House Agriculture Committee activity: July 21, 2025 – August 22, 2025

Legislation considered by this committee includes farm ownership loans, the spotted lanternfly, drinking water, SNAP, biomanufacturing, wildfire prep, forest service, and seedlings.

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NO ONE FROM SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA sits on this committee. Glenn Thompson represents PA-15, a very urban district with all of Delaware County, some of Chester County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia. Rob Bresnahan represents PA-08, which encompasses all of Wayne, Pike, and Lackawanna Counties, along with portions of Luzerne and Monroe counties.

I will not track the House Agriculture committee forever. Just long enough to ask why neither LLOYD SMUCKER nor JOHN JOYCE sits on this committee. And hopefully get an answer.

Republican members: Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15), Chair; Frank Lucas (R-OK); Austin Scott (R-GA); Rick Crawford (R-AR); Scott Desjarlais (R-TN); Doug Lamalfa (R-CA); David Rouzer (R-NC); Trent Kelly (R-MS); Don Bacon (R-NE); Mike Bost (R-IL); Dusty Johnson (R-SD); Jim Baird (R-IN); Tracey Mann (R-KS); Rnady Feenstra (R-IA); Mary Miller (R-IL); Barry Moore (R-AL); Kat Cammack (R-FL); Brad Finstad (R-MN); John Rose (R-TN); Ronny Jackson (R-TX); Monica De La Cruz (R-TX); Zach Nunn (R-IA); Derrick Van Orden (R-WI); Dan Newhouse (R-WA); Tony Wied (R-WI); Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08); Mark Messmer (R-IN); Mark Harris (R-NC); and, Dave Taylor (R-OH).

Democratic members: Angie Craig (D-MN), Ranking Minority Member; Shontel Brown (D-OH); David Scott (D-GA); Jim Costa (D-CA); Jim McGovern (D-MA); Alma Adams (D-NC); Jahana Hayes (D-CT); Sharice Davids (D-KS); Andrea Salinas (D-OR); Don Davis (D-NC); Jill Tokuda (D-HI); Nikki Budzinski (D-IL); Eric Sorensen (D-IL); Gabe Vasquez (D-NM); Jonathan Jackson (D-IL); Shri Thanedar (D-MI); Adam Gray (D-CA); Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI); Shomari Figures (D-AL); Eugene Vindman (D-VA); Josh Riley (D-NY); John Mannion (D-NY); April McClain Delaney (D-MD); Chellie Pingree (D-ME); and, Salud Carbajal (D-CA).

ACTIONS

July 24, 2025: Transcript of February 11, 2025 hearing was made available. “Examining the Economic Crisis in Farm Country.”

LEGISLATION REFERRED TO COMMITTEE

H.R.4636 - SOIL Act (Saving Our Interconnected Lives Act).To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to encourage practices that benefit both soil and wildlife habitat by increasing payments to producers for such practices under the environmental quality incentives program and the conservation stewardship program.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Julia Brownley (D-CA). No cosponsors. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.4657 - Next Generation Farmer Act. To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to modify limitations on access to farm ownership loans for beginning farmers and ranchers.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Brad Finstad (R-MN). Cosponsored by Josh Riley (D-NY). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: This would amend the existing Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act requirement of three years of experience as hired farm labor with substantial management experience, to one year with the stipulation that the grant applicant have a mentor who is an experienced or retired rancher or farmer.

H.R.4665 - Loggers Economic Assistance and Relief Act. To establish a payment program for unexpected loss of markets and revenues to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses due to major disasters.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Jared Golden (D-ME). Cosponsored by Pete Stauber (R-MN) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.4673 - Save Our Bacon Act. To ensure the free movement of livestock-derived products in interstate commerce.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Ashley Hinson (R-IA). Cosponsored by twenty-one Republicans and NO Democrats.

