After a two-week spring district work period, both chambers of Congress are scheduled to return to Washington on April 14. Lawmakers are coming back to a full plate — with several unresolved and contentious issues on the agenda.
Other than the war in Iran, the most pressing item is the ongoing partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which has now dragged on since February 14. The House passed a short-term bill to fund DHS through May 22, but the Senate passed a different version that would fund most of the department except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection. The two chambers went into recess without reconciling those bills.
Republican leaders in both chambers have coalesced around a two-track approach: passing a bipartisan bill to fund most of DHS and reopen the agency, while separately pursuing budget reconciliation to fund ICE and Customs and Border Protection — allowing those priorities to pass with a simple Senate majority without needing Democratic votes.
Of note to the chicken industry, House Appropriations subcommittees have scheduled hearings next week on President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget requests:
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins will testify before the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
- Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will testify before the House Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee on Thursday at 11 a.m.
WHAT HAPPENED? The U.S. Court of International Trade will hear oral arguments today in New York City in State of Oregon, et al. v. Trump, a lawsuit brought by 24 states challenging the administration’s use of Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose a new round of global tariffs. The action follows the Supreme Court’s February 20 ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to unilaterally set tariffs — prompting the administration to pursue tariffs under a different legal authority.
WHY IT MATTERS: The plaintiff states argue the tariffs violate the Constitution’s separation of powers and do not meet Section 122’s statutory requirements. The effective U.S. tariff rate now stands at roughly 8 percent — more than double the 3 percent rate in place before January 2025. States estimate they face at least $748 million per year in additional costs.
NEXT STEPS: The three-judge panel will decide whether to block the tariffs while the case proceeds. Any ruling is expected to be appealed, potentially returning the matter to the Supreme Court.
WHAT HAPPENED? The Joint Poultry Industry Safety Award Program recently announced it is accepting applications from poultry industry facilities that have demonstrated exceptional safety programs.
WHO CAN APPLY? This award program is open to members of the National Chicken Council (NCC), National Turkey Federation (NTF), and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY). Eligible facilities include poultry processing plants, further processing facilities, egg processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills, animal support services and rendering facilities. To qualify, applicants must have implemented innovative and effective safety programs as well as have maintained injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years.
WHY IT MATTERS: The poultry processing industry has demonstrated consistent and remarkable improvement in worker safety training, programs and results. According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the poultry industry reported an injury rate of 2.4 per 100 full-time workers. This marks a 90% reduction from 1994, when the recorded rate was 22.7, the oldest data available from BLS.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Working safely is part of our industry’s values of taking care of our folks,” said Rick Hellinga, senior director of Safety, Health and Loss Prevention at Simmons Foods and chair of the Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council. “Our workforce is at the heart of producing nutritious, affordable food, and the industry is continually advancing safety practices, training and technology to reduce workplace hazards. As a result, we have seen meaningful progress in reducing injuries and illnesses over the years.”
NCC’s TAKE: We encourage members to apply for the awards and highlight their tremendous progress in advancing worker safety.
NEXT STEPS: Award program rules, regulations and application forms can be accessed here. The application deadline is May 15. The annual awards will be presented during the National Safety Conference for the Poultry Industry, Aug. 17-19, at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Fla.
Online registration is now open for the National Chicken Council’s 2026 Summer Board of Directors Meeting, which will be held June 11-13 in Jackson Hole, WY. This meeting will offer a unique opportunity to discuss important matters and collaborate with fellow industry leaders. It is open to NCC board members, allied leader representatives, and invited guests only.
For more information, questions, sponsorship opportunities, or to register, please contact Polina Burko at [email protected].
The National Chicken Council is most grateful for the continuing support of our sponsors:
| 
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
| 
|
