**Animal welfare activists are optimistic a series of bills they’re pushing have enough bipartisan support to get included in both the House and Senate versions of a new farm bill. At the same time, activists are bracing for a possible battle over attempts to block individual states from regulating the way farm animals are produced.

Agri-Pulse reports at least three amendments have a chance of making the farm bill: One would outlaw trade in meat from dogs and cats. A second would prohibit practices, called “soring,” that are used to give horses an exaggerated gait. The third, called the Pet and Women Safety Act, would provide protections for pets in domestic violence cases.

**Discounting President Trump’s repeated negative comments, in speeches and in tweets, the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement is moving quickly, positively and without animosity, according to inside sources.

In a Sunday morning tweet that left officials scratching their heads, the president said, “We are in the NAFTA (worst trade deal ever made) renegotiation process with Mexico & Canada. Both being very difficult, may have to terminate?”

Negotiators are on an accelerated schedule to try to wrap up the NAFTA overhaul by the end of the year.

**Hopes run high for enacting long-overdue federal legislation to upgrade the nation’s neglected infrastructure.

Initially, President Trump’s promised $1 trillion package looked like a prime opportunity for bipartisan agreement on upgrading everything from bridges and highways to ports, pipelines, transmission lines and the energy grid.

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