HOUSE AG TO WRAP UP RECONCILIATION: After a lengthy business meeting on Friday, the House Agriculture Committee will continue marking up its portion of the reconciliation package this morning. The Committee is scheduled to meet this morning starting at 8 a.m. for a virtual markup with the goal of finishing the vote today. What's happened so far: Earlier last week, the Committee unveiled its part of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package. The proposal includes billions of dollars for USDA to manage national forests, increase rural development, upgrade biofuel infrastructure and conduct climate research. Notably, the draft text did not include provisions related to conservation and farm debt relief, which are still being finalized by members of the Committee. What we do know: Chair David Scott (D-Ga.) said that an additional $28 billion to boost conservation programs and climate-friendly farming would be added when the reconciliation bill goes to the House floor. Republicans offered dozens of amendments ranging from food assistance and work requirements to revoking funds for the Civilian Climate Corps, a Biden administration proposal to enlist young Americans in the fight against climate change. Read more from our Ryan McCrimmon on how the Committee last left off. What's next: The Committee still has to vote on over two dozen amendments proposed by Republican members before getting to a final vote. All House committees have until Wednesday to wrap up their respective parts of the package. EYES ON HOUSE JUDICIARY: The House Judiciary Committee will take up its part of the reconciliation bill, which will include immigration provisions to legalize farmworkers and other essential workers. On Friday, Democrats presented the case to the Senate parliamentarian that they should be allowed to include language that would extend legal status to millions of migrants, report POLITICO's Marianne LeVine and Sabrina Rodriguez. A final decision could come as soon as early this week. The arguments at hand: Democrats' central argument is that offering green cards to certain undocumented immigrants would unlock federal benefits for them, causing effects on the budget that they say are a substantial, direct and an intended result. The Congressional Budget Office's preliminary estimate is that the immigration language in the party's forthcoming social spending bill would increase budget deficits by $139.6 billion over a 10-year period, Democratic aides said. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary and Budget Committees did not provide specifics about their arguments, though the GOP is broadly countering that the immigration reform planks of the bill are extraneous and shouldn't proceed with a simple-majority Senate vote. Final plan remains unclear: While Democrats have vowed to include legalization, the exact language of their proposal remains unclear. The current text to be marked up this morning doesn't include legalization language for farmworkers and essential workers. What ag leaders want: For months, agricultural leaders and some workers' rights groups have been lobbying for the Farm Work Force Modernization Act, or some legislation that ties legalization to agriculture working requirements without visa caps for employers. ICYMI: The National Pork Producers Council last week called on Congress to include an expansion of H-2A visas to year-round agricultural workers without caps. COMPETITION COUNCIL COMMENCES: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke on Friday about efforts to bring down beef prices during the Biden administration's first White House Competition Council meeting, reports Pro Technology's Leah Nylen. The council also discussed removing requirements for agricultural manufacturers that block independent repair shops from fixing tractors and other machinery, according to the Associated Press. USDA CELEBRATES CRP NUMBERS: USDA accepted offers for more than 2.5 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners for enrollment through this year's Grassland Conservation Reserve Program signup. By the numbers: This is double last year's enrollment and brings the total acres enrolled across all CRP sign ups in 2021 to more than 5.3 million acres, surpassing USDA's 4-million-acre goal. Producers and landowners submitted offers for nearly 4 million acres in Grassland CRP, the highest in the signup's history. The top submitters included Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, and New Mexico. MA readers may recall that there is skepticism about the program, despite some support from environmental groups. | 
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