US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries.
In a long speech in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said: “Australia bans – and they’re wonderful people and wonderful everything – but they ban American beef.
“Yet we imported US$3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone.
“They won’t take any of our beef. They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers and you know, I don’t blame them but we’re doing the same thing right now starting at midnight tonight, I would say.”
Australia bans US beef imports because of biosecurity concerns. The US just-released Foreign Trade Barriers report says, “the United States continues to seek full market access for fresh US beef and beef products”.
While exactly what will happen with beef is unclear, Trump announced a “minimum baseline tariff” of 10%, which would apply to Australia as well as to all other countries.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the new US trade regime, and said Australia would continue to try to get exemptions for Australia.
The trade decision was “not unexpected” but had “no basis in logic” and “was not the act of a friend”.
Albanese announced a response package, but
flagged the government did not want to take the US to the World Trade Organisation. The package includes:
strenghening anti-dumping provisions
providing A$50 million to affected sectors to secure and pursue new markets
sending five missions abroad to develop other markets
setting up a new resilience program, involving $1 billion in loans to capitalise on new investment opportunities
putting Australian businesses at “the front of the queue” in a “buy Australian” policy in government procurement
setting up a strategic reserve for Australian critical minerals.
Albanese re-emphasised Australia would make no changes to the country’s biosecurity rules.
Under Trump’s announcement, varying “reciprocal” rates are being imposed on individual countries according to the barriers they impose on American items.
The president described this as “one of the most important days in American history”, saying it represented a “declaration of economic independence”.
China will face a 34% tariff, while there will be a 25% global tariff on cars imported into the US. Imports from the European Union will have a 20% tariff imposed.
There will be 25% on imports from South Korea, as well as 24% on imports from Japan and 32% on those from Taiwan.
Trump’s message to countries seeking special treatment could not have been blunter.
“To all of the foreign presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, ambassadors, and everyone else, who will soon be calling to ask for exemptions from these tariffs, I say, terminate your own tariffs, drop your barriers, don’t manipulate here your currencies – they manipulate their currencies, like, nobody can even believe, when it’s a bad, bad thing, and very devastating to us.
“And start buying tens of billions of dollars of American goods.
“Tariffs give us protection against those looking to do us economic harm.”
He said the new US trade regime would raise trillions of dollars that would reduce American taxes and pay down its debt.
Opposition campaign spokesman James Paterson described the announcement as “disappointing”, He said Australia should work “calmly and directly” with the US administration to get a better deal.
Nationals leader David Littleproud said action against beef would mean the price of Big Mac burgers would go up for American consumers. Australian beef exported to the US is especially for burgers.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement on President Trump’s decision, with the permission of Congressional Republicans, to instigate a global trade war, levy a new import tax on everyday goods, and raise prices on American families.
“Tariffs are not an all-encompassing economic strategy—at least not one that is made for long-term prosperity. When used appropriately, they are a tool in America’s toolbox to protect vital industries and our national security. When used inappropriately, as I believe the president is doing with across-the-board import taxes on our allies and adversaries alike, they lead to higher prices, fewer jobs, slower economic growth, and more contentious relationships with nations around the world. With inflation already on the rise again due to previously implemented tariffs, this is a recipe for disaster.
“Missouri families, including our farmers, are already struggling with the cost of living, but rather than focusing on lowering essentials like groceries, housing, and healthcare, President Trump has instigated a reckless trade war—and the American people will pay the price.
“The president has admitted himself that these new taxes will create more pain for American families, farmers, and small businesses, saying that he ‘couldn’t care less’ about the prospect of higher prices on everything from cars to groceries. Well, the American people care, and they will make their feelings known if the president does not quickly reverse course, repair the relationships that America has spent decades forging, and focus on lowering costs for the public.”
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Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 April 2, 2025
Cotton, Colleagues: Allow Fish Farmers to Protect Ponds from Predatory Birds
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today reintroduced the Cormorant Relief Act, legislation that would fully restore the ability of catfish farmers and other aquaculture producers to cull predatory double-crested cormorant populations. The legislation would restore U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations to allow producers to fight the cormorants, which threaten the livelihoods of aquaculture operations in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and other states.
Senators Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), and Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) are cosponsoring the legislation. Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi-04) is leading companion legislation in the House.
“Double-crested cormorants pose a significant threat to Arkansas’s fish farmers, but unnecessary regulation currently prevents them from taking additional steps to protect their ponds. Our bill would once again give fish farmers the ability to adequately defend their fish populations from the birds that are eating into their bottom line,” said Senator Cotton.
“Every year, Alabama’s catfish farmers battle predatory double-crested cormorants in addition to the high input costs and overreaching regulations experienced by our entire agriculture industry. This commonsense bill allows our aquaculture producers the ability to better manage these cormorants that cause millions of dollars of losses year after year. Catfish is a vital part of our state’s economy, and I will always support our hardworking farmers and processors,” said Senator Britt.
“Mississippi catfish producers battle every day just to break even, something that is made harder because of the vast flocks of cormorants feasting at their ponds. The immediate losses due to bird predation, combined with subsequent losses due to disease, cost the aquaculture industry millions of dollars annually. It is essential that we allow producers to do more to protect their crops from bird predation, which is what this legislation will accomplish,” said Senator Hyde-Smith.
“Alabama is the number two state in American catfish production, raising one-third of the world’s catfish,” said Senator Tuberville. “As a former catfish restaurant owner, I know firsthand how critical catfish are to our economy. America’s catfish farmers should be able to protect their livelihoods against these invasive birds without fear of repercussions from the federal government. It is important that we put our American catfish farmers first!”
“Cormorant overpopulation is hurting fish populations and threatening industries that depend on healthy fisheries,” Congressman Ezell said. “This bipartisan bill gives Mississippians the ability to manage these predatory birds and keep our aquaculture industry protected. Protecting our fisheries is key to supporting local economies and farmers, and I’m proud to work with those leading this effort.”
Text of the legislation may be found here.
This legislation is supported by the National Aquaculture Association and the Catfish Farmers of America.
Background:
The double-crested cormorant is a large water bird that feeds primarily on fish, consuming approximately a pound of fish per day. The cormorant population in North America has been increasing for decades as they have no natural predators and a growing prey base. As a result, these birds cause millions of dollars in losses across the aquaculture industry each year.
From 1998 to 2016, an Aquaculture Depredation Order existed allowing aquaculture producers to take double-crested cormorants committing or about to commit depredation of aquaculture stocks. However, a lawsuit brought against the Fish and Wildlife Service challenged the Aquaculture Depredation Order renewal and in 2016 the order was vacated. Currently, aquaculture facilities must pursue individual depredation permits, which impose constraints on farmers and prevent them from adequately protecting their fish against this avian predator.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Welch slams Trump’s trade war on the Senate Floor: “These tariffs will be a dagger in the heart of the Vermont economy.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance and Senate Agriculture Committees, voted to end President Trump’s reckless tariffs on Canadian imports—a tax on Vermont businesses and manufactures, farmers, and families. The vote comes on the same day President Trump imposed new global tariffs, throwing the economy into chaos.
“These tariffs on Canada are terrible for Vermont’s economy, arbitrary, and frankly—really stupid. President Trump’s trade war has raised prices for working families across the country and eroded trust between our neighbor and best ally in trade. I voted to end these reckless tariffs and reassert Congress’s power over trade policy,” said Senator Peter Welch after the vote.
Before voting, Senator Welch took to the Senate Floor to denounce President Trump’s announcement of new, blanket tariffs, which will devastate Vermont and the global economy. The Senator’s remarks followed a press conference earlier today where Senator Welch described President Trump’s trade policy as “Totally bad. Totally wrong. Doomed.”
“I want to talk about how these tariffs will be a dagger in the heart of the Vermont economy. The question for this institution is will we, as the United States Senate, accept the responsibility that each and every one of us, as Senators, has to stand up for the independent authority and responsibility of this institution?” asked Senator Welch from the Senate Floor.
“…What I’m seeing is a lawless rampage on the part of the Executive, being accommodated by an appeasing Congress, not standing up for its authority in many different areas…A couple decades ago this Congress gave, and delegated, some authority to the President in a national emergency to impose tariffs. That authority was given with the expectation, and rightly so in a mutually respectful civil society, that a President would use it for the intended purpose and with restraint. Whether it was Republican or Democrat…” Welch continued. “What President Trump has done is run roughshod over that, showing no restraint and using that delegation of authority, not for a national emergency, but for whatever his latest policy idea is and whatever leverage he wants to extract. We cannot allow that to happen and maintain the separation of powers that is so fundamental to the long-term well-being of our country. Senator Kaine is absolutely right. This is not a partisan question, it’s an institutional question: Do we see our role—do we see our responsibility—for maintaining that system of checks and balances? I do. That’s the heart of this matter.”
In his remarks from the Senate Floor, Senator Welch shared the concerns of impacted Vermonters, including farmers, food banks, manufactures, construction companies and homebuilders, maple sugar makers, and more.
Watch his full remarks here:
Earlier today, Senator Welch joined Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) to slam the Administration’s trade war:
“Nobody supports tariffs economically. Economists have looked at this and they don’t work, and they do a lot of hurt…. We have an affordability crisis in this country. Working families are struggling to pay their bills. And just in Vermont—to make it very concrete—we get a lot of our electricity from Canada. We get a lot of our gasoline—on the northern part of Vermont—from Canada. We get our home heating fuel from Canada. And those bills for folks are going to go up immediately,” Senator Welch said.
“Canada is our friend. It’s not China. And along the border, where we have decades and decades of mutual respect, that’s starting to change—into distrust. And a confident country treats its allies with respect, and these tariffs are going to do direct and immediate economic harm to everyday Vermont families and farmers, maple sugar producers. But it’s also going to start eroding the trust that is the benefit of good relations over time…Totally bad. Totally wrong. Doomed. And the only question is: How much pain will he inflict on everyday Vermonters before he comes to his senses and withdraws this tariff policy?” Senator Welch concluded.
View the livestream here:
Background on S.J.Res. 37 and the Trade War:
The bipartisan joint resolution of disapproval, cosponsored by Welch and led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), would terminate President Trump’s February 1st emergency declaration used to launch the trade war with Canada and eliminate the tariffs on Canadian imports. President Trump’s order cites the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), an unprecedented use of IEEPA in its nearly half-century history.
Senator Welch has blasted Trump’s tariffs and trade war and shared stories from constituents about how President Trump’s economic policies have impacted their businesses, farms, and communities. Recently, Senator Welch hosted a roundtable in Newport with Vermont and Canadian business leaders to discuss President Trump’s Trade War. He has also held events in St. Albans and virtually to hear directly from impacted Vermonters.
Canada is the largest trading partner for 34 U.S. states, including Vermont. In 2024 alone, trade with Canada accounted for 35% of Vermont’s exports, 67% of imports, and 56% of its total trade. One in four businesses in Vermont relies on trade with Canada.
In many cases, Vermont manufacturers buy imports from Canada to manufacture products. Tariffs on Canada threaten business closures and job layoffs, higher homebuilding costs, increased grain costs for farmers, and more expensive equipment for maple producers—among other costs that will get passed on to working families.
A new poll from AP-NORC found that a majority of voters—60%—disapprove of the president’s handling of trade negotiations, and 58% disapprove of his handling of the economy.
Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia
Senator Reverend Warnock Issues Statement on Potential Harm President Trump’s Reckless Tariffs Will put on Price of Groceries, Everyday Goods
Today, President Trump announced the rollout of a sweeping set of tariffs that will raise the cost of everyday goods for ordinary Georgians
The tariffs willincrease costs on many consumer purchases, including cars and groceries, and risk the loss of Georgia manufacturing jobs
Today’s announcement will directly harm Georgia’s agriculture and manufacturing sectors
Senator Reverend Warnock is the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
Senator Reverend Warnock: “Today’s tariffs announcement won’t make Georgians’ lives easier or more affordable, but instead will make life more expensive”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), ranking member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, issued the following statement after President Trump rolled out a sweeping set of tariffs that raise the prices of everyday goods, like groceries.
“I was sent to the Senate to advocate on behalf of Georgians from across the state, to help bring down their everyday costs,to fight to protect their jobs, and to help more people afford things like a car and a home.”
“Today’s tariffs announcement won’t make Georgians’ lives easier or more affordable, but instead will make life more expensive.”
“The chaos of these tariffs will raise the prices of cars, groceries, housing, and so much more, allwhile putting American farmers, the backbone of our state’s economy, in the middle of an international trade war that will only lead to reduced access to foreign markets and even shuttered farms.”
“Tariffs can be a good tool to protect American jobs and force other nations to play by the rules. But when they are imposed in such an unpredictable, chaotic, and sweeping manner, it is the average American who will bear the brunt in the fallout of these actions.”
“I will continue to fight back on any actions that put Georgia and American families in overwhelmingly burdensome financial situations. These tariffs won’t help anybody and will wreck our economy.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
***TODAY: Senate to vote on a resolution to reverse Trump’s tariffs on Canada—Trump’s trade war with Canada, which has resulted in severe, 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on nearly all goods, is already seriously hurting WA businesses and agriculture industry***
Washington state is one of the most trade-dependent states in the U.S., with 40 percent of WA jobs tied to international commerce
Senator Murray: “Trump’s refusal to accept basic economic realities or listen to the desperate pleas of American businesses, farmers, and families who can’t afford his costly tariffs is risking serious economic catastrophe and pushing our country toward a Republican recession.”
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on President Trump’s reckless and sweeping new tariffs, which are expected to go into effect later today and will raise costs, and severely harm Washington state businesses, agriculture, and our overall economy. A recent analysis found that Trump’s tariffs could raise costs on the average American household by $5,200 a year—and these price hikes on working families are coming at the very same time that Republicans are forcing through Congress massive new tax cuts for billionaires.
The Senate will also vote today on a resolution from Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) that would reverse Trump’s tariffs on Canada by nullifying the emergency declaration issued by President Trump that underpins them. The resolution requires a simple majority to pass in the Senate and would also need to be brought up and passed in the Republican-controlled House in order to go into effect.
“Trump’s ham-fisted, utterly pointless tariffs are a tax that families in Washington state will pay on nearly everything they buy—whether at the grocery store, the car dealership, or your neighborhood coffee shop.
“We have all the data in the world that tells us exactly how these tariffs will hurt American businesses and push up prices—that’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Trump and his cabinet are choosing to ignore the mountains of evidence we have that tariffs do not work and push ahead because they simply don’t care. They don’t care if small businesses have to close their doors, if farmers lose access to markets, or if prices go up—because it won’t affect Trump and his cabinet full of billionaires.
“Trump’s trade war is an especially deep cut to farmers, fishers, and producers in Washington state—I’ve talked to so many who are absolutely furious that Trump is putting their livelihoods at risk because he cannot seem to grasp the basic fact that they actually rely on international markets to sell their goods. Trump doesn’t have a clue—and businesses in Washington state are already paying the price for his ignorance.
“Today I will vote for Senator Kaine’s resolution to reverse Trump’s disastrous tariffs on Washington state’s largest trading partner, Canada—Trump’s trade war has already forced businesses in Washington state who rely on imported materials and business from Canada to lay off employees and close their doors, and is upending supply chains across the Pacific Northwest.
“Trump’s refusal to accept basic economic realities or listen to the desperate pleas of American businesses, farmers, and families who can’t afford his costly tariffs is risking serious economic catastrophe and pushing our country toward a Republican recession.”
Washington state has one of the most trade-dependent economies of any state in the country, with 40 percent of jobs tied to international commerce and approximately $60 billion in annual exports. Washington is the top U.S. producer of apples, blueberries, hops, pears, spearmint oil, and sweet cherries—all of which risk losing vital export markets due to retaliatory tariffs from key trading partners including Canada. Additionally, more than 12,000 small and medium-sized companies in Washington state export goods and will struggle to absorb the impact of retaliatory tariffs. Trump’s tariffs during his first term were extremely costly for Washington state—as one example, India imposed a 20 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. apples, causing Washington apple shipments to India to fall by 99 percent and growers to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in exports.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Market Day Report on RFD-TV today to discuss the Senate Agriculture Committee’s hearing yesterday on his legislation, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act – a bipartisan bill that would bring back whole and reduced milk to American schools.
Senator Marshall also discussed President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs and how the president is leveling the playing field for American workers and businesses while also fighting for long-term solutions for farmers and ranchers.
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Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s interview.
Highlights from the interview include:
On health benefits of consuming whole milk:
“Growing up, my grandfather stopped by our house twice a week with whole milk from our farm… We had a generation of healthy kids. But today… 40% of our children are obese. We have a generation of children now that have not ever [drunk] much milk… They’re going to have osteoporosis, osteopenia, at a decade sooner than previous generations.
“… Whole milk helps absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. It’s very important. There’s good fats in milk. It helps your brain health… Lots of good things about whole milk.”
On whole milk being part of the solution to Make America Healthy Again:
“The big movement with my MAHA moms is whole foods. I think whole milk is equally the same. Rather than breaking it down in its part, God made it whole. Let’s drink it that way. I think it’s much healthier for you, and the benefits outweigh any potential risk.
“The problem with our diets today is about 70% of our calories come from opening a package one way or another. So that’s what we need to change as far as getting the obesity levels down in our nation. Whole milk is not the problem, whole milk is part of the solution.”
On Liberation Day:
“Today is liberation today, and I think about milk products. Right now, Canada has a 200% tariff on cheese and butter going into their country. I just want to remind all your listeners what happened in Trump 45 – that there was a tariff war, a trade war with China. He gave the farmers $28 billion from that tariff money. Just last week, President Trump released $10 billion of emergency economic aid for our farmers because of high input costs and low commodity prices.
“Our farmers trust President Trump, and just like again with Trump 45 he used those tariffs as levers to negotiate really good trade deals with Japan, with South Korea, USMCA, and China Phase One, and we’re still benefiting from those trade agreements. I think the bright spot in agriculture in Kansas anyways, of course, the cattle and beef industry, a lot of that beef is going overseas, to South Korea, to Japan, and China as well.
“We have to give the president a little bit of leeway… This is a national security issue, we want to stop the fentanyl flowing into this country, and the president is using these tariffs as levers on Mexico, Canada, and China to say, stop making fentanyl, stop bringing it into our country.”
On unfair trade practices harming American ranchers and farmers:
“Every time I talk to the president, he asks me, ‘How are my farmers and ranchers doing?’ And I say, ‘Well… you know, we’re struggling.’ He says, well, ‘Tell them I love them, that I’ll take care of them.’ He realizes 90% of rural America voted for President Trump.
“On the other hand, though, farmers and ranchers have been complaining to me since I was a boy, that there’s unfair trade practices. Again, [the] European Union [has] a 50% tariff on most agricultural products. India, 50% to 100% – they use non-tariff barriers as well. And those farmers and ranchers said, we want free and reciprocal trade agreements. We have a president now who’s out here fighting for long-term solutions for our farmers and ranchers, not just the short-term gain. So I understand, I have empathy. There’s going to be some short-term pain. We are the tip of the spear. The president knows that. He’s going to do everything he can to make it right with his farmers and ranchers. So we appreciate them hanging in there with us.
“We’re the patriots. We are the modern-day patriots of our nation, our Republic. We are the backbone of this country. We give our country values and that agriculture is a way of life, so much more. So the president gets that. Give us a little bit of grace, and we’ll make it right.”
Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
Amid Sky-High Grocery Prices, Trump Is Denying Food To Hungry Families
New York Food Banks Receive Tens Of MillionsOf Dollars’ Worth Of Food Through Now Slashed Federal Programs
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference slamming the Trump administration’s massive cuts to funding for food banks.
Last month, President Trump slashed $1 billion in federal funding used to purchase food for food banks and other organizations that provide meals, like schools and child care centers. Now, he is canceling another $500 million in already approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). New York receives roughly $30 million through TEFAP each year in regular funding; this supplemental money would have funded additional food purchases at New York’s regional food banks and their partner soup kitchens and food pantries.
Senator Gillibrand was joined by CEO of Hunger Free America Joel Berg.
“Seventy-two days into Trump’s presidency, grocery prices are still sky-high, with no sign of improvement on the horizon,” said Senator Gillibrand. “And as hungry families turn to food banks and soup kitchens for help, Trump is now slashing the funding they rely on. It’s outrageous. Programs like TEFAP have overwhelming bipartisan support. They help serve every community – rural, urban, Democratic, Republican – in every state in times of need. They are not an extraneous expense; they are an investment in healthy kids, healthy families, and healthy futures. I am calling on the Trump administration to provide answers on what plans – if any – it has to keep Americans from going hungry after these cuts, and I will be doing everything in my power to reverse them.”
The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on cuts to The Emergency Food Assistance Program is availablehereor below.
Dear Secretary Rollins:
We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance.
In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.
According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans.
Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets.
To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions.
1. Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases?
2. Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP?
3. Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds?
4. Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers.
5. Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024 and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded?
6. Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP?
We ask for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
Experts Say Trump Tariffs Could ThrowU.S. Into a Recession, Increase Annual Costs By Thousands for New Mexico Families
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement on President Trump’s announcement to impose additional tariffs on global trading partners:
“President Trump’s sweeping tariffs are a tax on hardworking New Mexicans. From the cost of groceries, to the price at the pump, to buying a car or building a home, these new tariffs will make daily life more expensive for many New Mexico families and businesses.
“While President Trump should be focused on lowering prices for Americans, he is instigating a trade war and making everyday Americans the casualties. President Trump – who has said that he doesn’t care if costs go up – is creating economic uncertainty, shrinking life savings, putting New Mexico jobs at risk, and driving up costs for working families.
“These tariffs are new and drastic tax increases on New Mexicans and the American people. President Trump is recklessly threatening the American economy – all while working to give the wealthiest few another tax handout and blowing up the national debt.”
What People Are Saying:
Chamber of Commerce: “[T]he imposition of tariffs … will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains.”
National Association of Manufacturers: “Ultimately, manufacturers will bear the brunt of these tariffs, undermining our ability to sell our products at a competitive price and putting American jobs at risk.”
United Steelworkers: “Our union calls on President Trump to reverse course on Canadian tariffs so that we can focus on trade solutions that will serve working families for the long-term.”
International Association of Machinists: “The 25% tariffs on Canadian goods imported to the U.S., will result in job losses, increased prices, and a variety of other negative impacts.”
National Association of Home Builders: “Tariffs on lumber and other building materials increase the cost of construction and discourage new development, and consumers end up paying for the tariffs in the form of higher home prices.”
