Agriculture

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement on the trade agreement reached between the U.S. and India to drop retaliatory tariffs on Washington apples that have hurt farmers since 2018. “Today’s agreement is a major win for Washington’s apple growers who rely on selling their fruit overseas to make ends meet. For five years, India’s retaliatory tariffs… Read more

What does a rural community look like? In Nebraska, it can be out in the middle of nowhere. In Western Washington, it might be within a few miles of a big city. Lawmakers, particularly those at the federal level, can struggle with the definition of rural. One cure is to hit the road and take a look. Xochitl Torres Small, undersecretary for rural development with the U.S. Department of… Read more

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) issued the following statement after President Biden signed the Formula Act (H.R. 8351) into law. The measure, championed by DelBene, will help alleviate the ongoing formula crisis by eliminating tariffs on safe imported baby formula: “I want to thank President Biden for swiftly signing the Formula Act into law. Families across the country –… Read more

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) issued the following statement after the Senate passed the bipartisan Formula Act (H.R. 8351) by unanimous consent. Led by DelBene, this bill would help alleviate the infant formula shortage by removing trade tariffs on safe formula from trusted foreign suppliers: “The baby formula crisis continues to be a major concern for parents around the… Read more

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement that it will soon begin providing $6 billion in relief for farmers and ranchers impacted by 2020 and 2021 natural disasters, including heat-related losses: “Last year’s historic heatwaves had sweeping impacts for farmers and ranchers across Washington state,… Read more

Today, President Biden signed the fiscal year 2022 appropriations package into law, which included a number of Congresswoman Suzan DelBene’s (WA-01) priorities. DelBene helped secure: $5 million for KidneyX, a program aimed at accelerating innovation, research, treatment, and preventative care for kidney disease. A requirement that the Defense Department only buy American-made… Read more

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter calling on U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take all statutory eligibilities into account when distributing the $10 billion in aid to agricultural producers hit hard by… Read more

Pacific Northwest food producers stung by extreme heat will be eligible for disaster relief in a $10 billion package included in legislation now signed into law. The record-setting temperatures in late June caused losses across a broad swath of the state from oyster aquaculture operations in the Puget Sound region to fruit orchards in the Yakima Valley and potato growers in the Columbia… Read more

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) secured critical relief for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural producers impacted by recent heatwaves in the stopgap federal funding legislation that passed the House of Representatives today. The bill would fund the government until December 11, 2021, if passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden. In June, a historic heatwave with… Read more

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) led a bipartisan, bicameral effort to secure more relief for farmers, ranchers, and other agriculture producers in the western United States affected by historic wildfires, droughts, and extreme heat. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the lawmakers urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to open relief programs up to more… Read more