Comment: Cosponsors include only one Republican from California (Doug LaMalfa) and NO Republicans from Nevada or Utah, which are among the states with tight restrictions on import of agricultural products due to health issues. The cosponsors of the bill seem to hail from beef- and pork-producing states. Interesting that no Republican representatives from Texas cosponsored.

H.R.4700 - PRIME Act (Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act). To amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to exempt from inspection the slaughter of animals and the preparation of carcasses conducted at a custom slaughter facility.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Thomas Massie (R-KY). Cosponsored by thirty-nine Republicans (including Pennsylvanians Scott Perry and Lloyd Smucker) and five Democrats. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.4706 - Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act. To prohibit the acquisition and ownership of agricultural land and residential real property by certain foreign entities.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Mary Miller (R-IA). Cosponsored by seventeen Republicans and no Democrats. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Foreign Affairs the same day.

Comment: Although the “To” part of the bill sounds like it will target China PLUS Iran, Russia, and North Korea, it does not. Targets are only China plus Hong Kong and Macau.

H.R.4708 - Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act. To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to include spotted lanternfly control research and development as high-priority research and extension initiative.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Joseph Morelle (D-NY). Cosponsored by twenty Democrats and twelve Republicans. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Angry comment: Why. The. Hell. Didn’t Smucker and Joyce cosponsor this bill? Do they never step outside when they are in south central Pennsylvania? Do they not get it? What planet do they live on? [Removing soap box and killing another lanternfly.]

H.R.4714 - End Polluter Welfare Act of 2025. To eliminate certain subsidies for fossil-fuel production.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Cosponsored by twenty Democrats and no Republicans. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and Transportation and Infrastructure and Natural Resources and Science, Space, and Technology and Energy and Commerce and Agriculture and Appropriations and Financial Services and Foreign Affairs the same day.

Comment: This bill does not seem to be a radical thing. It’s far less egregious than Gerald Ford’s windfall profit tax (enacted under Carter, but Ford’s idea). This simply stops funding petroleum industry exploration into known, existing fields, and raises the government’s ORRI from 12% to 18%.

Again, that is less egregious than ORRI or other royalties demanded by landowners who are sitting on huge proven reserves. I know. I used to calculate those royalty statements years ago.

H.R.4721 - Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act (Healthy H2O Act). To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to establish a grant program to assist with the purchase, installation, and maintenance of point-of-entry and point-of-use drinking water quality improvement products.

Introduced July 23, 2025 by David Rouzer (R-NC). Cosponsored by ten Democrats and only two Republicans. No cosponsors from Pennsylvania. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.4782 - Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act. To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a program under which the Secretary will enter into cooperative agreements with State, local, or Tribal governments increase the purchase of local foods.

Introduced July 29, 2025 by Robert Bresnahan (R-PA). Cosponsored by seventeen Democrats and only seven Republicans. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) cosponsored, but neither James Joyce nor Lloyd Smucker did so. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: I can see local farms like Hollabaugh’s or Weikert’s greatly benefiting from this legislation. And, I would rather buy farm-raised fish from East Berlin, PA, fifteen miles north of me, than from Chile or Costa Rica.

H.R.4797 - EATS Act of 2025 (Enhance Access To SNAP Act of 2025). To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to remove certain eligibility disqualifications that restrict otherwise eligible students enrolled in institutions of higher education from participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

Introduced July 29, 2025 by Jimmy Gomez (D-CA). Cosponsored by ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THREE DEMOCRATS AND ZERO REPUBLICANS. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), Christopher Deluzio (D-PA-17), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), Summer Lee (D-PA-12), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5) were among the 133 cosponsors. Madelein Dean has not cosponsored yet.

Angry comment: What do Trump Republicans in the House have against well-nourished, not-starving children?!

H.R.4832 - Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act of 2025. To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to improve the biobased markets program.

Introduced August 1, 2025 by Mark Alford (R-MO). Cosponsored by Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI), Mark Messmer (R-IN), and Angie Craig (D-MN). Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform the same day.

