Retracting Regulations; Beef & Pork Trade with Japan

President Donald Trump is soon expected to begin signing a growing stack of fast-tracked legislation aimed at eliminating many Obama administration rules and regulations.

Trump’s commitment to slashing federal regulations, particularly those dealing with energy and the environment, is well established.

Last November, in the wake of his unexpected victory, Trump released a video promising to cancel job-killing restrictions on the production of American energy, including shale energy and clean coal, creating many millions of high-paying jobs.

U.S. beef and pork producers are hoping the meeting tomorrow between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will lead to a bilateral trade deal that reduces tariffs on U.S. exports.

Japan was a key member of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council had hoped the trade pact would boost U.S. exports.

Both groups strongly supported the TPP before Trump pulled the U.S. out of it.

Joel Leftwich is stepping down as majority staff director for the Senate Ag Committee and will be replaced by James Glueck, a senior policy adviser for the panel who has experience at the Agriculture Department and in the private sector.

Leftwich, a longtime aide to Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas, and a former lobbyist for PepsiCo, is leaving yo pursue other interests.

Glueck, a Canyon, Texas native, has been on the committee staff since March 2013.