025 planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production, and the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate Report.” The following FBA-eligible commodities triggered an FBA payment, from highest to lowest payment amount:

  • Rice: $132.89
  • Cotton: $117.35
  • Oats: $81.75
  • Peanuts: $55.65
  • Sorghum: $48.11
  • Corn: $44.36
  • Wheat: $39.35
  • Chickpeas (Small): $33.36
  • Soybeans: $30.88
  • Chickpeas (Large): $26.46
  • Safflower: $24.86
  • Lentils: $23.98
  • Canola: $23.57
  • Mustard: $23.21
  • Barley: $20.51
  • Peas: $19.60
  • Sunflower: $17.32
  • Sesame: $13.68
  • Flax: $8.05

See also Kristine A. Tidgren, USDA Releases More Information on the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. Agric. Law & Tax’n (Jan. 5, 2026) and  ALWR—Dec. 18, 2025, “National Agricultural Policy: USDA Announces $12 Billion in ‘Bridge Payments.’”

National Agricultural Policy: USDA Publishes Research and Development Priorities Memorandum
On December 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins signed Secretary’s Memorandum 1078-020, titled “Directive on Departmental Research and Development Priorities.” Also announced by USDA, the memorandum identifies five priorities for USDA research and development: (1) “Increasing profitability of farmers and ranchers,” “such as reducing inputs or increasing mechanization and automation,” (2) “Expanding markets and creating new uses of U.S. agricultural products,” “such as generating science and data to resolve longstanding sanitary and phytosanitary trade barriers—or expand[ing] the utilization of these commodities in novel biobased products and bioenergy (including biofuels),” (3) “Protecting the integrity of American agriculture from invasive species,” such as developing “new and effective methods for preventing, detecting, controlling, and eradicating” invasive species, (4) “Promoting soil health to regenerate long-term productivity of land,” such as “promoting soil health practices, increas[ing] water-use efficiency, and reduc[ing] inputs,” and (5) “Improving human health through precision nutrition and food quality.” The memorandum is not a final agency action and does not supersede any federal laws or regulations.

National Agricultural Policy: USDA Inspector General Publishes ‘USDA Staffing Levels’ Report
On December 17, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report titled “U.S. Department of Agriculture Staffing Levels.” The report states that “[a]s of January 11, 2025, USDA had 110,384 employees” and, between January 12, 2025, and June 14, 2025, “in total, 20,306 employees attritted.” Additionally, the report states that, “[o]f the 20,306 employees that left USDA during the review period, 15,114 left under the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP).” According to the report, Pennsylvania lost 288 of its 1,837 USDA employees, including 221 to the DRP, totaling a 16% reduction in force.

Agribusiness: USDA Publishes Notice Seeking Comment on Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Regulations
On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking (90 FR 60581) seeking public comment on Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) regulations, including “changes that would improve information collection activities in a manner responsive to national security and the use of agricultural land.” USDA states that it “is interested in comments on topics including the interests in agricultural land covered under AFIDA, identification of required filers, and the information included on the filed report.” Additionally, USDA seeks input on definitional changes, potential differential treatment between those from countries designated as foreign adversaries, and how to obtain correct and verifiable information. The comment period ends on January 28, 2026.

Agricultural Labor: DOL, DHS Will Issue 35,000 Additional H-2B Visas for FY 2026, Down 50% from 2025
On December 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that “they will make an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026,” down from 64,716 issued in 2025 (89 FR 95626), and which represents “nearly a 50 percent reduction in the total supplemental visas released as compared to FY 2023-2025.” According to the announcement, “the Departments will focus these additional H-2B visas . . . to support American businesses with seasonal or temporary workforce needs in critical infrastructure sectors . . . such as seafood, forestry, hospitality and tourism, transportation, and manufacturing.” These visas are issued in addition to “the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal year.” According to the announcements, the departments will publish a temporary final rule in the Federal Register “in the coming weeks.”