H.R.4852 - Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025. To increase the preparation of structural firefighters to assist in wildfire and wildland-urban interface fire response efforts and the coordination of firefighting teams across all levels of government.

Introduced August 1, 2025 by Josh Harder (D-CA). Cosponsored by David Valadao (R-CA). Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure and Armed Services and Education and Workforce the same day.

Comment: Where is the bipartisan support from Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona?

H.R.4853 - Saving the Forest Service's Workforce Act. To institute a reduction in force moratorium at the Forest Service.

Introduced August 1, 2025 by Jared Huffman (D-CA). Cosponsored by seven Democrats and NO Republicans.

H.R.4865 - Advancing Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act of 2025. To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research relating to measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification of soil carbon sequestration.

Introduced August 1, 2025 by Eric Sorensen (D-IL). Cosponsored by Michael Lawler (R-NY). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.4879 - Emergency Rural Water Response Act of 2025. To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to expand eligibility for grants related to emergency water assistance.

Introduced August 5, 2025 by Jim Costa (D-CA). Cosponsored by Chuck Edwards (R-NC). Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: Although this bill may go nowhere, I am following it. I am rural. I have well water. My property backs onto a cornfield.

H.R.4892 - Seedlings for Sustainable Habitat Restoration Act of 2025. To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, to enter into contracts, grants, and agreements to carry out certain ecosystem restoration activities.

Introduced August 5, 2025 by Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM). No cosponsors. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Natural Resources the same day.

Comment: In the Senate, S.2643 (Seedlings for Sustainable Habitat Restoration Act of 2025) was a bipartisan bill. Introduced by Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and cosponsored by John Cornyn (R-TX) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

This single bill demonstrates clearly the difference between the collegiality and oft-bipartisanship in the Senate, versus the toxicity of the House. It’s a no-brainer. But in the House, could not get a Republican cosponsor.

H.R.4898 - Supporting Equity for Aquaculture and Seafood Act. To support equity for aquaculture and seafood at the Department of Agriculture.

Introduced August 5, 2025 by Frank Pallone (D-NJ). Cosponsored by Kat Cammack (R-FL). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: This is a very long bill. I could not read all of it. It is NOT a DEI bill.

H.R.4921 - PUPP Act of 2025 (Providing for Unhoused People and Pets Act of 2025). To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to make grants to modify and upgrade structures to serve as interim and permanent housing to accommodate unhoused individuals with pets.

Introduced August 8, 2025 by Jason Crow (D-CO). Cosponsored by two Republicans and one Democrat. Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Financial Services the same day.

H.R.4935 - Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program Act of 2025. To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to extend and enhance the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program.

Introduced August 8, 2025 by Zachary Nunn (R-IA). Cosponsored by John Mannion (D-NY). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comments: This bill would accomplish four things. It would extend the extant legislation (Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act) from 2023 when it expired, to 2030. It would increase the amount of “microloans” provided to rural microenterprises from $50,000 to $75,000. It would change federal portion of funded projects from 75% to 100%. And, it would add a stipulation that “a loan under this section for a project may be used to cover not more than 50 percent of any demolition, construction, or related costs of real estate improvements under the project.”

H.R.4937 - EQUAL Parks Act (Expanding Quality and Universal Access to Lands and Parks Act). To codify the Presidential Memorandum of January 12, 2017, relating to promoting diversity and inclusion in our national parks, national forests, and other public lands and waters.

Introduced August 8, 2025 by Emily Randall (D-WA). Cosponsored by Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Sean Casten (D-IL). Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Transportation and Infrastructure and Science, Space, and Technology the same day.

Comment: Reading the text of President Obama’s January 12, 2017 memorandum made me homesick for him and Michelle all over again. The memorandum was not a rant. It simply underscored how important the National Park Service and Natonal Forest Service are for the mental health of all Americans. He proposed ways to make our parks and forests more accessible to everyone.

