This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news for farmers, seed-growers, ranchers and their upstream suppliers and downstream buyers. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Dates: 2026-02-02 to 2026-02-08

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology: Agroterrorism Hearing: The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology will hold a hearing titled “Surveying the Threat of Agroterrorism, Part II: Assessing Federal Government Efforts” on February 11, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in Cannon House Office Building, Room 310.
• Senate ENR Subcommittee on Public Lands: Multiple Land and Agriculture Bills: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining meets February 12, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Dirksen 366 to examine bills including S.1981 on livestock grazing for wildfire risk reduction and H.R.204 on reporting hazardous fuels reduction activities.
• House Natural Resources Committee: Markup Includes Grasslands Grazing Act: The House Natural Resources Committee will mark up several bills, including H.R.6300, Grasslands Grazing Act of 2025, on February 11, 2026, at 1:45 p.m. in Longworth 1324.

Federal Government News

White House Temporarily Increases Lean Beef Tariff-Rate Quota for Argentina

President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation on February 6, 2026, to temporarily increase the U.S. tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings by 80,000 metric tons in 2026. The added quota is allocated entirely to Argentina and administered in quarterly tranches. This measure responds to a record-low U.S. cattle inventory, attributed to drought, wildfires, and New World screwworm-related import restrictions from Mexico. Ground beef prices averaged $6.69 per pound in December 2025. The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture is directed to monitor supply and demand and advise if further adjustments are warranted. Implementation will involve relevant agencies and supersedes prior inconsistent orders.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Announces 2026 Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates

The Food and Nutrition Service published new reimbursement rates for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) effective January 1 to December 31, 2026. Adjusted for a 3.7% Consumer Price Index increase, rural or self-prep sites will receive $3.19 for breakfast, $5.60 for lunch/supper, and $1.32 for snacks, with higher rates for Alaska and U.S. territories. Administrative rates are also updated, with separate rates for rural/self-prep and other sites. The rates support meal sponsors and program compliance under Assistance Listings No. 10.559.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

EPA Reviews New Pesticide Ingredient and Use Applications, Seeks Public Comment

The Environmental Protection Agency announced receipt of several pesticide petitions and applications. These include exemptions for cholesterol and butyl levulinate as inert ingredients, new microbial proteins in cotton and maize, and the biochemical pesticide Unecyna for all food and feed commodities. Drexel Chemical Company seeks a tolerance for trifluralin in pennycress at 0.05 ppm, and Syngenta requests expanded registration for fluazifop-p-butyl for sod farms. Additional new use applications include clomazone for turfgrass. Comments are due March 4, 2026, and EPA may require further data before determinations.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

FSIS Maintains 2025 Inspection Fee Rates for Meat, Poultry, and Egg Establishments; Lowers Lab Fees for 2026

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced continuation of 2025 rates for basetime, overtime, holiday inspections, and export applications through 2026. Laboratory services rates are reduced to $92.80 per hour, effective January 11, 2026. The agency will conduct a review of pricing methodologies, as recent calculations showed potential increases not supported by actual costs. The notice includes detailed fee formulas and specifies procedures for fee changes and notification.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Commerce Department Issues Preliminary Countervailing Duties on Indian Oleoresin Paprika

The International Trade Administration issued a preliminary determination that Indian producers and exporters of oleoresin paprika received countervailable subsidies during April 2024 to March 2025. Mane Kancor Ingredients Private Limited received an 18.56% rate, Synthite Industries Pvt. Ltd 25.41%, and all others 22.95%. Critical circumstances were found for Synthite, leading to retroactive suspension of liquidation. The agency plans to align its final determination with the parallel antidumping investigation, potentially affecting trade in seasoning products.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

H.R. 7318: Comprehensive Organic Program Expansion

This bill seeks to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to expand the national organic certification cost-share program into a broader organic support program. The measure was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Sources: www.congress.gov

H.R. 7330: Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative Reauthorization

This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to reestablish the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative. It is currently referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Sources: www.congress.gov

H.R. 7406: Organic Foods Production Act Amendment on Prohibited Substance Testing

This legislation would allow organic producers the option to confirm the absence of prohibited substances through testing under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. The bill is before the House Committee on Agriculture.

Sources: www.congress.gov

H.R. 7371: Air Transport Restrictions for Certain Live Animals

This bill proposes restrictions on the air transportation of certain live animals in interstate and foreign commerce, citing aviation safety and biosecurity. It was referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Sources: www.congress.gov

H.R. 6536: Rural Depositories Revitalization Study Act

The bill is placed on the Union Calendar (No. 404) and would direct a study of revitalization of rural depositories, affecting financial services in rural and agricultural communities.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• E&E News: Trump plan confirms farm GHG cuts in clean fuels tax credit: The Trump Administration affirms greenhouse gas reductions from farming in the clean fuels tax credit program.
• E&E News: Florida ag department bill advances after sponsor says he will work on concerns: A new Florida agriculture department bill progresses as the sponsor pledges to address raised concerns.
• Rural care could see impact from tighter visa rules: Tighter H-1B visa regulations may affect the availability of rural agricultural care and workforce.
• Drought spreads beyond Kenya's arid north, plunging herders into crisis: Drought conditions in Kenya intensify, severely impacting herders and livestock beyond traditional arid northern zones.

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