Farm Bill, Regulatory Wins

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Chief Operating Officer Ted McKinney says the farm bill remains the top priority, even as progress is being made in a piecemeal fashion. “The problem, though, is what happens after the whole mess of reconciliation, which is always partisan, when we have to finish out the rest of it,” said McKinney.  Regulatory relief was noted as a bright spot, with McKinney pointing to the EPA’s decision to stop its initial insecticide strategy under the Endangered Species Act. On trade, McKinney acknowledged the challenges of using tariffs. “Now, do I like tariffs? No, I hate tariffs, but short of getting trade and fair trade resolved in other ways, which we made a magnanimous effort at under Trump 45, what are you left to do but to carry a bigger stick, as Teddy Roosevelt used to say.”