American Farm Bureau: “farmers and rural communities will bear the brunt of retaliation. … Tariffs that increase fertilizer prices threaten to deliver another blow to the finances of farm families.”
National Farmers Union: “We are already facing significant economic uncertainty, and these actions only add to the strain. … Without a clear plan, family farmers will once again be left to bear the burden of decisions beyond their control, and eventually, so will consumers.”
Retail Industry Leaders Association: “Stacking tariffs on household goods will also raise costs on American families.”
Food Industry Association: “New tariffs will also drive up the cost of doing business and food prices at a time consumers are extremely concerned about prices.”
National Consumers League: “these tariffs could hurt everyday Americans. … Higher prices on basic goods would make life harder for families across the country, all as a result of these ill-conceived trade policies.”
American Automakers: “Our American automakers, who invested billions in the U.S. to meet these requirements, should not have their competitiveness undermined by tariffs that will raise the cost of building vehicles in the United States and stymie investment in the American workforce.”
This time around, Trump is replying on outdated tools — tariffs, small government, territorial expansion and nationalism — to solve modern problems of globalization, wealth disparities, the decline of manufacturing jobs and exploitative capitalism.
On April 2, he announced a baseline tariff of 10 per cent on all countries that import goods to the U.S., including Canada. Canada has also been hit with a 25 per cent levy on Canadian-made automobiles.
The Trump administration’s current use of 19th-century tools to solve 20th-century problems that are wholly inappropriate for the 21st century threatens to take America back to the 19th century. This is an incredibly dangerous road for the U.S to take.
The rise of the nation state
The 19th century was marked by the rise of the nation-state — a single political entity united by geography, culture and language.
The prevailing belief at the time was that nation-states should use tariffs, adopt isolationist policies to cut off the outside world and seize territory where possible. These measures, it was thought, would foster national unity and allow capitalism to thrive by letting the “invisible hand” of the marketplace work its magic.
Protective tariffs promised to grow domestic industries, but the economic benefits were not evenly distributed. Wealth disparities grew wider as millions of immigrants arrived on North American shores, only to find deplorable living conditions in the cities and hardscrabble farmland out in the country.
Some newcomers prospered, of course, but they tended to be those who arrived with money already in their pockets. And they fast learned how to exploit the lack of state-directed regulation, patches of corruption amid rapid western expansion and growing nativism and poverty to their own benefit.
Many of the 20th century’s problems flowed from these 19th-century trends.
The economic fallout of tariffs
Following the financial Panic of 1873 and its ensuing economic depression in both Europe and North America, nation-states unleashed tariffs to protect their domestic economies. It was the wrong strategy to pursue, as it slowed trade even more by limiting the free flow of goods and capital. Money, as is now well-known, needs to move to grow.
Western North American farmers were furious that tariffs forced them to buy on protected markets while selling on unprotected ones subject to international market prices. They organized, too, by forming farmer co-operatives and backing movements like the Granger movement, populism and progressivism to protect their interests.
Nation-states, warmed by rising nationalist fires, formed military-defence alliances across Europe and its colonial and former colonial holdings, including Canada. In 1914, these alliances led to the First World War, a global and industrial war the likes of which the world had never seen.
The Great Depression
By the 1930s, unrestricted and largely unregulated capitalism, together with astonishing wealth disparities and monopolistic tendencies, plunged the world into the decade-long Great Depression.
Many governments’ initial response was to impose tariffs once again, and just as in 1873, they only made the problem worse. The simultaneous rise of fascism, which was largely nationalism run amok, brought the world to war again at the end of the decade, to devastating consequence.
The post-war years saw a concerted international effort at using the nation-state to regulate domestic economies by investing in social services and programs and to rein in runaway capital when its excesses threatened stability.
International bodies like the World Bank, the United Nations and the International Court of Justice were created to promote peace and stability. This new approach wasn’t always successful in its goals, but so far the world hasn’t seen any global hot wars or massive economic depressions.
The end of history
In 1992, historian Frances Fukuyama infamously declared that the world had reached “the end of history.”
He didn’t mean that time stopped, of course. Instead, he was arguing that the liberal nation-state represented “the end-point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.”
In his view, the western industrialized world had reached the pinnacle of successful governance and unlimited prosperity.
Yet, even as western liberal democracy was congratulating itself on its own success, these same nation-states, in conjunction with large corporations, were seeking out lower labour costs and greater profit in the developing world.
This is where the Trump administration re-enters the story — tapping into the frustration and disillusionment of frustrated Americans by promising to restore a “golden age” that never was.
Trump’s 19th-century playbook
Despite his promises, Trump’s tariffs are unlikely to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. As history has shown, tariffs do not revive industries that are already gone; instead, they will only make Americans pay more for the things they need.
Trump’s rhetoric about territorial expansion, including threats to annex Greenland and Canada, won’t make the U.S. more secure. It will just exacerbate the sort of international tensions the world saw in 1914 and 1939.
And with limited resources left to exploit, it’s becoming harder for capital to sustain itself, even as it seeks to wrest whatever is left from our planet, the realities of environmental catastrophe be damned.
Nationalism, meanwhile, won’t foster a sense of national unity. It will only deepen existing divisions based on race and class. And if history is any guide, the consequences could be even more dire this time around, even pushing the world toward a global conflict unlike anything seen before.
Eric Strikwerda does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) have introduced legislation to eliminate food deserts and expand access to affordable and nutritious food by incentivizing food providers to expand access to healthy food options in underserved communities. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Emilia Sykes (Ohio-13) and Jennifer McLellan (Va.-04).
“Many West Virginians struggle to access fresh, nutritious food to keep their families and communities well fed. I’m proud to reintroduce the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act, which will expand access to healthy foods through food banks and local grocery stores in rural communities across West Virginia and the nation,” Senator Capito said.
According to recent data, an estimated 18.8 million Americans live in what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a “food desert.” Urban areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within one or more miles. Rural areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within ten or more miles. Studies have shown that Americans who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act – which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35% of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items – would encourage investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20% or higher, or a median family income of less than 80% of the median for the state or metro area.
It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure:
New Store Construction – Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a one-time 15% tax credit after receiving certification.
Retrofitting Existing Structures – Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a one-time 10% tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
Food Banks – Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a one-time grant for 15% of their construction costs.
Temporary Access Merchants – Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10% of their annual operating costs.
The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act boasts the support of numerous organizations, including: Feeding America, the National Grocers Association, and Share Our Strength.
Bill text for the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act can be found here.
n response to the ongoing flooding in Harney County, Governor Kotek has declared a State of Emergency and directed the Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) to activate the State’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) to coordinate response efforts across state agencies.
Since March 14, 2025, Harney County and surrounding areas have experienced historic levels of rainfall and snowmelt, overwhelming rivers, streams, and wastewater systems. Floodwaters have inundated roadways, damaged critical infrastructure, and introduced environmental and public health risks, including contamination of waterways and disruption to essential services.
Governor’s Emergency Declaration(ORS 401.165) enables rapid mobilization of state resources to support Harney County’s local efforts.
State Agency Actions Include:
Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) is working closely with local, tribal, and federal partners to support life safety, protect critical infrastructure, and address emerging needs. Regional coordinators and liaisons have been deployed to assist on the ground, and OEM is actively managing resource requests to ensure communities have the support they need. OEM has also established a Joint Information System and is actively coordinating public information efforts to support the public receives accurate, timely, and consistent updates throughout the emergency.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has deployed emergency preparedness and tribal coordinators to support local and tribal partners with critical resources, information, and guidance. Medical volunteers from SERV-OR are assisting at medical shelters, with one deployed and at least 10 more available this week. OHA is also addressing drinking water concerns, immunization needs—such as tetanus prevention—and identifying individuals with medical conditions who may need extra support. Remote public health communication support is also being provided.
The Oregon Department of Human Services’ Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (ODHS OREM) has delivered essential supplies, including water, hygiene kits, portable toilets, and handwashing stations, to the Burns Paiute Tribe, the American Red Cross shelter in Harney County, and other affected areas. Two shower trailers are in place, with a third on the way. Nine ODHS OREM staff are on-site working with local teams. ODHS OREM recovery coordinators are helping survivors assess their needs and connect with services as they begin to recover.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) DEQ staff has been in contact with the City Public Works team, providing technical support remotely. The operations staff has kept the sewer ponds intact, which are not in the immediate flood zone at this time. DEQ onsite program staff provided an EPA fact sheet to the county as well as an onsite disaster planning and response handbook.
Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) ODA has been actively supporting our partners at the Oregon Office of Emergency Management in response to the floods in Harney County. We’ve provided resources on federal programs that may assist impacted farmers and ranchers and shared guidance on animal care during flood conditions. Our focus remains on ensuring the agricultural community has the information and support needed to navigate this challenging time.
Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office has deployed 25 personnel to support local response to sandbagging efforts to reinforce the levee. They are joined by Colton Fire, Merrill Fire, Klamath County Fire District 1, and Chiloquin Fire and Rescue Departments.
It’s been incredibly inspiring to witness the swift coordination of federal, state, local, and Tribal resources coming together to support communities in need,” said Stephen Richardson, Emergency Coordination Center Manager. “A powerful example of that collaboration was the rapid repair of a compromised dike—an urgent fix that helped prevent further impacts and protect lives and property.”
This coordinated effort reflects Oregon’s commitment to whole-of-government response under the CEMP. The State will continue to assess needs and respond dynamically as conditions evolve.
Looking Ahead
While Harney County is currently the most severely affected, state agencies remain vigilant in monitoring flood conditions statewide and are prepared to support other communities if necessary.
For the latest updates visit OEM’s newsroom page at Home – Newsroom or follow @OregonOEM on social media. Visit our flood dashboard here: State of Oregon Flood Dashboard.
Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
June 23, 2023
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., this week reintroduced his bill to improve the resilience and health of the nation’s watersheds – the land leading into streams, rivers or lakes – as Oregon and the entire American West continue to suffer from severe drought.
“Watersheds play an essential role in the health and economic livelihood of local communities, supporting safe drinking water for communities, outdoor recreation and productive fisheries. All of this is at risk because of the climate crisis,” said Wyden. “More must be done to strengthen the health and resilience of our nation’s watersheds. My Watershed Results Act creates science-driven, cost-effective tools to protect the land that touches all of our nation’s waterways and provide stability for generations to come.”
Watersheds are made up of millions of acres of rivers and streams, farms and rangeland, forests and developed towns and cities, with restoration needs often varying dramatically from acre to acre. Wyden’s Watershed Results Act – first introduced last Congress – would use the best scientific and data analysis to identify the most effective acres where watershed restoration work would generate the greatest environmental results at the best value for taxpayers. The Interior Department would coordinate to establish several watershed restoration programs across the country.
Joe Whitworth, President and CEO of The Freshwater Trust: “The dire and worsening problems impacting our rivers and streams have a direct impact on the future of freshwater in our country. The urgency of this moment is unmistakable, and a bill like this lays the foundation for much-needed change on how those working in water work on behalf of this resource. We hope others will support it.”
Julie O’Shea, Executive Director of Farmer’s Conservation Alliance: “We commend Senator Wyden for his introduction of this legislation. In the midst of major ongoing drought, it is important that we have in place a broad array of tools that help to rapidly increase agricultural resilience and environmental benefits throughout the West. These pilot watershed efforts would allow us to better understand how we can all collaborate to secure resiliency for our watersheds.”
