WASHINGTON--Cyndi Johnson was one of the Farm Bureau state presidents from across the country, along with Farm Bureau’s national committee chairs, who joined American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall at the White House to hear from several Cabinet members, administration officials, and senior White House staff. It was a morning filled with good discussions about Farm Bureau’s priority issues. Speakers took questions from state presidents and expressed appreciation to Farm Bureau leaders for their time in Washington, sharing agriculture’s story.  

Speakers included Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. During the meeting, Rollins announced that agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).

Topics discussed included the farm economy, preserving family farms, USDA Disaster Assistance, trade, labor, and the Make America Healthy Again Initiative. Regulatory reforms surrounding the Waters of the U.S. Rule and the Endangered Species Act were also part of the discussion.

Johnson, a wheat farmer from Conrad, said it’s encouraging to have cabinet leaders who care deeply about farmers and ranchers.

“Rollins talked about the relief assistance and celebrating the One Big Beautiful Bill passage, which will be beneficial to agriculture,” said Johnson. “Administrator Zeldin assured us that the EPA will not take away the tools that farmers and ranchers need to continue to produce food. He said we shouldn’t need to hire lawyers to fight rules that make it difficult to farm and ranch. It was also exciting to learn that American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall met with President Donald Trump to discuss what’s on the minds of America’s farmers and ranchers, including low commodity prices and tariffs.”

Johnson, who is attending this week’s AFBF Council of Presidents with MFBF Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Nicole Rolf, this week has visited with the Senate and House Majority Ag Committees, received updates from a panel of USDA officials, and visited with Montana’s Congressmen, as well as attended the American Farm Bureau Board Meeting.

“We met with the staff of both our senatorial and congressional staff who gave us encouraging updates on the progress of seeing a farm bill as well as celebrating the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill and how it can assist farmers and ranchers in passing on their farms and ranches to future generations,” Johnson said. “We are looking forward to meeting with the Department of the Interior to discuss public lands issues.”