Good afternoon,

The honeymoon phase of President Donald Trump's term appears to be unraveling as Republican lawmakers face angry and upset voters at town halls across the country. Some Americans are finally waking up to the lawless and cruel actions of billionaire Elon Musk on the federal government. Others are growing impatient with our Republican Congress and the unwillingness to push back against Trump's extremist agenda. A new Washington Post-Ipsos poll shows Americans may be losing faith in President Trump just a month into his term, with 57% saying he has exceeded his authority since taking office. Time is ticking Mr. Trump. Americans want results and they are not seeing them.

Here are a few important updates...

WATCH OUT FARMERS, A NEW FARM BILL COULD BE A NO-GO

House Speaker Mike Johnson is set to put a budget resolution on the House floor today, but is facing push back from swing-district Republicans. Specifically, Republicans are worried about cuts to social safety net benefits and dissatisfied with spending cuts they believe do not go far enough. As reported by Politico, "key House Republicans are growing increasingly worried that planned cuts to [the] popular food aid program Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) under the GOP's reconciliation package could sink hopes for a new farm bill at a time when the party is in a strong position to shape the legislation." The budget plan calls for massive cuts to SNAP as part of $230 billion in agriculture spending cuts.

The boat has been rocked in the Republican Party and members of Congress are starting to feel the heat. The fact that several agriculture policies haven't been updated since 2018, compounded with policymakers having a narrow window to pass new legislation this year ahead of midterm elections, further complicates the reconciliation negotiations. Today's vote will put Republicans to the test as they have had difficulty agreeing on spending issues for nearly two years. Should the budget plan pass Congress, rural America will certainly feel the impact of these massive cuts to critical programs and benefits.

FARMERS IN A FRENZY

President Trump's aggressive and chaotic policies, everything from tariffs to funding freezes, are starting to stir farmers into a frenzy. Though farm country heavily backed the President in the 2024 election, the reality of his policies have farmers "on edge," according to The Washington Post. Farmers are worried the president's tariffs will cause the costs of Chinese-made resources like tractors and herbicides used in their operations to skyrocket. The concerns of farmers across America go beyond tariffs. The Trump administration's freeze on federal funding for a wide range of programs and grants is alarming. As noted by The Week, "The DOGE-driven funding freeze at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) briefly 'left hundreds of millions of dollars worth of food and supplies sitting in ports, while other federal programs – including those that pay farmers for energy production and soil conservation – have also been halted.'" Just yesterday, a group of farmers sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture, accusing the agency of deleting climate change data that would hinder research and other farming initiatives.

All in all, farmers are certainly growing frustrated with the Trump administration's sweeping actions and are starting to feel the direct impact of the policies taking shape. Farmers in rural America must continue to stand up and push back on the lawless actions being made by the administration and demand accountability from other parts of the federal government. One Country Project believes the only way forward is making our voices heard by those in power and ensuring that the established checks within our government hold strong.

EGG-O-NOMICS WEEKLY

Last week, the average price for class A large eggs was $8.07, a 31.43-percent* increase since the week of January 17^th, and a 4-percent increase since last week.

*Based on USDA weekly average pricing for class A large eggs.

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

162 million (and counting) – The number of poultry and wild birds that have been infected with bird flu since the start of 2022. As a result of this outbreak, consumers are experiencing a surcharge on egg-driven menus at restaurants, surging prices in the grocery store, and even rationing limits on purchases.

• The Senate Judiciary Committee hearings to examine pending nominations will be held at 10:15 AM on Wednesday, February 26^th.

• The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearings to examine the nomination of Keith Sonderling, of Florida, to be Deputy Secretary of Labor will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, February 27^th.

• The current government funding bill expires on March 14^th. Without an extended continuing resolution, the government would face a partial shutdown.

WHAT WE'RE READING

• The Washington Post: Many rural patients drive an hour or more for surgery, study finds
   
• The Daily Yonder: Biden-Era Wildfire Program Prioritized Underserved Rural Communities, Study Finds
   
• New York Times: Republicans Face Angry Voters at Town Halls, Hinting at Broader Backlash
   
• Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin farmers feel impacts of Trump administration policies, funding freeze
   
• Reuters: Trump administration to eliminate 1,600 USAID jobs in the US

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