Dan Keppen, Executive Director of Family Farm Alliance: “Farmers play a critical role in ensuring the resiliency of our watersheds. We are supportive of this legislation because it encourages collaboration among all those funding and working with and on behalf of water. Collaboration and innovation are both desperately needed if we are going to ensure that our freshwater resources can support the future of farming.”
Timothy Male, Executive Director of Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC): “Two of the most important ways to make national environmental programs more effective are captured in Senator Wyden’s legislation: a focus on quantified environmental outcomes, and permission for federal agencies to use pay for success contracts to buy them. The Watershed Results Act puts in place the right incentives for America’s restoration experts and scientists to do their most effective and creative work for freshwater.”
Nick Wobbrock, Co-Founder & COO of Blue Forest Conservation: “The need for investment in watershed health to effectively respond to the impacts of climate change is non-negotiable. This bill offers an innovative model that will enable federal agencies the flexibility of leveraging private investment and conservation finance to achieve watershed resilience goals through quantified and monitored outcomes. We applaud Senator Wyden for introducing the Watershed Results Act.”
Adam Kiel, Managing Director of Soil and Water Outcomes Fund and Executive Vice President of AgOutcomes: “The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund works with farmers and outcome beneficiaries across ten states, from Iowa to New York, to improve water quality and climate resiliency. The proposed Watershed Results Act of 2021 supports an outcome-based approach to water quality improvement and, if passed, would represent a transformative approach in how the Federal Government funds environmental outcomes by providing cost-effective delivery of conservation dollars to areas providing the highest benefit.”
Timothy Martin, Executive Director, Irrigation Innovation Consortium: “The Irrigation Innovation Consortium conducts research and develops grounded solutions for water management. In addition to equipping stakeholders with new knowledge and tools, we address financial, practical, and technological barriers to adopting innovative practices. By merging powerful technology, a coordinated funding approach, and streamlined delivery of funds to agricultural producers, the Watershed Results Act will demonstrate a new pathway forward to achieve beneficial economic and environmental outcomes. We support this legislation, and we encourage other organizations to do the same.”
Eric Letsinger, CEO of Quantified Ventures: “ At Quantified Ventures, we scale up investable, outcomes-based solutions for good. The WRA would help organize and streamline federal funds in a way that makes it much easier to access and use private capital to get watershed solutions to an entirely new scale. We applaud the innovation and hope others will support the bill too.”
A one-page summary of the bill can be found here.
Bill text can be found here.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 33 members of the Senate Democratic caucus in a letter to the Trump administration demanding answers about the tens of thousands of federal health workers that have been fired this week and the unquestionable impact on Americans’ health and well-being.
“Your actions continue to show a reckless disregard for the health and well-being of American families, most significantly for underserved communities. You claim this ‘reduction in force’ will ‘make America healthy again.’ But firings of this scale will do the exact opposite,” wrote the Senators. “If you do not reverse course, you will do irreparable damage to our nation’s human services, health care delivery, public health, and scientific infrastructure – making Americans sicker and leaving our communities ill-prepared for future threats.”
The letter, sent to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), comes as HHS begins to dismantle entire agencies, like those focused on the well-being of seniors and people with disabilities and research to promote health care quality, and lay off thousands of workers across the department, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Administration for Community Living (ACL), and more.
Among the layoffs was the entire staff of the Healthy Aging Branch of the CDC, which administers Alzheimer’s disease programs and oversees the funding for Cortez Masto’s bipartisan BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act. This bill – reauthorized by Congress last year – helps combat Alzheimer’s and supports caregivers and their families.
Read the full letter here.
Senator Cortez Masto has pushed multiple Departments under the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the General Services Administration.
A portrait of President Donald Trump in the ‘America’s Presidents’ exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery.Win McNamee/Getty Images
I teach history in Connecticut, but I grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas, where my interest in the subject was sparked by visits to local museums.
I fondly remember trips to the Fellow-Reeves Museum in Wichita, Kansas, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. A 1908 photograph of my great-grandparents picking cotton has been used as a poster by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
This love of learning history continued into my years as a graduate student of history, when I would spend hours at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum learning about the history of human flight and ballooning. As a professor, I’ve integrated the institution’s exhibits into my history courses.
The Trump administration, however, is not happy with the way the Smithsonian Institution and other U.S. museums are portraying history.
On March 27, 2025, the president issued an executive order, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which asserted, “Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth. Under this historical revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”
Trump singled out a few museums, including the Smithsonian, dedicating a whole section of the order on “saving” the institution from “divisive, race-centered ideology.”
Of course, history is contested. There will always be a variety of views about what should be included and excluded from America’s story. For example, in my own research, I found that Prohibition-era school boards in the 1920s argued over whether it was appropriate for history textbooks to include pictures of soldiers drinking to illustrate the 1791 Whiskey Rebellion.
But most recent debates center on how much attention should be given to the history of the nation’s accomplishments over its darker chapters. The Smithsonian, as a national institution that receives most of its funds from the federal government, has sometimes found itself in the crosshairs.
America’s historical repository
The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846 thanks to its namesake, British chemist James Smithson.
Smithson willed his estate to his nephew and stated that if his nephew died without an heir, the money – roughly US$15 million in today’s dollars – would be donated to the U.S. to found “an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.”
The idea of a national institution dedicated to history, science and learning was contentious from the start.
In her book “The Stranger and the Statesman,” historian Nina Burleigh shows how Smithson’s bequest was nearly lost due to battles between competing interests.
Southern plantation owners and western frontiersmen, including President Andrew Jackson, saw the establishment of a national museum as an unnecessary assertion of federal power. They also challenged the very idea of accepting a gift from a non-American and thought that it was beneath the dignity of the government to confer immortality on someone simply because of a large donation.
In the end, a group led by congressman and former president John Quincy Adams ensured Smithson’s vision was realized. Adams felt that the country was failing to live up to its early promise. He thought a national museum was an important way to burnish the ideals of the young republic and educate the public.
Today the Smithsonian runs 14 education and research centers, the National Zoo and 21 museums, including the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which was created with bipartisan support during President George W. Bush’s administration.
In the introduction to his book “Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects,” cultural anthropologist Richard Kurin talks about how the institution has also supported hundreds of small and large institutions outside of the nation’s capital.
In 2024, the Smithsonian sent over 2 million artifacts on loan to museums in 52 U.S. states and territories and 33 foreign countries. It also partners with over 200 affiliate museums. YouGov has periodically tracked Americans’ approval of the Smithsonian, which has held steady at roughly 68% approval and 2% disapproval since 2020.
Smithsonian in the crosshairs
Precursors to the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the Smithsonian took place in the 1990s.
In 1991, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which was then known as the National Museum of American Art, created an exhibition titled “The West as America, Reinterpreting Images of the Frontier, 1820-1920.” Conservatives complained that the museum portrayed western expansion as a tale of conquest and destruction, rather than one of progress and nation-building. The Wall Street Journal editorialized that the exhibit represented “an entirely hostile ideological assault on the nation’s founding and history.”
The exhibition proved popular: Attendance to the National Museum of American Art was 60% higher than it had been during the same period the year prior. But the debate raised questions about whether public museums were able to express ideas that are critical of the U.S. without risk of censorship.
In 1994, controversy again erupted, this time at the National Air and Space Museum over a forthcoming exhibition centered on the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima 50 years prior.
Should the exhibition explore the loss of Japanese lives? Or emphasize the U.S. war victory?
Veterans groups insisted that the atomic bomb ended the war and saved 1 million American lives, and demanded the removal of photographs of the destruction and a melted Japanese school lunch box from the exhibit. Meanwhile, other activists protested the exhibition by arguing that a symbol of human destruction shouldn’t be commemorated at an institution that’s supposed to celebrate human achievement.
Protesters demonstrate against the opening of the Enola Gay exhibit outside the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum in 1995. Joyce Naltchayan/AFP via Getty Images
Republicans won the House in 1994 and threatened cuts to the Smithsonian’s budget over the Enola Gay exhibition, compelling curators to walk a tightrope. In the end, the fuselage of the Enola Gay was displayed in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. But the exhibit would not tell the full story of the plane’s role in the war from a myriad of perspectives.
Trump enters the fray
In 2019, The New York Times launched the 1619 project, which aimed to reframe the country’s history by placing slavery and its consequences at its very center. The first Trump administration quickly responded by forming its 1776 commission. In January 2021, it produced a report critiquing the 1619 project, claiming that an emphasis on the country’s history of racism and slavery was counterproductive to promoting “patriotic education.”
That same year, Trump pledged to build “a vast outdoor park that will feature the statues of the greatest Americans to ever live,” with 250 statues to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
President Joe Biden rescinded the order in 2021. Trump reissued it after retaking the White House, and pointed to figures he’d like to see included, such as Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Betsy Ross, Sitting Bull, Bob Hope, Thurgood Marshall and Whitney Houston.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with honoring Americans, though I think a focus on celebrities and major figures clouds the fascinating histories of ordinary Americans. I also find it troubling that there seems to be such a concerted effort to so forcefully shape the teaching and understanding of history via threats and bullying. Yale historian Jason Stanley has written about how aspiring authoritarian governments seek to control historical narratives and discourage an exploration of the complexities of the past.
Historical scholarship requires an openness to debate and a willingness to embrace new findings and perspectives. It also involves the humility to accept that no one – least of all the government – has a monopoly on the truth.
In his executive order, Trump noted that “Museums in our Nation’s capital should be places where individuals go to learn.” I share that view. Doing so, however, means not dismantling history, but instead complicating the story – in all its messy glory.
The Conversation U.S. receives funding from the Smithsonian Institution.
Jennifer Tucker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) reintroduced the Cormorant Relief Act, legislation that would fully reinstate the ability of catfish farmers and other aquaculture producers to remove predatory double-crested cormorant populations. The legislation would restore U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regulations to allow producers to fight the cormorants, which threaten the livelihoods of aquaculture operations in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and other states.
“Alabama is the number two state in American catfish production, raising one-third of the world’s catfish,” said Senator Tuberville. “As a former catfish restaurant owner, I know firsthand how critical catfish are to our economy. America’s catfish farmers should be able to protect their livelihoods against these invasive birds without fear of repercussions from the federal government. It is important that we put our American catfish farmers first!”
“Double-crested cormorants pose a significant threat to Arkansas’s fish farmers, but unnecessary regulation currently prevents them from taking additional steps to protect their ponds. Our bill would once again give fish farmers the ability to adequately defend their fish populations from the birds that are eating into their bottom line,” said Senator Cotton.
Text of the legislation may be found here.
This legislation is supported by the National Aquaculture Association and the Catfish Farmers of America.
BACKGROUND:
The double-crested cormorant is a large water bird that feeds primarily on fish, consuming approximately a pound of fish per day. The cormorant population in North America has been increasing for decades as they have no natural predators and a growing prey base. As a result, these birds cause millions of dollars in losses across the aquaculture industry each year.
From 1998 to 2016, an Aquaculture Depredation Order existed allowing aquaculture producers to take double-crested cormorants committing or about to commit depredation of aquaculture stocks. However, a lawsuit brought against the Fish and Wildlife Service challenged the Aquaculture Depredation Order renewal and in 2016 the order was vacated. Currently, aquaculture facilities must pursue individual depredation permits, which impose constraints on farmers and prevent them from adequately protecting their fish against this avian predator.
