No agriculture carveouts in deportation policy... President Donald Trump is not planning any immediate carveouts for the agriculture industry from his sweeping deportation policies, despite confusion sparked by a recent social media post and mounting pressure from farmers and business owners. According to Semafor, two senior administration officials confirmed the White House is proceeding with worksite immigration raids across all sectors — including agriculture, hotels and restaurants.
“To my knowledge, there’s nothing being prepped at the moment to formally safeguard farms, or the other industries initially given relief from raids,” one senior administration official told Semafor, adding that recent pauses were largely due to confusion over Trump’s Truth Social post promising to “protect our farmers.”
Just days after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) briefly paused most “enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture… restaurants and operating hotels,” the administration reversed course. Trump border czar Tom Homan clarified that “worksite raids in those industries would continue on a prioritized basis.”
Despite suggestions from Trump that more help for agriculture could come later — he remarked at a news conference that farmers are “being hurt badly” by his deportation policies and acknowledged, “We can’t take farmers and take all their people and send them back” — administration officials said any formal protections are not in the works. One official noted that more specific carveouts might be considered after Congress passes the president’s tax and spending bill, but for now, there’s no imminent relief.
Homan, the administration’s border czar, said that agents were simply enforcing the law. “We need a work force to do that type of work, then create a legal pathway,” he told The Daily podcast. “The president understands there’s a broken system here, but it doesn’t mean we just ignore the law.”
And this week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins — who pressed Trump to exempt agricultural businesses from immigration raids — sought to dispel any sense of division within the administration. “The President and I have consistently advanced a ‘Farmers First’ approach, recognizing that American households depend upon a stable and LEGAL agricultural workforce,” she wrote on X. But she added, “Severe disruptions to our food supply would harm Americans. It took us decades to get into this mess and we are prioritizing deportations in a way that will get us out.”
Despite ongoing pressure from farmers, hotel, and restaurant owners, administration officials reiterated their stance. “Worksite enforcement operations are an important part of what we do,” Homan said.
Canada passes law shielding dairy, egg & poultry sectors from future trade concessions... Canada has taken a major step to lock in protection for its supply-managed dairy, egg, and poultry sectors, as Bill C-202 passed both chambers of Parliament and now awaits Royal Assent to become law. Bill C-202 amends Canada’s foreign affairs act, making it illegal for government ministers to reduce tariffs or increase import quotas on dairy, eggs, and poultry in future trade negotiations. This means:
- Ministers cannot increase tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for these products.
- Ministers cannot lower tariffs on imports above TRQ levels.
The bill’s timing is notable, arriving just before anticipated talks with the U.S. and Mexico on renewing the USMCA trade agreement.
The legislation has been widely praised by Canadian dairy, egg, and poultry producers — especially in Quebec, the country’s dairy powerhouse. However, trade experts and representatives from export-reliant sectors, like beef and grains, have raised concerns. They warn that the law may complicate Canada’s ability to negotiate concessions in other areas, as it legally prohibits market access offers on key supply-managed goods. This could heighten trade tensions, particularly with American officials who have long pushed for greater access to Canada’s protected markets.
The passage of Bill C-202 is seen as a bold, even provocative move, signaling that Canada is drawing a firm red line on dairy, egg and poultry concessions. Some fear it could trigger retaliation or make other sectors more vulnerable in future negotiations. Nevertheless, the legislation cements supply management as a non-negotiable pillar of Canadian agricultural policy, potentially reshaping the country’s approach to future trade talks.
USDA, HHS promise new, streamlined dietary guidelines... A significant shift is on the horizon for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. have promised a fresh approach for the 2025-2030 edition. While the final guidelines have not yet been released, both leaders assure the public they are coming soon — and will be markedly different from previous versions.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated every five years, with the last set issued for 2020-2025 spanning a hefty 164 pages. Rollins and Kennedy, however, have pledged to deliver a much shorter, clearer document — just four to five pages, written in plain English. Their stated goal is to make the guidelines “sound, simple, and clear,” ensuring that everyday Americans can easily understand and apply the recommendations.
Rollins emphasized the new guidelines will be “based on sound science, not political science,” signaling a departure from what she described as “leftist ideologies” influencing past policy. Kennedy echoed this sentiment, promising a “shake-up in a big way” and a focus on practical, actionable advice.
One of the most notable changes hinted at by Kennedy is a strong stance against ultra-processed foods. He has pledged to remove these items from the recommended menu, and the Department of Health and Human Services reportedly plans to launch a campaign to educate the public about the harms associated with ultra-processed foods.
The process has involved a careful, line-by-line review of the Scientific Report from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which was released by the previous administration in 2024. The public comment period closed on Feb. 10, and both Rollins and Kennedy have assured that the final guidelines will be released ahead of the Dec. 31, 2025, statutory deadline.
Of note: Historically, the public has largely ignored previous dietary guidelines, often due to their complexity and length. The new approach aims to reverse this trend by making the guidelines more accessible and relevant to everyday life.