Does not matter: Feds outline how to protect seafood workers from pandemic — Corn staters to Wheeler: No SREs! — Second round of U.S.-U.K. trade talks wrap up today

Jun 26, 2020

Presented by the Almond Board of California

With help from Eric Wolff and Doug Palmer

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Quick Fix

— Summer salmon season has arrived in Alaska, and with that, a jump in coronavirus cases among seafood workers. The federal government put out guidance on how to protect employees in the essential industry.

— Corn-state senators are united in their push for EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to reject dozens of requests from refiners for exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard.

— U.S. and U.K. negotiators could announce today that they've reached agreement on several chapters expected to be in a bilateral free trade deal. But contentious agricultural issues between the two sides remain.

A message from the Almond Board of California:

The California almonds community is on a sustainable journey, raising the bar on farming and processing practices along the way. Since 1973, the community has supported $89 million in research encompassing almonds' impact on human health, ensuring food quality and safety, and improving farming practices while minimizing environmental impacts. Learn more at Almonds.com/Growing-Good.

HAPPY FRIDAY, JUNE 26! Welcome to Morning Ag, where your host is bringing back Farm Dog Friday with the introduction of her part-time farm dog, Lucille Butterbean. Send in your pups to lcrampton@politico.com and @liz_crampton , and follow us @Morning_Ag.

Driving the Day

FEDS OUTLINE HOW TO PROTECT SEAFOOD WORKERS FROM PANDEMIC: The CDC on Thursday released new guidance to protect seafood workers from Covid-19 as cases spike among employees in the sector. It instructs employers to develop a plan for assessing and controlling the spread of the virus as workers have close contact with one another, increasing their risk. The recommendations also note that communal housing and living quarters onboard vessels for seasonal workers may also increase their chances of infection.

The guidance from the CDC , developed in consultation with the FDA, repeats most of the same recommendations for other essential industries, such as instructing employers to screen workers by taking temperatures and checking for symptoms, installing physical barriers and implementing sanitary measures, and using personal protective gear.

But the guidance does consider the seafood industry's unique challenges, such as what to do when an employee offshore tests positive (isolation from the rest of the crew) and suggests that employers consider quarantining workers for two weeks before heading out to sea.

Alarm in Alaska: The federal government's input comes as Alaska fishing towns are seeing a jump in cases. Twelve OBI Seafood workers in Dillingham, a hub of the Bristol Bay fishing district, tested positive this week while in quarantine, reports Alaska Public Media. Alaskans have been nervous about cases increasing in conjunction with workers arriving for the summer salmon season.

Speaking of seafood... Maine lawmakers were happy to see President Donald Trump's order to the Agriculture Department to extend bailout funds initially meant for farmers burned by retaliatory tariffs from the trade war with China to lobster fishermen who have seen demand for their exports dry up in recent months. Maine Sens. Angus King (I) and Susan Collins (R), along with Rep. Chellie Pingree (D), called the decision "encouraging" in a joint statement, saying they've been pushing for aid to the ailing industry for months.

GO BEYOND OUR BORDERS FROM YOUR HOME: The coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate parts of the world, and a vaccine remains out of reach. Our Global Translations newsletter, presented by Bank of America, focuses on impactful global news, trends and decisions layered with critical contextual analysis from the world's sharpest minds. From how the world is reckoning with systemic racism to how different countries are combating the latest Covid-19 spikes, Global Translations offers a unique perspective that you won't find anywhere else. SUBSCRIBE HERE.

MAY WAS DEADLIEST MONTH FOR MEATPACKING WORKERS: Over the past 100 days, 238 employees with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents meatpacking, grocery store and health care workers, have died from Covid-19 and nearly 29,000 have been infected or exposed, the union reported on Thursday.

At least 65 meatpacking workers have died from the virus. April saw the biggest spike in new cases at meat processing plants, the union said, and May was the deadliest month for the industry with 38 workers deaths.

In food processing facilities, there have been at least 28 worker deaths, the group said. April was the deadliest month for the industry with 19 deaths — that month also saw the biggest spike in cases.