MORE:
Tuberville, Wicker Introduce Resolution Designating August as National Catfish Month
Following Tuberville Efforts, Biden Administration Reverses Course on Disastrous Catfish Rule
Tuberville Warns Biden Against Order Threatening Alabama Catfish Industry
Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Support Domestic Beekeepers and Honey Producers
Tuberville Demands Biden Administration Protect Farmers Amid Historic Inflation, Rising Input Costs
Tuberville Honors National Agriculture Week, Continues to Stand Up for Farmers
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiera Vaclavik, Professor of Children’s Literature & Childhood Culture, Queen Mary University of London
This spring, Babe is returning to cinemas to mark the 30th anniversary of its release in 1995. The much-loved family film tells the deceptively simple but emotionally powerful story of a piglet who saves his bacon through intelligence, kindness and hard work.
Babe becomes the trusted ally of both farmer and farmyard animals and, like so many Hollywood heroes before and since, he refuses to stay in his lane.
It’s a film which, on paper, really shouldn’t work and which sounds alarm bells to any self-respecting children’s literature scholar like me. It takes an expertly crafted English children’s book with tasteful black-and-white illustrations – Dick King-Smith’s The Sheep Pig (1983) – and turns it into an all-singing, all-dancing technicolour extravaganza.
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The film inserts new episodes and characters – an evil cat, a plucky duck and (most alarmingly) a brace of brattish kids. And it replaces a perfectly good, does-what-it-says-on-the-tin book title with the cutesy moniker of the piglet star.
It shouldn’t work … but it really, really does. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that it’s one of the most successful film adaptations of a children’s book of all time.
It met with both commercial and critical success, making over US$254 million at the box office and being nominated for no less than seven Academy Awards, one of which it secured for visual effects.
So, what exactly is so special about Babe? It was one of the first films which, thanks to the then-cutting edge combination of animatronics and visual effects, delivered convincing talking animals who, endowed with the gift of speech, could themselves “look like movie stars”. But with all the jaw-dropping technological advances of the last 30 years, how has this film managed to stand the test of time so well?
The answer in part is that its source material is exceptionally strong. The Sheep Pig is written with restraint and economy, but also great warmth and relish. King-Smith has immense fun, wallowing in words like the proverbial pig in muck, and putting it all to the service of a story whose core values are easy to get behind. The Sheep Pig is a soft-power parable which advocates for brains over brawn, for respectful communication and common decency.
But the excellence of a film’s bookish bedrock is no guarantee of success. Indeed, the brilliance of a book can often be something of a liability. Think of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, or any of the film and TV adaptations of Noel Streatfeild’s superb Ballet Shoes. With Babe, though, the book is catalyst rather than straitjacket, an enabling prompt which initiates a new work of equal strength and quality.
The pacing is well judged, the look of the film lush, and there are several actual laugh-out-loud moments – including the duck’s panicked realisation that “Christmas means carnage!” Above all, it’s a film with immense emotional intelligence and power.
Recognised for its visual effects, it also succeeds in large part because of the strength of its soundscape and score. There’s one scene in particular which really soars, and which takes on the elephant in the room: the human habit of eating pigs.
Babe is so shocked and upset on learning this fact from the evil cat (who else?) that he loses the will not just to win in the sheepdog trial, but to live at all. The supremely taciturn Father Hoggett must act to make amends and save his pig protégé.
In an astonishingly moving act of love, this man of few words takes the sickly and sick-at-heart pig onto his lap and sings to him. At first a gentle crooning, the farmer’s expression of care and affection soon swells to an out-and-out bellow, accompanied by a wild, caution-to-the-wind dance.
It’s difficult to imagine a more lyrically apt song than the 1977 reggae-inflected hit based on the powerful tune of Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 in C Minor: “If I had words”, it begins. It’s a moment of huge emotional force and intensity, in which the gaping abyss of age and species difference are bridged through music and dance.
James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, here and throughout the film, is tremendous, his reserved performance a key factor in its success. The role – which he almost didn’t take because of the paucity of lines – was career-defining, and prompted personal epiphanies which flow naturally from this scene.
First, Cromwell never ate meat again. Second, he has spoken (with visible emotion) of the delivery of the film’s final pithy-but-powerful line of approbation – “That’ll do pig, that’ll do” – as a moment of communion with his father on catching sight of his own artificially aged reflection in the camera lens. “My life changed, and I owe it to a pig,” the actor concludes.
Babe is a film and an adaptation with many qualities. It’s wholesome without ever being sickly. But above all, it has an emotional force which worked on actors and audiences alike and which, 30 years later, remains undiminished.
Kiera Vaclavik does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) took to the Senate floor to celebrate President Trump’s “Liberation Day” after Senate Democrats repeatedly tried to block and impede the President’s tariffs from going into effect.
Read excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.
“The media, for some reason, is in full meltdown mode after President Trump declared today ‘Liberation Day.’ Only my Democratic colleagues and the media, globalist media would find a reason to be mad about that. I’m highly convinced that my colleagues in the woke media would rather President Trump fail than achieve a goal to help the United States of America and the taxpayers. President Trump’s views on tariffs – they aren’t complicated. He believes, as I do, that America has been ripped off by unfair trade deals for decades and simply wants a level playing field.
We have to change directions. What we’re doing is not working. U.S. catfish and shrimp producers have faced some of the worst blows, for example. Vietnam is dumping billions – I repeat, billions – of pounds of catfish, and India is dumping billions of pounds of shrimp every year in the U.S. markets, flooding the markets and reducing the price for our quality domestic products. It’s devastating. We need to put a reciprocal tariff on these countries to protect our American producers. […]
Now, I recognize that tariff actions may cause reciprocal tariffs from other countries. We need to take that in stride.
In this country, we’ve had a party for 249 years. United States has put that party on. The party needs to continue, but all the other countries that have been built off the American taxpayers, such as the Middle East, such as Europe, such as China, they need to start bringing gifts to the party because the American taxpayer can’t afford it any longer. We’re $37 trillion in debt. And the only way to pay that down is to force other people to help us. The American taxpayer can’t afford it.
As a result, American jobs have been sent overseas. […] We have to get manufacturing back in this country. […] President Trump is 100% committed folks – 100%. He’s gonna do whatever it takes to usher in a Golden Age for the American economy. And by the way, just the threat of President Trump’s tariffs has already led India, Vietnam, and Israel to proactively drop significantly and lower tariffs against the United States, before it’s really even started. And it doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or Democrat, we should all be united in wanting economic policies that put American farmers, producers, businesses, and manufacturers first.”
MORE:
Tuberville Praises President Trump for Making Tariffs Great Again
ICYMI: Tuberville in Yellowhammer: President Trump’s tariffs are Making America Great Again
ICYMI: Tuberville in Newsweek: America is Back. President’s Joint Address Will Celebrate It
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Governor Shapiro Invests in Pennsylvania Businesses and Main Streets as the Federal Government Raises Taxes and Prices
Governor Josh Shapiro visited Fegley’s Brew Works in the Lehigh Valley to highlight his Administration’s investments in Pennsylvania’s small businesses and main streets – and his work to cut taxes and reduce costs for Pennsylvanians. The Shapiro Administration has committed $20 million to the Main Street Matters Program, helping small businesses and commercial corridors all across the Commonwealth. Over the past year, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) has supported local economic development efforts, including $20,000 to Bethlehem City for commercial faade improvements, $146,500 for remediation of a blighted property in Bethlehem’s Enterprise Zone, and multiple Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) grants to support community development in Bethlehem City. Additionally, last fall, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) awarded more than $516,000 in research and marketing grants to boost sales, production, and quality in Pennsylvania’s craft beer and malt beverage industry.
During his visit, Governor Shapiro highlighted the harmful impact of new federal tariffs, which threaten to raise costs for businesses and put key industries – such as Pennsylvania’s craft beer industry – at risk. With more than 500 craft breweries across the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania is a national leader in craft beer production, supporting thousands of jobs and generating millions in economic impact. Since taking office, the Governor has prioritized investments to help craft brewers expand, modernize, and reach new markets. His Administration remains committed to lowering costs, cutting red tape, and ensuring Pennsylvania’s businesses have the resources they need to compete and grow.
“Every community in Pennsylvania has a main street – places where we come together to shop at small businesses, share a meal with family or friends, or have a beer on the weekends – and those main streets matter. While my Administration invests in our main streets, Washington is making it harder for the small businesses that line them to succeed bydriving up their costs and increasing taxes,” said Governor Shapiro. “The new federal tariffs going into effect today are a tax on our businesses and our consumers that will drive up costs for everyone – they’ll even make beer more expensive. Here in Pennsylvania, instead of raising costs, we’re cutting costs for our businesses and consumers, and focusing on smart, strategic investments that create opportunity and grow our economy.”
List of Speakers: Jeff Fegley, owner of Fegley’s Brew Works Governor Josh Shapiro Beau Baden, owner of Sherman Street Beer Company Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds Senator Lisa Boscola Representative Steve Samuelson Representative Jeanne McNeill
Shapiro Administration Fights for Food Banks, Farmers, Discussing Painful Impact of Unlawful Federal Funding Cuts
In the wake of Governor Josh Shapiro’s appeal of USDA’s decision to cancel $13 million in funding to Pennsylvania under the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program, Lt. Governor Austin Davis and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding led a roundtable at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Today’s discussion brought food bank leaders, farmers, and stakeholders together to explore the region’s challenges that would be exacerbated by federal funding cuts. In contrast, the group discussed the positive impact proposed increases and initiatives in Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget would have on Pennsylvania food banks, the regional food system, and area farmers.
“Investing in Pennsylvania farmers and helping them do what they do best — feed people — is an investment in our future,” said Lt. Governor Davis. “That’s why the Shapiro-Davis Administration has pushed for more investments to support agriculture – while supporting Pennsylvania families, students and seniors. These are proven programs that work. They’re the definition of win-win – farmers get paid to produce food. Folks in need can eat fresh, healthy food.”
Speakers Include: Lisa Scales – Pittsburgh Food Bank Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis Deputy Secretary Pham Art King – Harvest Valley Farms Representative Emily Kinkead Secretary Russell Redding
TORONTO and TAMPA, Fla. , April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Voxtur Analytics Corp. (TSXV: VXTR; OTCQB: VXTRF) (“Voxtur” or the “Company”), a North American technology company creating a more transparent and accessible real estate lending ecosystem, announces that it has adopted an “Advance Notice By-law” to establish the conditions and framework under which registered or beneficial owners of common shares of the Company (the “Shareholders”) may exercise their right to submit director nominations. The Advance Notice By-law fixes a deadline by which such nominations must be submitted by a Shareholder to the Company prior to any annual or special meeting of Shareholders, and sets forth the information that a Shareholder must include in the notice to the Company for the notice to be in proper written form in accordance with the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (the “Act”).
The Advance Notice By-law ensures that all Shareholders receive sufficient notice and relevant information about director nominees, which allows them to make informed voting decisions. Among other things, it requires Shareholders to notify the Company of director nominations within the following timeframes:
Annual Meetings: Notice must be given at least 30 days before the meeting. If the meeting date is publicly announced less than 50 days in advance, notice must be provided no later than the close of business on the 10th day following the announcement.
Special Meetings (that are not also annual meetings): Notice must be provided no later than the close of business on the 15th day following the public announcement of the meeting date.