Agricultural Labor: DOL Submits Proposed ‘Independent Contractor’ Rule to OMB
On January 7, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) received notification from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of a proposed rule titled “Employee or Independent Contractor Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.” According to DOL/WHD’s Spring 2025 Unified Agenda, “In 2024, [DOL] published a final rule providing an analysis for determining employee or independent contractor classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA),” which “took effect on March 11, 2024.” “However,” the agency states, “the 2024 IC Rule is the subject of five separate legal challenges.” Thus, DOL states that it “intends to rescind the 2024 IC rule and is considering how it will proceed with respect to independent contractor classification under the FLSA employee or under the FLSA.” See also ALWR—Mar. 11, 2024, “Fifth Circuit Remands ‘Independent Contractor’ Rule Challenge to District Court, DOL January 2024 Rule Effective March 11, 2024,” and ALWR—Jan. 18, 2024, “Department of Labor Publishes Final Rule: ‘Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act’”

Agricultural Labor: DOL Issues Six Opinion Letters
On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published six opinion letters providing “official written interpretations . . . that address real-world questions and explain how laws apply to specific factual circumstances” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The following five opinion letters are potentially relevant to agricultural and food production employment:

  • FLSA2026-1: “Whether an employee’s role meets the criteria for the learned professional exemption under . . . the FLSA, and, if so, whether an employer is nevertheless permitted to reclassify the employee as non-exempt.”
  • FLSA2026-2: “Whether . . . the FLSA permits an employer to exclude certain bonus payments from an employee’s regular rate of pay” and “how to include these payments in the calculation of employee overtime premiums if the payments must be included in an employee’s regular rate of pay.”
  • FLSA2026-3: “Whether a union and employer can enter into a collective bargaining agreement that mandates a 15-minute ‘roll call’ prior to each scheduled shift but excludes that time when calculating overtime premiums under the FLSA.”
  • FLSA2026-4: “Whether, for purposes of the overtime exemption for certain commissioned employees. . . an employer in a jurisdiction in which the state minimum wage exceeds the federal minimum wage must use the federal minimum wage, or alternatively, the higher state minimum wage, to determine whether it has satisfied the minimum pay standard . . . and whether tips are deemed compensation for . . . [the] requirement that more than half the employee’s compensation consist of commissions.”
  • FMLA2026-2: “Whether FMLA leave may be used for time spent traveling to or from medical appointments, including where an employee provided the employer with medical certification from a health care provider that confirms the employee’s need for the appointment, but the certification does not address travel to or from the appointment.”

See also ALWR—June 10, 2025, “Department of Labor Announces Opinion Letter Program.”

Agricultural Labor: Class Action Suit Filed Against Bimbo Bakeries Seeks Overtime for Pre- and Post-Shift Activities
On November 3, 2025, a Bimbo Bakeries employee filed a class action complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania alleging that the Horsham-based bakery violated the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act by failing to pay workers overtime wages for certain pre- and post-shift activities. Fenstermaker et al. v. Bimbo Bakeries USA Inc., No. 2025-27001. The plaintiff employee claims that “class members are required to complete various mandatory activities inside the Bakery before they start getting paid”—including “walking from the Bakery entrance to a uniform pick-up area; picking up uniforms; walking from the uniform pick-up area to assigned lockers; changing into uniforms and other mandatory gear; obtaining ‘padlock’ devices; walking to timeclocks; and waiting at timeclocks”—and “after they stop getting paid”—including “walking to locker rooms; doffing uniforms and other mandatory gear; putting away . . . padlocks; and walking to the Bakery exit.” As a result of these activities, the plaintiff claims that he, “like other class members, often worked over 40 hours per week,” noting that he “was credited with working 42.92 hours during the 7-day week ending November 2, 2024.” The plaintiff seeks unpaid overtime wages, prejudgment interest, and allowable “costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.”

Upcoming related webinar opportunities:

