Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 7/9/20

The Appropriations Committee will meet at 10 a.m. to consider a trio of fiscal 2021 measures, including the Agriculture-FDA bill. The legislation filed on Sunday was widely praised by Republicans and Democrats alike at a subcommittee hearing this week, but today the amendments will start flying. That means there’s sure to be some heated debate on issues like food stamps and meatpacking rules that have been in the spotlight during the pandemic.

Heads up: For anyone planning to tune in, the ag bill is expected to be considered second out of the three.

Appropriators already gave USDA an earful in their bill report released Wednesday, a largely non-binding document that spells out lawmakers’ thoughts and instructions to the agencies under their jurisdiction. For one, members said the Food Safety and Inspection Service has “tragically failed to protect its workforce” during the pandemic, noting that at least four FSIS inspectors have died from Covid-19 after the department “failed to promptly provide PPE to inspectors.” They directed the agency to publish data on internal Covid-19 cases and deaths as soon as the spending bill is approved by the committee.

The panel also took issue with the department’s lack of transparency surrounding last year’s relocation of the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture from D.C. to Kansas City — an abrupt and controversial move that caused an exodus of veteran researchers from the agencies.

“The committee reiterates its frustration at the repeated difficulties it experiences in getting basic information about the move from the department,” they wrote. “ERS and NIFA are shells of their former selves, and the loss of institutional knowledge each agency has suffered will take years to overcome.”

Keep us in the loop: The panel also directed USDA to update appropriators about upcoming policy changes before sharing details with “non-governmental stakeholders” or the public. And lawmakers said they’re “concerned about the department’s tardiness in implementing new initiatives” funded in previous appropriations bills.

More highlights: The report asks USDA to prioritize coronavirus relief funds for farmers and ranchers who comply with CDC requirements to keep their workers safe through sanitation and social distancing. It also calls for a departmental plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture and for officials to fund research into the impact of climate change on the nutritional value of crops.

Hot hemp and Victory Gardens: Lawmakers also requested data on the number of hemp acres that must be destroyed because a crop exceeds the 0.3 percent THC limit; and they suggested that USDA leaders launch a new “Victory Garden” campaign in areas with higher hunger rates, citing past national efforts to bolster the food supply during wartime.