To be valid, a Shareholder’s notice must include specified information about the proposed nominee, as outlined in the Advance Notice By-law. The Advance Notice By-law also prescribes the required written form of the notice and allows the Board of Directors, at its sole discretion, to waive any requirements under these provisions.
The Advance Notice By-law is effective immediately and will be presented to Shareholders for approval, confirmation, and ratification at the next Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Company on June 27, 2025 (the “Meeting”). Pursuant to the provisions of the Act, the Advance Notice By-law will cease to be effective unless it is approved, ratified, and confirmed by a resolution adopted by a majority of the votes cast by the Shareholders of the Company at the Meeting.
A copy of the Advance Notice By-law has been filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+.
About Voxtur
Voxtur is a transformational proptech company that is redefining industry standards in a dynamic lending environment. The company offers targeted data analytics to simplify the multifaceted aspects of the lending lifecycle for investors, lenders, government agencies and servicers. Voxtur’s proprietary data hub and workflow platforms more accurately and efficiently value real estate assets, providing critical due diligence that enables market participants to effectively originate, trade, or service defaults on mortgage loans. As an independent and transparent mortgage technology provider, the company offers primary and secondary market solutions in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.voxtur.com.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information reflects management’s current expectations regarding future events, the Company’s operations, performance, or financial results, and speaks only as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking information may be identified by words such as “anticipates”, “believes”, “expects”, “intends”, “plans”, “projects”, or similar expressions. While the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information are reasonable, such information is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business, readers should refer to the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis and other continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+. These uncertainties and factors include, among others, the failure of Shareholders to ratify the Advance Notice By-law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise this information to reflect new events or circumstances except as required in accordance with applicable laws.
NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
Voxtur’s common shares are traded on the TSXV under the symbol VXTR and in the US on the OTCQB under the symbol VXTRF.
Contact: Jordan Ross Chief Operating Officer Tel: (416) 708-9764 jordan@voxtur.com
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer today announced that Heather Ranck is being reinstated as the Director of the National Rural Export Center. The senators have worked with the new administration at the Department of Commerce to accelerate the important work of the National Rural Export Center by bringing back Ranck to the position, citing her experience and leadership in founding the center, which specializes in conducting customized market research designed to guide rural U.S. companies toward the most opportune exporting markets.
“Heather has dedicated her career to helping support farmers, ranchers and manufacturers in North Dakota and across the country as they navigate global markets,” said Hoeven. “With 20 years of experience at the Department of Commerce, she has the experience and skillset necessary to help our producers find and expand markets for their products. Given her breadth of knowledge, it only made sense that the Department of Commerce bring her back to lead the National Rural Export Center.”
“Heather’s reinstatement sends a strong message that President Trump values rural exporters and companies looking to sell their goods and services beyond our borders. The Rural Export Center is a critical asset in finding new market opportunities for small, medium size and large companies throughout rural America, and Heather has been the driving force in its success from the beginning. I look forward to working with Heather, Senator Hoeven and the business community we represent, in building on the center’s success and taking rural exporters to even greater economic opportunity,” said Cramer.
“As Chairman of the North Dakota District Export Council (DEC), we are extremely pleased and appreciative that we have Heather Ranck back as Director of the National Rural Export Center. Heather is a proven leader and has served the Rural Export Center as its director in the past with great outcomes and great care for the export communities, and it is great to have her back in leadership. The ND and Northern MN District Export Councils look forward to working with her again. I want to thank Senator Hoeven and Senator Cramer for their leadership in Heathers’ reinstatement, and their insight and belief in the value of exports from North Dakota to the global market,” said Perrie Schafer, Chairman of the North Dakota District Export Council.
The five-week election campaign is now in full swing throughout the nation.
Amid the flurry of photo opportunities and press conferences, candidates campaign in specific areas for a reason: to shore up or win back key seats.
But which seats are key? Here, six experts explain the seats to watch in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
New South Wales
David Clune, honorary associate, government and international relations, University of Sydney
How the 2025 federal election will play out in NSW is difficult to predict for two reasons.
The first is the recent redistribution which, as ABC analyst Antony Green’s pendulum shows, has redefined many electoral boundaries.
The second is the number of crossbench MPs. There are three Teals in formerly safe Liberal seats: Mackellar (Sophie Scamps), Warringah (Zali Steggall) and Wentworth (Allegra Spender). Teal Kylie Tink’s seat of North Sydney has been abolished.
All were lifted into parliament by the rising tide of resentment against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Now that tide has gone out, the survival of these MPs depends on how they have performed as local members. The overall impression is that they have done well in connecting with their constituents and will be hard to shift.
There is a chance the formerly safe upper north shore seat of Bradfield could augment their numbers. Teal Nicolette Boele gave Liberal Paul Fletcher a very uncomfortable election night in 2022 when she slashed his majority. After the redistribution, the Liberals hold the seat by a narrow 2.5%. Fletcher is not recontesting. Boele is running a well-financed campaign with a lot of grass roots support.
The redistribution has pushed many former North Sydney voters into Bradfield. Whether they remain Teal or revert to being true-blue Liberals remains to be seen.
Much of the rest of the former North Sydney has gone into the very marginal Labor seat of Bennelong, which is now notionally marginal Liberal.
The Nationals have a problem in Calare, where former Nationals MP, now independent, Andrew Gee, is recontesting. The Nationals are also facing challenges from the left on the upper north coast due to demographic change. They hold Cowper by 2.4%.
Liberal-aligned independent, Dai Le, narrowly won Fowler in Sydney’s western suburbs in 2023. Labor has endorsed Tu Le, also of Vietnamese descent, in what promises to be a tough fight. Parramatta is another marginal seat in the western suburbs, held by Labor’s Andrew Charlton with a two-party preferred margin of 3.7%.
The government is concerned about seats on the central coast and in the Hunter and Illawarra regions, where concerns about wind farms and job losses due to renewable energy are a major issue. Most of the government’s vulnerable seats are in these areas: Gilmore, Robertson, Paterson and Hunter would all be lost with a two-party-preferred swing of 5%.
Queensland
Paul Williams, associate professor in politics and journalism, Griffith University
For decades we said Queensland was a key “battleground” in federal elections where seats north of the Tweed so often held the keys to The Lodge.
The 1975 election saw the Coalition leave Labor with a single seat, and the 1996 poll bequeath Labor just two. Conversely, Labor’s Kevin Rudd rode to victory on his nine-seat haul in in 2007, with Rudd losing seven of those in 2010.
But, for the past 15 years, federal elections have seen little movement in Queensland except, of course, for 2022 when the Greens won three seats. In short, Queensland is no longer the “make-or-break” state. Even the retirements of Keith Pitt (Hinkler), Karen Andrews (McPherson), Warren Entsch (Leichhardt) and Graham Perrett (Moreton) will hardly affect the mood.
The electoral pendulum confirms this. Labor holds just five of Queensland’s 30 seats, with Blair – a mix of outer-suburban and regional proclivities – Labor’s most marginal, but still held by a healthy 5.2% buffer. Given the two-party-preferred (2PP) swing to the Liberal-National Party (LNP) in Queensland will likely be under five percentage points – far lower than the 7.0% two-party-preferred swing the LNP attained at last October’s state election – the Coalition is unlikely to seize any more Labor property.
Conversely, despite the LNP holding seven Queensland seats on margins under 5%, the electoral tide is well and truly out for a Labor Party, whose Queensland brand is damaged at all levels. Inflation and housing shortages have hit Queensland hard, and especially so in the regions. Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson – the LNP’s most marginal on just 1.7% – is therefore safe.
Climate action and other “community” candidates (some reject the “Teal” moniker) are standing on the Gold Coast (McPherson and Moncrieff), on the Sunshine Coast (Fisher and Fairfax), and in Groom and Dickson. None will win, but some will carve out a respectable primary vote.
All eyes will instead be on the cashed-up inner-urban seats of Ryan (potentially returning to the LNP), Griffith (a possible Labor win) and Brisbane (a genuine three-way race) – all three useful, but not essential, to Labor’s pathway to minority government.
In the Northern Territory, Labor’s Marion Scrymgour holds Lingiari by 1.7%, making that seat one to watch.
South Australia
Rob Manwaring, associate professor of politics and public policy, Flinders University
South Australia is rarely a key battleground in federal elections, and only comprises ten electoral seats.
There are, however, three key seats worth watching as they will tell us a lot about how the election campaign is playing out: Sturt, Boothby and Mayo.
In Sturt, the Liberals hold this key seat in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs with a margin of 0.5%. A fresh challenge for the incumbent James Stevens is that he faces a threat from SA’s first real Teal candidate, Verity Cooper. This potentially pulls this seat into a three-way fight.
Boothby, in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, will be a good litmus test of how well Labor’s campaign is performing. Labor won the seat for the first time ever in 2022, and Louise Miller-Frost has a 3.3% margin. Liberal candidate Nicolle Flint is resurrecting her political ambitions and would be a useful ally for Peter Dutton, if she were to win.
Finally – a question – does Rebekah Sharkie like pizza? Infamously, when state Labor Premier Jay Weatherill needed a critical independent vote to secure office in 2014, he drove to Port Pirie and brokered a deal over pizza with Geoff Brock. Sharkie holds the seat of Mayo in the Adelaide Hills as a member of the Centre Alliance party with a safe 12.3% margin. Sharkie aligns herself with the Teals, and if a Dutton-led victory looks likely, then she may well be ordering her favourite slice to thrash out the terms of any support.
Tasmania
Robert Hortle, deputy director of the Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania
There are two main seats to watch in Tasmania.
The large, rural seat of Lyons is one of the most marginal in the country. Labor’s Brian Mitchell won with a 0.9% margin in 2022, but he’s made way for Rebecca White. Despite an underwhelming record as Tasmanian Labor Leader – three state election defeats – White is very popular in Lyons. However, Liberal candidate Susie Bower was somewhat unlucky to lose in 2022 after winning 37.2% of the primary vote, and has been in campaign mode for the past three years.
On the surface, Franklin – Australia’s only non-contiguous electorate – looks like a safe Labor seat. Julie Collins, the MP since 2007 and a cabinet minister, has a 13.7% margin. But her primary vote fell in 2022, and community backlash against salmon farming in Franklin’s waterways – which Labor and the Coalition both support – could make her vulnerable.
If independent Peter George (former journalist and anti-salmon campaigner) can get ahead of the low-profile Liberal candidate at some point in the count, Liberal preferences may get him across the line.
Two other Tasmanian seats are unlikely to change hands, but feature some interesting dynamics.
Liberal MP Bridget Archer’s 1.4% margin in the northern seat of Bass might look vulnerable. However, she managed a strong primary vote in 2022 despite a big swing against the Liberal Party. She’s very popular in the community for her willingness to stick to her values – even if it means voting against her party 28 times – and should hold her seat despite rumours of internal moves against her.
In Braddon, long-serving Labor Senator Anne Urquhart has quit the upper house to run. Incumbent Liberal MP Gavin Pearce is retiring, and his replacement candidate, Mal Hingston, is a bit of an unknown. It’s unlikely Urquhart will be able to overturn the 8% two-party preferred margin, but prominence in the community might give her a glimmer of hope.
Another point of interest is who will pick up the votes won by the Jaquie Lambie Network (JLN) in 2022. The JLN is not running candidates following a spectacular implosion at state level – and where those voters find a home could be crucial, particularly in Lyons.