National Agricultural Policy: Texas Produce Groups File Complaint Challenging OSHA Constitutionality
On December 3, 2025, the Texas International Produce Association and the Texas Vegetable Association filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas a complaint “challeng[ing] Congress’s delegation of legislative power to the Executive Branch in the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) as a violation of the nondelegation doctrine.” Texas Int’l Produce Assoc. v. Occupational Safety & Health Administration, No. 2:25-cv-00261. The complaint claims that “[t]he nondelegation doctrine requires Congress to provide meaningful boundaries on agency discretion” and that, “when conferring powers that sweep broadly,” “Congress must be more precise.” However, the complaint argues that “[t]he safety standards delegation contains no intelligible principle,” which articulates “both ‘the general policy’ for the agency to pursue and ‘the boundaries of its delegated authority.’” The complaint alleges that the OSH Act, among several things, (1) “authorizes the Secretary of Labor to promulgate ‘any occupational safety or health standard’ regulating every employer in the United States,” (2) “does not require the President (or any executive branch subordinate) to determine that certain situations have occurred before the executive branch can act,” and (3) “has ‘an absence of standards’ that make it impossible for anyone to ascertain if the will of Congress has been obeyed.” Further, the complaint claims that “the safety standards delegation ‘may be the broadest delegation of power to an administrative agency found in the United States Code’” and alleges that “[i]f this delegation does not violate the nondelegation doctrine, then nothing does and the nondelegation doctrine is a dead letter.” The plaintiffs seek declatory and injunctive relief.  

Food Labeling: Cider Brewer Files Complaint Challenging Vintage Year Labeling Regulation
On January 5, 2026, Garden Path Fermentation, LLC—a Washington state brewery specializing in locally-sourced beer, wine, cider, and mead—filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington a complaint challenging as a violation of the First Amendment and Administrative Procedure Act “federal regulations [27 CFR 4.27] that prohibit cider, mead, and fruit wine producers from conveying . . . ‘vintage’ information—the year of harvest—on their product labels, while allowing identical speech for grape-wine producers.” Garden Path Fermentation LLC v. United States of America, No. 1:26-cv-03002. According to the complaint, the regulation at issue “affirmatively authorizes vintage labeling for grape wine only, defining ‘vintage’ solely in terms of grape harvest” while “no corresponding authorization [exists] for cider, mead, or fruit wine,” which, the complaint claims “unlawfully suppresses truthful commercial speech, deprives consumers of accurate agricultural information, and serves no legitimate government interest.” The complaint states that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau “enforces this prohibition through the Certificate of Label Approval process, routinely rejecting labels for cider, mead, and fruit wine that include otherwise truthful, accurate vintage statements.” The complaint claims that this discrepancy is arbitrary because “[v]intage statements convey timing—not species” and “do not suggest that cider, mead, or fruit wine are grape wine.” The plaintiff further argues that “[t]he fact that FDA permits vintage or harvest-year labeling for cider, mead, and fruit wine under 7% [alcohol by volume] without prior approval confirms that truthful vintage information is not inherently misleading, does not confuse consumers, and can coexist with federal labeling objectives.”  

Animal Welfare: North Carolina Supreme Court Declines to Review Poultry Producer Practices for Animal Welfare Violation
On December 10, 2025, the Supreme Court of North Carolina denied discretionary review of a petition challenging the North Carolina Court of Appeals’ May 2025 opinion, which found that poultry producer Case Farms was not subject to the state’s Protection of Animals Act (PAA), which exempts “lawful activities conducted . . . for purposes of production of . . . poultry [or] . . . providing food for human or animal consumption.” Legal Impact for Chickens v. Case Farms LLC, No. 154P25. The plaintiff, an animal welfare interest group, had claimed that Case Farms’ “treatment of chickens at various stages throughout the hatching and slaughtering process amounted to animal cruelty” and argued that the poultry producer was “not exempt from suit under the PAA because [its] individual systems and processes are either unlawful or not conducted for the purpose of producing poultry or food for human or animal consumption.” The appellate court summarized their position: “Plaintiff seeks to narrow our focus from Defendants’ operation as a whole to individual steps within Defendants’ poultry production process,” noting “[a]ccording to Plaintiff, every stage in Defendants’ operation should be analyzed for its lawfulness and purpose.” However, the court declined to do so, stating, “The process of raising and slaughtering chickens is comprised of a series of tasks conducted for a common purpose—to produce poultry” and held that “contrary to Plaintiff’s interpretation . . . the exempted activity is not each individual step within the commercial poultry-production process, but rather the entire process itself.” 