The union reupped its call for hazard pay for essential workers, as well as a $15 per hour wage. Leaders also want to see a public mask mandate in all 50 states, as well as a national public registry to track infections in workers.

CORN STATERS TO WHEELER: NO SREs! A bipartisan group of 18 corn-state senators is calling on Wheeler to reject 52 requests from refiners for exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The senators, in a letter led by Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), lean on EPA to deny refiners' request for waivers from RFS requirements for this year and ask Wheeler to apply nationally a 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision rejecting refinery exemptions. But their focus is on the requests from refiners for exemptions dating back as far as 2011.

"The approval of [small refinery exemptions] for past compliance years at this moment would only worsen the unprecedented economic challenges facing the biofuels industry and the rural communities that it supports," they write. "EPA must deny these petitions and apply the 10th Circuit decision nationally."

Trade Corner

SECOND ROUND OF U.S.-U.K. TALKS WRAP UP TODAY: U.S. and U.K. negotiators could announce today that they've reached agreement on some of the 30 or more chapters expected to be in a bilateral free trade deal. If not, that would be a bad sign for U.K. hopes of completing and signing the agreement before the U.S. presidential election.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told members of Congress last week that the two sides have begun exchanging text for the proposed deal and that he hoped "at least a couple of chapters" could be closed out this week. (Worth noting: Lighthizer has since threatened more tariffs on British exports in a long-running dispute over European subsidies for Airbus.)

The meat of the matter: To get a deal before November, the two sides have to resolve contentious agricultural issues, including the U.K.'s food safety and animal welfare regulations that keep out imports of U.S. beef, poultry and pork because of the veterinary drugs used by American farmers and ranchers or how the animals are processed at slaughter facilities.

By the numbers: The U.S. exported more than $13 billion worth of beef and pork products to countries around the world in 2019, but only $3.9 million to the U.K., according to USDA data. The figures are similarly dismal for poultry. The U.S. exported nearly $4.3 billion of poultry meat to the rest of the world last year, but only $420,000 to the U.K.

FOR CRITICAL NEWS AND CONTEXT YOU NEED IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS, LISTEN TO POLITICO DISPATCH: Coronavirus cases continue to spike as states take steps to reopen. Americans are demanding action from lawmakers to address racial injustice and police reform. How do you keep up with the never-ending news cycle? For quick analysis on the essential news of the day, listen to POLITICO Dispatch, our short daily podcast that keeps you up to date on the most important news affecting your life. Subscribe and listen today.

Row Crops

— R.J. Karney, the director of congressional relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation, spoke to POLITICO's Jacqueline Feldscher about the new Keep Working GPS Coalition, which aims to get legislation passed that will hold Ligado Networks liable if its 5G network interferes with signals from the space-based navigation system. Read the Q&A here.

— The House Rules Committee will meet on Monday to discuss the massive infrastructure package from House Democrats, reports Pro Transportation's Tanya Snyder.

— The GAO on Thursday called on the Trump Administration to get more serious about policing the small business rescue program after finding a significant risk of fraud and resistance to oversight at the agency running the bailout. Read more about the watchdog report from Pro Financial Services' Zachary Warmbrodt.

— The House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a rule change that pretty much ends the chances for the chamber to vote later this summer on a resolution to withdraw from the World Trade Organization, reports Pro Trade's Doug Palmer.

— Michigan officials are warning about the danger an invasive pest, the spotted lanternfly, could pose to more than 70 crops and plants if the insect makes its way to the state for the first time, reports ABC 12 WJRT.

— The International Dairy Foods Association hired Becky Rasdall as vice president for trade policy and international affairs. She was previously a senior policy adviser at USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, per POLITICO Influence.

A message from the Almond Board of California:

Recognizing its role as a leader in California agriculture and global almond production, the California almond community is working to grow almonds in better, safer and healthier ways, protecting our communities and the environment. With targets across zero waste, water efficiency, pest management and air quality, the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals build off decades of previous achievements and represent the almond community's public commitment to continuous improvement. The Almond Board of California supports this effort by funding essential scientific research, programs and farmer outreach. Learn more about the California almond community and our commitment to continuous improvement at Almonds.com/2025Goals.