Farm Credit Council Update with Jenny Mesirow

We recently welcomed Jenny Mesirow from Farm Credit Council to the AgCredit Said It podcast. She shared some insights on the latest happenings in Washington, D.C. and an update on the Farm Bill. Here’s a snapshot of her interview.

Farm Bill Updates:
•    Current farm bill law expired in 2023, we are now operating under a second one-year extension through September 2025. 
•    Because the farm bill that was introduced last May was never passed, a new farm bill will now need to be reintroduced and renegotiated with the new Congress. 
•    Ag committees are very focused on getting a new five-year farm bill passed but even if it gets passed soon, it likely won’t go into effect until 2026.
 

New Administration Impact:  
•    Tariffs are one of the big things they are keeping an eye on with the Trump administration taking over in January.  
•    The process and timeline for appointing new members to the Department of Agriculture takes some time so it may be a bit until we see any big changes.
•    Brooke Rollins has been nominated to be the Secretary of Agriculture by the Trump administration.
 

Farm Credit Council's Focus for 2025:  
•    Hyper-focused on the Farm Bill, advocating for higher loan caps on USDA guarantees, and updating language for FSA loan guarantees.  
•    Ensuring robust crop insurance safety nets and strong commodity programs.  
 

Tax Reconciliation:  
•    The 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Acts expires in September so action will need to be taken on this to avoid raising taxes.  
•    They are working to protect agriculture's interests in the tax package, including estate tax treatment, Section 179, 199A, 1031, and pass-through business authorities.  
 

Advocacy and Education:
•    The new administration is bringing many new people to Washington to serve our country. Jenny encourages listeners to engage with members of Congress and share their stories to influence agriculture policy.  
 

You can listen to the full interview on AgCredit Said It in your favorite podcast app like Apple Music or Spotify. Or, listen on our website here: https://www.agcredit.net/news/episode-75-agriculture-policy-2025-key-updates-jenny-mesirow