Antitrust: Complaint Claims Avian Flu a ‘Cover’ for Egg Prices
On November 18, 2025, four retail egg purchaser plaintiffs filed a class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging that several large U.S. egg producers—including Cal-Maine Foods, Daybreak Foods, Hillandale Farms, Opal Foods, and Rose Acre Farms—used a platform called “Urner Barry” (now “Expana”) “to collusively fix, raise, maintain and stabilize the supply and price of Eggs sold in the United States above competitive levels” under the “cover” of Avian Flu in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. Habash v. Urner Barry Publications, Inc., No. 1:25-cv-14112. The complaint claims, among several things, that “[d]espite having zero Avian Flu outbreaks in 2023, Cal-Maine’s gross profits increased more than seven-fold in 2023 and Cal-Maine sold its conventional eggs for 2.8 times as much as it did in 2021, a year before the Avian Flu came to light” and that “[t]hroughout [this time], Cal-Maine ha[d] delegated pricing to Urner Barry.” Plaintiffs seek class certification, declaratory judgment, costs, damages, and other relief deemed necessary.  

Regulatory Policy: CEQ Publishes Final Rule Removing National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations
On January 8, 2026, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) published in the Federal Register a final rule (91 FR 618), effective upon publication, adopting its February 2025 interim final rule (90 FR 10610), which “remov[es] all iterations of CEQ’s regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) from the Code of Federal Regulations.” See also ALWR—Oct. 21, 2025,“Council on Environmental Quality Publishes NEPA Implementing Procedures Guidance” and ALWR—Mar. 18, 2025, “CEQ Publishes Rule Removing NEPA Regulations.”

 

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Understanding Agricultural Law Series. A free monthly webinar series for agricultural and rural business advisors. One hour of substantive CLE credit available for Pennsylvania-licensed attorneys at no charge. All events on Fridays, noon–1 pm (ET). Upcoming:

Jan. 23, 2026, Understanding the Basics of Pennsylvania’s Seasonal Farm Labor Law

Feb. 27, 2026, Understanding the Basics of the USDA National Appeals Division

Mar. 27, 2026, Understanding the Basics of Right to Farm Laws

Apr. 24, 2026, Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

May 22, 2026, Understanding the Basics of the PA Preferred Program

Jun 26, 2026, Understanding the Basics of Agricultural Vehicle Regulation

July 24, 2026, Understanding the Basics of International Agricultural Trade & Tariffs

Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar Series. A free quarterly webinar series covering dairy industry legal and regulatory developments with an in-depth focus topic. One hour of substantive CLE credit available for Pennsylvania-licensed attorneys at no charge. All events on Tuesdays, noon–1 pm (ET). Upcoming:

Jan. 27, 2026, 4th Quarter 2025: Dairy Product Standards of Identity—Regulations and Current Issues

Apr. 14, 2026, 1st Quarter 2026 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar

Jul 14, 2026, 2nd Quarter 2026 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar

Oct. 13, 2026, 3rd Quarter 2026 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar

AgWorks: Connecting Agricultural Businesses to Workforce Services and Training. From 2025 to 2027, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law and Penn State Extension will collaborate with farms and agriculture-related businesses to strengthen the workforce system. AgWorks will provide 100 registered small- to medium-sized Pennsylvania farms and agribusinesses with no-cost training and consultation to ensure business sustainability. As part of the AgWorks program, the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law will provide legal consulting and present 20+ employment law programs.

Upcoming AgWorks webinars and workshops:

Jan. 21, 2026, AgWorks #5: Wage and Hour Laws—Requirements and Exemptions

Feb. 24, 2026, AgWorks #6: Wage and Hour Laws—Calculation and Enforcement

Subscribe to the Pennsylvania Farm Employers’ Listserv (PFEL): an email networking and resource-sharing group exclusively about human resources information for agricultural operations.

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Legal Services Plan: “A new member-benefit program involving law firms that specialize in legal areas commonly utilized by farmers.”