Victoria
Zareh Ghazarian, senior lecturer in politics, school of social sciences, Monash University
Victoria is shaping up to be a crucial state for the major parties. Several seats are held by the Labor and coalition parties with a margin of less than 5%.
According to Antony Green, Chisholm is the most marginal seat Labor currently holds. The eastern Melbourne seat has been held by both major parties over the past 30 years.
Next up is Aston, further east of Chisholm, which Labor won at arguably the Liberal Party’s lowest ebb in this electoral cycle at a byelection in 2023.
McEwen, on the other hand, is a provincial electorate to the north of Melbourne. Holding onto these three seats will be a significant feat for Anthony Albanese and may set up Labor to hold a majority government.
For the Coalition, the most marginal seat is Deakin, which is a neighbouring electorate to Aston and Chisholm. The seat is held by a margin of just 0.02%, making it the most marginal in the country.
Monash is also a very interesting seat as it was won by Russell Broadbent, who lost Liberal Party preselection and has decided to run as an independent. His local profile may provide a boost to his primary vote, but may not necessarily be enough to win the seat, which will likely be held by the Liberals.
The Coalition will be in trouble if it fails to retain any of its seats in Victoria. It would need to reclaim Chisholm and Aston if it has any chance of forming majority government.
Other seats to watch include Kooyong, held by Monique Ryan with a margin of 2.2% who defeated Josh Frydenberg in 2022, and Goldstein, held by Zoe Daniel with a margin of 3.3% after defeating Liberal Tim Wilson. These will be a test of whether the Liberal Party is able to reconnect with voters who had traditionally supported them in the past.
Western Australia
Narelle Miragliotta, associate professor in politics, Murdoch University
The five WA seats to watch are Curtin, Bullwinkel, Forrest, Pearce and Tangney.
The affluent inner metropolitan seat of Curtin is held by Teal Kate Chaney on a 1.3% margin. The Liberal’s 2022 defeat was existential and the party are investing heavily in reclaiming it, although Chaney is not likely to be outspent entirely, or outmanoeuvred.
Bullwinkel is a new seat on the eastern fringes of Perth. The majority of its voters are in the metropolitan area, but the seat also takes in regional parts of the state. The seat’s geography and lack of incumbent led to the Nationals fielding Mia Davies, who was leader of the Nationals in the state parliament between 2017 and 2023.
As a result, this notional Labor seat is the site of a fierce three-way contest. YouGov projects a “Coalition” gain, although the outcome will be influenced by whether the Liberals and Nationals can contain simmering hostilities.
Pearce, in the state’s far north, is held by Labor on a comfortable 8.8% margin. However, it’s one of the most indebted electorates in the nation, and the state Labor government experienced large swings against it in outer suburban and regional state electorates earlier this year.
Tangney, in the state’s southern suburbs, was a major win for Labor in 2022. A blue-ribbon inner-city seat held uninterrupted by the Liberals since the early 1980s, Tangney is Labor’s most marginal WA seat (2.6% margin). To Labor’s advantage is the fact that several of the once-safe Liberal inner metro electorates within Tangney’s boundaries have recently voted with Labor at a state level. However, it will be a tight contest.
Paul Williams is a research associate with the T.J. Ryan Foundation.
Rob Manwaring receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a Discovery project on political parties and associated entities.
David Clune, Narelle Miragliotta, Robert Hortle, and Zareh Ghazarian do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Rural and remote Albertans play a crucial role in the province’s prosperity, from feeding the world to producing raw materials and adding to Alberta’s vibrant cultural landscape. They also face unique challenges when it comes to accessing affordable utilities and heating costs. By ensuring rural Albertans have affordable access to the utilities they need, Alberta’s government is helping keep lights on, homes warm and businesses in operation, powering both livelihoods and success.
Budget 2025 provides $8.5 million for the Rural Utilities Program – which consists of the Rural Electric Program, Rural Gas Program and Rural Water Program – and the Remote Area Heating Allowance. This will help communities access critical services like gas, power and water, as well as deliver direct financial relief to thousands of rural Albertans facing high utility bills so that they can continue their vital work.
“Farmers, ranchers and rural communities are the backbone of Alberta, working hard to support us all. In return, we must ensure they can keep doing what they do best, and these grants do just that by ensuring they can access the utilities they need – at a reasonable cost.”
“These grants are making a difference for Albertans across the province, ensuring that everyone, no matter where they live, has access to essential utilities. I’m proud of how this government continues to support and stand by the hard-working rural communities that help drive our province forward.”
A total of $700,000 is allocated to the Rural Electric Program, recognizing the increasing role electricity plays in modern farming and ranching. Under this program, grants are administered by the Alberta Federation of Electrification Associations and support the construction of electrical services for farms and ranches.
“Alberta’s Rural Electric Grant Program is helping rural Albertans access the power they need to continue putting food on tables around the world. We’re grateful for the government’s ongoing support and commitment to rural electrification.”
When it comes to home heating, Budget 2025 commits $5.7 million to the Natural Gas Program, to be administered by the Federation of Alberta Gas Co-ops, to expand and update natural gas infrastructure. This funding will help provide more rural Albertans with reliable and affordable home heating options as well as help communities attract new businesses, create jobs and diversify the local economy.
For those who are unable to access the natural gas system, Budget 2025 also commits $1.6 million for the Remote Area Heating Allowance program. Direct financial relief is provided to more than 2,000 households, the majority from Indigenous communities, to help with the high cost of alternative heating fuels, such as heating oil and propane.
“With this funding, gas co-operatives can continue the ongoing expansion of our natural gas distribution system so that we can connect even more rural communities to affordable gas heating.”
Equally as important as electricity and heat is access to safe, abundant water for residential, livestock and irrigation needs. Budget 2025 commits $500,000 for the Rural Water Program, first introduced in 2024, to ensure rural water co-ops across the province have access to modern water treatment and distribution systems. Grants are administered by the Alberta Federation of Rural Water Co-operatives.
“Access to clean water is non-negotiable for any home or farming operation. The Rural Water Program is providing support as we work to ensure rural Albertans have the modern water distribution systems they need. ”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick facts:
The Rural Electric Program was established in 2013 and has provided more than $7 million in grants to rural Albertans who are actively farming and where the services are being used for a farming operation.
The Rural Gas Program was established in 2001 and has distributed more than $70 million to help build the largest rural gas distribution system in the world.
More than 18 per cent of Albertans live in rural and remote communities.
Related information
Farm fuel and rural utility programs
Utilities Consumer Advocate
Financial Assistance Resources (UCA)
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Don’t default to the Rate of Last Resort (Feb. 4, 2025)
Keeping Albertans’ lights on and homes warm (Oct. 21, 2024)
Introducing the Rate of Last Resort (Sept. 25, 2024)
Power rates slashed in half by new market rules (Sept. 5, 2024)
Power watchdog supports Alberta’s electricity market reforms (Aug. 6, 2024)
Preventing power price spikes (June 26, 2024)
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The Copernicus Climate Change Service report states that the global average surface air temperature during January 2025 was the hottest on record (0.79°C warmer than the 1991-2020) despite the development of La Niña conditions. However, the average temperature in the Indian region was the second highest since 1901 (0.98°C warmer than 1991-2020). The main reason for higher temperatures is global warming, which is closely linked to climate change. Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. This process releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat and cause the planet to warm up.
In general, during the La Niña years, the Indian summer monsoon experiences above-average rainfall, which is beneficial for better crop production. However, currently, neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is prevailing over the equatorial Pacific Ocean with above-average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the eastern and far western Pacific Ocean and below-average SSTs in the central Pacific Ocean. The latest Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) and other global model forecasts indicate that neutral ENSO conditions are likely to continue during the southwest monsoon season of 2025. Thus, no La Niña impact is expected on the Indian monsoon during 2025. IMD will issue the first stage of the seasonal forecast for the 2025 Southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall by mid-April.
Various organisations under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) have been conducting regular studies on monsoons and associated rainfall and temperature patterns in the country, including those during the El Niño and La Niña periods. The India Meteorological Department continuously monitors the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) changes globally, especially in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which have a significant impact on the Indian climate. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also prepares forecasts based on the Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) and issues the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)/ Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) bulletin every month (https://www.imdpune.gov.in/cmpg/Product/Enso.php). IMD also issues monthly and seasonal outlooks for rainfall and temperature with monthly updates, which helps to prepare for the impact of El Niño/La Niña-related weather variations. These forecasts are complimented by the extended range forecasts updated every week for the next four weeks. Additionally, the IMD issues agriculture-specific advisories to help farmers prepare for extreme weather events associated with El Niño and La Niña, such as heavy rains or droughts. These advisories are helpful for decision-making in various agriculture operations, such as crop selection, irrigation practices, pest and disease warnings, disaster management, preparedness, etc.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences has allocated Rs. 480/- crore and billed for the launch of the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-3DS).
Currently, INSTAT-3DS,along with INSAT-3DR, are in use for the operational weather services, and some of the important applications of satellite products are:
Round-the-clock monitoring of severe weather conditions with rapid scan capability. Satellite images are generated every 5 minutes for the area of interest (where the severe weather is prevailing).
A satellite visualization tool known as Real-time Analysis of Products and Information Dissemination (RAPID) to visualize and analyze satellite images and derived products as per the user’s choice (https://rapid.imd.gov.in/r2v/).
Numerous satellite-derived products and imageries are generated at each 30-minute gap, which is very useful in real-time monitoring the cyclone activity and determination of cyclone track and intensity.
During pre-monsoon season thunderstorms and lightning season of March to May, various products like Outgoing Longwave Radiation, Quantitative Precipitation Estimate, Sea Surface Temperature, Insolation, winds, winds derived products, etc. and Temperature, Humidity profiles/Thermodynamic indices etc. are used for monitoring the movement of convective weather systems.
Satellite-derived products are also helpful in monitoring the onset, active, and withdrawal phases of southwest and northeast monsoons. It is also used to monitor and analyse the origin, movement, and possible impact of Western disturbance moving across North India.
Data Collection and Dissemination: The satellite’s data relay transponder facilitates efficient collection and distribution of meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic data from various ground stations, supporting The India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Search and Rescue Operations: The satellite has a dedicated search and rescue payload that assists in locating and saving lives during maritime and aviation emergencies. These advancements in INSAT-3DS have strengthened India’s capacity to monitor and predict weather patterns, enabling better preparedness for extreme weather events and contributing to improving agricultural and water management decisions.
Meteorological data and products from both the INSATs are also useful in various sectors in real-time:
Monitoring severe weather phenomena like intense rainfall episodes, heatwave conditions, cold wave day and night fog, etc. are easily monitored over the Indian region/neighbouring countries by day and night (24-hour) coverage of satellite data.
Special sector images are generated for pilgrimage (Like Amarnathji yatra, Kumbh Mela, Kedarnath Jee yatra, etc.)
The accumulated snow-bound area images during winter time are generated for specially monitoring the fresh and old snow and its coverage.
Agriculture sector services. Satellite provides better guidance for agro meteorology with the help of many satellite-derived products (like Insolation, Land Surface Temperature, Evapotranspiration, etc.).
Renewable energy sector: Satellite-based Winds, clouds, Outgoing longwave radiation, etc., provide an important input to this sector for managing the resources efficiently.
Research and development activities. New algorithms and approaches (like AI/ML, deep learning, etc.) are also under development to further streamline the process.
