Many ag groups are trying to educate legislators on the most pressing issues facing the industry

A new Congress means fresh faces, but newcomers might not be as well-versed in agriculture as others. One horticulture group says it is a good opportunity to advocate for agriculture.

“That’s always a challenge, both with what we call ‘freshmen,’ or the new members within Congress, as well as, frankly, a lot of the veterans [legislators],” said Kate Tynan, Senior Vice President at the Northwest Horticultural Council. “And you have new staff who are coming in, and that can be an opportunity, as much as it is a challenge, to make sure folks are up to speed.”

Tynan says the biggest issue they are trying to drive home is the growing ag trade deficit, which is set to hit more than $45 billion this year.

Related Stories
The WASDE/Crop Production combo will be the first full read on supply, demand, and yield that could move basis and hedging plans since the government shutdown more than a month ago.
China’s grain expansion model may be hitting its limit. Lower prices, high rents, and policy fatigue threaten future output — with ripple effects across global feed and oilseed markets.
America’s love for burgers depends on open markets. Without lean beef imports, prices would skyrocket, crushing demand and destabilizing the beef industry.
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) shares his outlook on the developing U.S.-China Trade agreement, and the ongoing impact of the federal government shutdown—now stretching past four weeks—on rural communities and producers.
The Livestock Conservancy joins us in the RFD-TV Studio to discuss how protecting heritage-breed poultry is essential to resilient food systems and the preservation of agricultural traditions.
Arizona producers are proving that desert farming and water conservation can coexist through technology, reuse, and efficiency — reinforcing both food security and environmental stewardship.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Our friend Jake Charleston at Specialty Risk Insurance joins us for an industry update.
Mary-Thomas Hart, with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, discusses the latest WOTUS developments and their implications for agriculture.
Wed, 12/17/25 – 7:30 PM ET | 6:30 PM CT | 5:30 PM MT | 4:30 PM PT
A massive rail merger could significantly impact North American agriculture and trade flows.
Urea and phosphate see the biggest price relief from tariff exemptions, but nitrogen markets remain tight, and spring demand will still dictate pricing momentum.
Earlier this year, the BLM moved to rescind the Public Lands Rule from the Biden Administration. Interior Secretary Doug Bergum says overturning the rule will protect the American way of life and give rural communities a stronger voice.