Resources of Interest:

Nat’l Agric. Law Ctr., Looking Ahead: As Guidelines on the Colorado River Set to Expire, Attention Turns to What Comes Next, Madison Mills and Brigit Rollins (Jan. 6, 2026)

Univ. of Ill. Farm Policy News, Some Ag Groups Concerned Over Focus on Processed Food, Seed Oils in New Dietary Guidelines, Ryan Hanrahan (Jan. 9, 2026)

Univ. of Ill. FarmDoc Daily, Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Payment Rates, Nick Paulson, Gary Schnitkey, and Jonathan Coppess (Jan. 6, 2026)

Agric. Law & Tax’n Blog, Top 10 Ag Law and Tax Developments of 2025, Roger McEowen (Jan. 7, 2026)

Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. Agric. Law & Tax’n, Individual Filing Season Begins January 26, Kristine A. Tidgren (Jan. 8, 2026)

Ohio St. Univ. Ext. Farm Off. Blog, Navigating 1099 Forms in the OBBBA Era: A Complete Guide for the 2025 Tax Season, David L. Marrison, Barry Ward, and Jeff Lewis (Jan. 9, 2026)

Ohio St. Univ. Ext. Farm Off. Blog, Complex Estate Plans Can Increase Likelihood of Litigation, Robert Moore (Jan. 8, 2026)

Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. Agric. Law & Tax’n, Court Finds No Minority Shareholder Oppression in Family Farm Case, Kristine A. Tidgren (Jan. 8, 2026)

STATE ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRESS RELEASES

Agriculture Secretary and PA Dairy Industry Leaders Unveil 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show Butter Sculpture (Jan. 8, 2026)

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin Lead Tour of 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show Must-See Exhibits, Events (Jan. 8, 2026)

PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Pa. Bulletin Vol. 56, No. 2—Jan. 10, 2026):                      

Department of Environmental Protection

56 Pa.B. 284 Notice: “Conditional State Water Quality Certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act for the United States Army Corps of Engineers Pennsylvania State Programmatic General Permit-7 (PASPGP-7)”

PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE

H.B. 2119 “An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in game or wildlife protection, further providing for killing game or wildlife to protect property.” Referred to Game & Fisheries [House] (Jan. 8, 2026)

FEDERAL ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESS RELEASES

EPA to Host Open House for Update on the Olin Chemical Superfund Site (Jan. 8, 2026)

EPA Announces Over $616,000 in Funding for New Mexico Tribes (Jan. 7, 2026)

USDA Announces Dr. Justin Benavidez as Chief Economist (Jan. 6, 2026)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) PRESS RELEASES

Kennedy, Rollins Unveil Historic Reset of U.S. Nutrition Policy, Put Real Food Back at Center of Health (Jan. 7, 2026)

Secretary Rollins Announces New Slate of Political Appointments to USDA (Jan. 7, 2026)

USDA AGENCY PRESS RELEASES

Agricultural Marketing Service

USDA Appoints Members to National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board (Jan. 9, 2026)

USDA Publishes 2024 Pesticide Data Program Annual Summary (Jan. 6, 2026)

Agricultural Research Service

A New Spring Wheat Germplasm Promises to Reduce Economic Losses Caused by Fusarium (Jan. 8, 2026)

Farm Service Agency

Farm Service Agency Announces Updated Schedule for County Committee Elections (Jan. 6, 2026)

Food Safety and Inspection Service

France: Foreign Audit Report (Jan. 5, 2026)

New Employee Benefit’s [sic] Orientation Sessions (Jan. 5, 2026)

Foreign Agricultural Service

Export Sales to Unknown Destinations (Jan. 9, 2026)

Export Sales to China (Jan. 8, 2026)

Export Sales to China (Jan. 6, 2026)

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NIFA Invests $4.8M in Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Disease (Jan. 7, 2026)

NIFA Invests $3.8M in Foundational Knowledge of Plant Products (Jan. 7, 2026)

NIFA Invests $2.8M in Animal Breeding, Genetics and Genomics Research (Jan. 7, 2026)

NIFA Awards $2.8M to Support Community Food Projects (Jan. 7, 2026)

FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Federal Register: Jan. 5, 2026—Jan. 9, 2026):

Agriculture Department

91 FR 494 Notice: “Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request [Farm Service Agency: Direct Loan Making]” (Jan. 7, 2026)

Executive Office of the President

91 FR 1039 Presidential Document: “Amendments to Adjusting Imports of Timber, Lumber, and Their Derivative Products into the United States” (Jan. 9, 2026)