As someone who was sole caregiver for her mother for seven years, I understand this! Zion National Park was so much “healthier” for her than e.g., the Grand Canyon. Because Zion has wheelchair-accessible, easy walking paths that feature great beauty.

So thank you Emily Randall, Jared Huffman, and Sean Casten for recognizing this and wishing to make this law. You may not succeed under the Trump regime, but keep it up!

H.R.4939 - SNAP Study Act of 2025. To require the Secretary of Agriculture to submit an annual report to Congress on the state of food security and diet quality in the United States, including the impact of changes to the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP), and to provide policy recommendations for improving nutrition outcomes for both participants and nonparticipants.

Introduced August 8, 2025 by Keith Self (R-TX). No cosponsors. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: If this had not been introduced by a Republican, I would think it was all right. But I suspect there’s an agenda behind this bit of proposed legislation.

H.R.4947 - No Discrimination in Farm Programs Act. To prohibit the use of race-based or sex-based criteria in the administration of certain Department of Agriculture programs.

Introduced August 12, 2025 by Jodey Arrington (R-TX). Cosponsored by five Republicans, including Scott Perry (R-PA-10).

Comment: George Orwell would be proud. This is NOT a “no discrimination” bill. It’s an anti-DEI bill.

H.R.4957 - Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2025. To reform rural housing programs.

Introduced August 12, 2025 by Zachary Nunn (R-IA). Cosponsored by Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO). Referred to the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: This is a very long bill. If you read or write about rural issues, you may want to delve into the details of this proposed legislation.

H.R.4967 - Keep Seniors Fed Act. To amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to exclude from income certain funds received under the Social Security Act.

Introduced August 12, 2025 by Jill Tokuda (D-HI). Cosponsored by twenty-five Democratic representatives, NO Republicans. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Comment: This does not appear to revise extant legislation by large amounts. It merely edits “and” clauses, thus slightly expanding the pool of senior citizens who may receive SNAP benefits. This is NOT a huge expansion, so no reason for Republicans to hate it.

Apparently, merely having SNAP and expansion in the same sentence is enough to make Republicans tuck tail and run.

H.R.4987 - Food Date Labeling Act of 2025. To establish requirements for quality and discard date phrases that are voluntarily declared on the food label to display calendar dates.

Introduced August 15, 2025 by Chellie Pingree (D-ME). Cosponsored by Dan Newhouse (R-WA). Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.5004 - Next Generation of Farmers Act of 2025. To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to reduce the eligibility requirement for direct farm real estate loans.

Introduced August 19, 2025 by Zachary Nunn (R-IA). Cosponsored by Jasmine Crockett (D-TX). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

H.R.5010 - Farm Credit Adjustment Act. To allow the Farm Credit Administration the option to examine low-risk Farm Credit System institutions under a 24-month cycle.

Introduced August 19, 2025 by Eugene Vindman (D-VA). Cosponsored by Pat Fallon (R-TX). Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

RESOLUTIONS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE

H.Res.616 - Expressing support for the designation of July 2025 as “American Grown Flower and Foliage Month.”

Introduced July 29, 2025 by Salud Carbajal (D-CA). Cosponsored by three Republicans and two Democrats. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Snarky comment: Such a controversial resolution… How dare they!

H.Res.638 - Designating the week of August 3 through August 9, 2025, as “National Farmers Market Week.”

Introduced August 5, 2025 by David Valadao (R-CA). Cosponsored by ten Democrats and NO Republicans. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture the same day.

Another snarky comment: How dare Democrats keep sponsoring such controversial resolutions! I have the utmost sympathy for Reps. John Joyce and Lloyd Smucker, who surely cannot think of a single farmers market they could support in south central Pennsylvania! (Insert sarcasm emoji here.)

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION to the House Committee on Agriculture

EC1509 – July 23, 2025. From the Administrator, Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture, transmitting the Department's final rule - Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) 2023 and 2024.

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