Therefore, with the support of INSAT-3DS (which provides advanced imaging and sounding capabilities), weather monitoring service capabilities are enhanced. It offered detailed observations of land and ocean surfaces, real-time data on cloud cover, moisture content, temperature profiles, and other atmospheric parameter which are crucial for weather monitoring.
The INSAT-3D has reached its end of life and has been replaced by the INSAT-3DS, whereas INSAT-3DR is operational in sensing and transmitting meteorological data.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development will discuss the Commission Work Programme with Commissioners Christophe Hansen, responsible for Agriculture and Food, and Olivér Várhelyi, responsible for Health and Animal Welfare, on 8 April. The exchanges are organised to discuss the state of implementation of the current Commission Work Programme (CWP) as well as the priorities to be reflected in the CWP for the next year.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As first reported in Fox News, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) and Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01) sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum urging him to reverse the listing of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and the Lesser Prairie Chicken from the threatened and endangered species list. Doing so would unleash American energy, highlight the success of local conservation efforts, and restore regulatory certainty for rural communities.
Under the Biden Administration, the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and the Lesser Prairie Chicken were listed as endangered species, ignoring the conservation efforts already being made by Texas and Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agricultural and energy producers. The efforts resulted in net acreage conservation gains for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizards’ habitat and increased the Lesser Prairie Chicken population. In the letter to Secretary Burgum, the Members stress that the Trump Administration has the opportunity to correct these misguided listings and ensure America can maintain its energy dominance.
In the letter, the members write in part,“Empowering states, landowners, and private partners to continue leading species management ensures we can protect wildlife without sacrificing economic growth, energy production, or the livelihoods of hardworking Americans. Striking this balance is critical to maintaining our environmental stewardship and America’s energy dominance. With the right approach, we can achieve lasting conservation results without burdening the very communities that have been instrumental in protecting these species… The Trump Administration can correct these misguided policies by directing FWS to delist both the Lesser Prairie Chicken and the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard. Doing so will restore balance to our conservation efforts—allowing local stakeholders to continue their successful work while safeguarding American energy production, protecting jobs, and supporting rural economies,”
In addition, the Representatives reintroduced theLimiting Incredulous Zealots Against Restricting Drilling (LIZARD) Act to strike the Biden Administration’s designation of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This listing directly threatens the production of oil, natural gas, wind, and solar energy developed in the Permian Basin and across America.
“Former President Biden spent four years fulfilling his promise to kill the fossil fuel industry one horrible policy at a time – including listing the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard under the Endangered Species Act, a direct attack on our hardworking men and women in the energy sector,”said Rep. Pfluger.“This listing, along with many others, was completely misguided and repudiates significant private conservation efforts in West Texas. I am proud to lead the charge alongside my good friend and colleague Rep. Tracey Mann to continue undoing the Biden Administration’s nonsensical policies and protect American energy production and jobs.”
“From day one, President Biden used every tool in his toolbox to trample on the livelihoods of America’s energy and agricultural producers,”said Rep. Mann. “His administration continuously ignored the facts on the ground and decided federal bureaucrats were better equipped to manage these populations than local citizens. Our bill restores power back to the local communities most impacted by these decisions and removes the regulatory handcuffs put on them by the Biden Administration. We look forward to working with President Trump and Secretary Burgum to reverse these ill-informed listings and unleash the American energy dominance 77 million Americans voted for this past November.”
Read the full text of the legislation here.
This legislation is supported by several associations in the energy industry, including the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the Permian Basin Petroleum Association (PBPA).
IPAA President & CEO Jeff Eshelman said,“IPAA has serious concerns with the final rule to list the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard. Unfortunately, the Fish and Wildlife Service continues to disregard the large amount of conservation work already done to protect the species and the successes of these programs. This listing is an affront to the oil and natural gas industry employees who live and work in the Permian Basin in both Texas and New Mexico. IPAA believes that the decision to list the DSL is unwarranted and thanks Congressman Pfluger for his efforts to stop this misguided listing decision.”
PBPA President Ben Shepperd said,“The Permian Basin Petroleum Association strongly supports Congressman Pfluger’s reintroduction of the LIZARD Act and his continued efforts to challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s unjustified listing of the dunes sagebrush lizard under the Endangered Species Act. The Service’s arbitrary decision ignores sound science and disregards the extensive, state-led conservation initiatives that have successfully protected the species—initiatives that have resulted in the enrollment of hundreds of thousands of acres and the commitment of millions of dollars in both Texas and New Mexico. Rather than imposing burdensome federal regulations, Congressman Pfluger is standing behind proven, effective conservation efforts that prioritize real results over bureaucratic red tape. PBPA members have long demonstrated their commitment to responsible stewardship of our natural resources through voluntary conservation programs, and we greatly appreciate Congressman Pfluger’s leadership in recognizing and supporting these efforts.”
Background:
In recent years, through state and private conservation efforts in New Mexico alone, 1,905,120 acres have been enrolled in a Candidate Conservation Agreement (CCA) and Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) by the ranching community and 2,230,066 acres have been enrolled in the CCA and CCAA by the oil and gas industry to protect the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard.
These enrollments have resulted in a net acreage conservation gain for the species’ habitat and the associated financial contributions have helped fund dozens of reclamation and conservation programs to support the species while still allowing for the development of natural resources and human existence in the region.
Read the full letterhereor below:
We write to urge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to reverse the Lesser Prairie Chicken and the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard listings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These designations have imposed unnecessary regulatory burdens on our rural communities, threatening the vital work of hardworking farmers, ranchers, and energy producers while disregarding the proven success of the state and privately led conservation efforts.
For over a decade, voluntary public-private conservation partnerships have remarkably succeeded in stabilizing and increasing the Lesser Prairie Chicken population. In fact, since 2013, the population has more than doubled due to the dedication of local officials and companies who have implemented targeted conservation strategies. Instead of recognizing these efforts, the prior administration’s disastrous listing decision disregarded measurable progress and subjected key industries to regulatory overreach that weakened our energy independence and agricultural production.
Similarly, the designation of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard as endangered threatens responsible energy development and economic prosperity in the Permian Basin, a critical region in ensuring America’s energy security. Industry leaders and conservationists have invested significant resources in habitat protection and species management programs, successfully maintaining the lizard’s habitat while allowing for responsible land use.
Reversing these listings would recognize the success of local conservation efforts and restore regulatory certainty for the communities and industries that depend on access to these lands. Empowering states, landowners, and private partners to continue leading species management ensures we can protect wildlife without sacrificing economic growth, energy production, or the livelihoods of hardworking Americans. Striking this balance is critical to maintaining our environmental stewardship and America’s energy dominance. With the right approach, we can achieve lasting conservation results without burdening the very communities that have been instrumental in protecting these species.
The Trump Administration can correct these misguided policies by directing FWS to delist both the Lesser Prairie Chicken and the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard. Doing so will restore balance to our conservation efforts—allowing local stakeholders to continue their successful work while safeguarding American energy production, protecting jobs, and supporting rural economies.
We appreciate your attention to this urgent matter and look forward to your prompt response.
Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have introduced legislation to eliminate food deserts and expand access to affordable and nutritious food by incentivizing food providers to expand access to healthy food options in underserved communities. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and Jennifer McLellan (VA-04).
“Fresh and nutritious foods are a cornerstone of health and wellbeing, but too many families in Virginia and across America live in places where these foods are out of reach,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will help us fight food deserts by incentivizing grocery stores to come to communities that have the hardest time accessing fresh produce.”
“Even while living in the breadbasket of our nation, food insecurity affects far too many Kansans, particularly those living in rural communities far from a grocery store,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation, which would incentivize food providers to establish and renovate grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets in communities that traditionally lack affordable, healthy and convenient food options, would help provide those who are hungry with access to nutritious food.”
“Many West Virginians struggle to access fresh, nutritious food to keep their families and communities well fed. I’m proud to reintroduce the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act, which will expand access to healthy foods through food banks and local grocery stores in rural communities across West Virginia and the nation,” said Sen. Capito.
“Access to nutritious food is essential for every family’s health and well-being, but it remains out of reach for far too many communities. This bipartisan legislation offers a key solution to eliminating food deserts in Maryland and across the country – ensuring every American can buy fresh, affordable, healthy food in their neighborhood, regardless of where they live,” said Sen. Van Hollen.
According to recent data, an estimated 18.8 million Americans live in what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a “food desert.” Urban areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within one or more miles. Rural areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within ten or more miles. Studies have shown that Americans who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act – which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35 percent of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items – would encourage investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, or a median family income of less than 80 percent of the median for the state or metro area.
It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure:
New Store Construction – Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a one-time 15 percent tax credit after receiving certification.
Retrofitting Existing Structures – Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a one-time 10 percent tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
Food Banks – Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a one-time grant for 15 percent of their construction costs.
Temporary Access Merchants – Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10 percent of their annual operating costs.
The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act boasts the support of numerous organizations, including Feeding America, the National Grocers Association, and Share Our Strength.
“Feeding America commends Senator Warner for confronting the unfortunate fact that for the 47 million Americans living with hunger, access to affordable nutritious food is significantly harder for those who live in food deserts. The Feeding America network of more than 200 food banks understands that areas without affordable, healthy food options have higher rates of food insecurity. Rural communities in particular lack access to adequate transportation to the nearest grocery store or food pantry. Feeding America supports the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act as a critical step to give nonprofits and retailers support to increase food access in underserved areas,” said Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America.
“The National Grocers Association applauds Senator Warner and Representatives McClellan and Sykes for their leadership on this important legislation focused on eliminating the challenges confronting grocers seeking to expand access to nutritious food in underserved rural and urban areas alike. Independent grocers are the backbone of the communities they serve and have a long-standing tradition of leading efforts to provide improved food options for those most in need. Enhanced access to healthy food bolsters both the physical well-being and economic vitality of local communities everywhere, and we look forward to working with Congress to pass this important bipartisan legislation,” said Stephanie Johnson, Vice President, Government Relations, National Grocers Association.
“To end childhood hunger in America, we must ensure that low-income families have access to healthy, affordable food options no matter their zip code or circumstances. Ending food deserts will help more families put food on the table and help children get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and strong. Share Our Strength supports The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and thanks Sens. Warner, Capito, Van Hollen, and Moran for their leadership on this issue,” said Jason Gromley, Senior Director of Share Our Strength.
Bill text for the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act can be found here. A summary of the bill can be found here.
Question for written answer E-001269/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Andreas Schwab (PPE)
Solar Package I came into force in Germany on 16 May 2024. Certain aspects require State aid approval from the Commission, including support for agri-photovoltaics (agri-PV) on agricultural land.
Agri-PV enables dual land use, increases agricultural resilience and contributes to the energy transition. The fact that State aid approval is still pending is creating significant economic uncertainty for farmers and companies.
The delay threatens the economic stability of companies investing in agri-PV and a swift decision is crucial to avoid jeopardising the EU’s climate goals.
1.How does the Commission assess the challenges faced by agri-PV projects that rely on the swift approval of Solar Package I, especially as in some Member States, Recovery and Resilience Facility funds can already be used for agri-PV?
2.What measures is the Commission taking to ensure that investments already made in agri-PV projects do not become unprofitable due to the delay?
3.What steps does the Commission plan to take to make future State aid approvals for agri-PV faster and more predictable to ensure investment security?