Animal and Plant Inspection Service

91 FR 953 Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Specimen Submission” (Jan. 9, 2026)

91 FR 657 Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Contract Pilot and Aircraft Acceptance” (Jan. 8, 2026)

91 FR 659 Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Infectious Salmon Anemia; Payment of Indemnity” (Jan. 8, 2026)

91 FR 658 Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Animal Welfare” (Jan. 8, 2026)

91 FR 494 Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Restricted, Prohibited, and Controlled Importation of Animal and Poultry Products and Byproducts into the United States” (Jan. 7, 2026)

91 FR 495 Revision to and extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Animal Disease Traceability” (Jan. 7, 2026)

Environmental Protection Agency

91 FR 371 Notice: “Expiration and Extension of Confidential Business Information (CBI) Claims Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)” (Jan. 6, 2026)

91 FR 398 Proposed rule; request for public comment; notification of public hearing: “National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for Perchlorate” (Jan. 6, 2026)

91 FR 263 Notice: “Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC); Request for Nominations” (Jan. 5, 2026)

91 FR 275 Notice: “Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC); Request for Nominations of Ad Hoc Peer Reviewers” (Jan. 5, 2026)

91 FR 267 Notice of receipt and request for comment: “Certain New Chemicals; Receipt and Status Information for September and October 2025” (Jan. 5, 2026)

91 FR 272 Notice: “Certain New Chemicals or Significant New Uses; Statements of Findings-July 2025 to September 2025” (Jan. 5, 2026)

91 FR 273 Notice: “Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed New Collection and Request for Comment; Process to Become an EPA Qualified Conservation Program (QCP) and Qualified External Party (QEP); Draft Pesticide Registration Notice” (Jan. 5, 2026)

91 FR 271 Notice of availability: “Pesticides; Draft Guidance for Pesticide Registrants on Notifications, Non-Notifications, and Minor Formulation Amendments” (Jan. 5, 2026)

Food and Nutrition Service

91 FR 496 Notice: “Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A Review of Major Changes in Program Design and Management Evaluation Systems” (Jan. 7, 2026)

U.S. HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

H.R.6986 “To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exclude from income, for the purpose of determining eligibility and benefits, increased income received from cost of living adjustments made under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act, section 3(a)(1) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C. 231b(a)(1)), or section 5312 of title 38 of the United States Code, and income received from supplementary payments received under section 1616 of the Social Security Act.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.6976 “To amend laws relating to duty performed by members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.” Referred to the Committees on Armed Services, and  . . . Agriculture (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.2405 “The White Oak Resilience Act” Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-434, Part I (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.1834 “Breaking the Gridlock Act” Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.1110 “Grazing for Wildfire Risk Reduction Act” Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-433, Part I (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.435 “Direct Hire To Fight Fires” Reported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-432, Part I (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.179 “Proven Forest Management Act of 2025” Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-430, Part I (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.178 “To require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out activities to suppress wildfires, and for other purposes.” Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-429, Part I (Jan. 8, 2026)

H.R.6969 “To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish a program that provides payments to producers for carrying out conservation practices in selected eligible watersheds, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (Jan. 7, 2026)

H.R.6966 “To provide additional funds to States for administration of certain nutrition programs.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (Jan. 7, 2026)

H.R.6949 “To establish a pilot program in which States may use consolidated funds, through Upward Mobility Grants, for antipoverty programs, and for other purposes.” Referred to the Committees on Ways and Means, and . . . Agriculture (Jan. 6, 2026)

H.R.6944 “To require the Secretary of Agriculture to make cost-share grants for retrofitting agricultural tractors with rollover protection structures, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (Jan. 6, 2025)

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY 

S.222 “Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025” Presented to President (Jan. 6, 2026)

S.3603 “A bill to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to improve the cost of living adjustment exclusion from income under the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.” Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Jan. 8, 2026)

S.3594 “A bill to provide additional funds to States for administration of certain nutrition programs.” Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Jan. 7, 2026)

S.3580 “A bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make cost-share grants for retrofitting agricultural tractors with rollover protection structures, and for other purposes.” Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Jan. 5, 2026)

U.S. HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE—UPCOMING HEARINGS

None.

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY—UPCOMING HEARINGS  

None.

 

Contributors:
Audry Thompson—Staff Attorney
Christina Fraser—Research Assistant
Riley Amdor—Research Assistant
Samuel Sweeten—Research Assistant