Trade Associations
Here's a look at documents from national and international trade associations
Featured Stories
SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Appointed to America Makes Executive Committee
SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, Aug. 20 -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers issued the following news release:
* * *
SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Appointed to America Makes Executive Committee
Industry leader and additive manufacturing expert Dr. Brett Conner will help guide strategy and accelerate U.S. manufacturing innovation during two-year term
-
SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Dr. Brett Conner has been appointed to a two-year term on the Executive Committee of America Makes, the nation's leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM). In this role, he will help shape ... Show Full Article SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, Aug. 20 -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers issued the following news release: * * * SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Appointed to America Makes Executive Committee Industry leader and additive manufacturing expert Dr. Brett Conner will help guide strategy and accelerate U.S. manufacturing innovation during two-year term - SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Dr. Brett Conner has been appointed to a two-year term on the Executive Committee of America Makes, the nation's leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM). In this role, he will help shapeinitiatives that advance additive manufacturing adoption, workforce development and manufacturing innovation across U.S. manufacturing.
Conner, who joined SME in 2025 as the nonprofit's first-ever chief manufacturing officer, will help guide America Makes' strategy, policy and advocacy efforts as part of a leadership group representing government, academia, nonprofits and industry. Through the appointment, Conner will contribute SME's perspective to initiatives focused on accelerating additive manufacturing adoption and helping build the skilled workforce, industry-accepted credentials and partnerships with state, regional and national stakeholders needed for sustained success.
America Makes also recently recognized Conner with a Distinguished Collaborator Award during its annual Members Meeting and Exchange in Youngstown, Ohio. The award recognizes Conner for his contributions to advancing AM technology and strengthening collaboration within the AM ecosystem.
"It is a tremendous honor to join the America Makes Executive Committee and contribute to efforts that advance additive manufacturing across the United States," Conner said. "America Makes and SME have worked closely together since the organization's founding in 2012, and I am excited to build on that longstanding relationship while helping drive innovation and growth throughout the manufacturing industry."
Conner brings years of both industry and academia experience with additive manufacturing to the role, having previously served as director of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Center at Youngstown State University and as co-founder of the additive manufacturing startup Freshmade 3D, among other roles prior to joining SME. He is also a U.S. Air Force veteran and holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"SME and America Makes share a commitment to strengthening U.S. manufacturing through the adoption of advanced technologies like additive manufacturing," Conner said. "Serving on the Executive Committee provides an opportunity to help align our efforts, foster greater collaboration and advance innovation across the industry."
SME and America Makes have partnered on initiatives and programs over the years, such as developing the first additive manufacturing certification and delivering additive training online to companies during COVID. Earlier this year, America Makes' Spring Technical Review and Exchange (TRX) conference took place in conjunction with SME's RAPID + TCT industrial additive manufacturing event for the second time, providing attendees of both events with valuable opportunities to network and build relationships across the industry. America Makes will co-locate its Spring TRX in Detroit again in 2027 alongside RAPID + TCT.
* * *
About SME
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.sme.org/aboutsme/newsroom/press-releases/2026/sme-chief-manufacturing-officer-appointed-to-america-makes-executive-committee/
[Category: Business]
* * *
SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Appointed to America Makes Executive Committee
Industry leader and additive manufacturing expert Dr. Brett Conner will help guide strategy and accelerate U.S. manufacturing innovation during two-year term
-
SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Dr. Brett Conner has been appointed to a two-year term on the Executive Committee of America Makes, the nation's leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM). In this role, he will help shape ... Show Full Article SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, Aug. 20 -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers issued the following news release: * * * SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Appointed to America Makes Executive Committee Industry leader and additive manufacturing expert Dr. Brett Conner will help guide strategy and accelerate U.S. manufacturing innovation during two-year term - SME Chief Manufacturing Officer Dr. Brett Conner has been appointed to a two-year term on the Executive Committee of America Makes, the nation's leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM). In this role, he will help shapeinitiatives that advance additive manufacturing adoption, workforce development and manufacturing innovation across U.S. manufacturing.
Conner, who joined SME in 2025 as the nonprofit's first-ever chief manufacturing officer, will help guide America Makes' strategy, policy and advocacy efforts as part of a leadership group representing government, academia, nonprofits and industry. Through the appointment, Conner will contribute SME's perspective to initiatives focused on accelerating additive manufacturing adoption and helping build the skilled workforce, industry-accepted credentials and partnerships with state, regional and national stakeholders needed for sustained success.
America Makes also recently recognized Conner with a Distinguished Collaborator Award during its annual Members Meeting and Exchange in Youngstown, Ohio. The award recognizes Conner for his contributions to advancing AM technology and strengthening collaboration within the AM ecosystem.
"It is a tremendous honor to join the America Makes Executive Committee and contribute to efforts that advance additive manufacturing across the United States," Conner said. "America Makes and SME have worked closely together since the organization's founding in 2012, and I am excited to build on that longstanding relationship while helping drive innovation and growth throughout the manufacturing industry."
Conner brings years of both industry and academia experience with additive manufacturing to the role, having previously served as director of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Center at Youngstown State University and as co-founder of the additive manufacturing startup Freshmade 3D, among other roles prior to joining SME. He is also a U.S. Air Force veteran and holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"SME and America Makes share a commitment to strengthening U.S. manufacturing through the adoption of advanced technologies like additive manufacturing," Conner said. "Serving on the Executive Committee provides an opportunity to help align our efforts, foster greater collaboration and advance innovation across the industry."
SME and America Makes have partnered on initiatives and programs over the years, such as developing the first additive manufacturing certification and delivering additive training online to companies during COVID. Earlier this year, America Makes' Spring Technical Review and Exchange (TRX) conference took place in conjunction with SME's RAPID + TCT industrial additive manufacturing event for the second time, providing attendees of both events with valuable opportunities to network and build relationships across the industry. America Makes will co-locate its Spring TRX in Detroit again in 2027 alongside RAPID + TCT.
* * *
About SME
Established in 1932 as a nonprofit organization, SME represents the manufacturing industry, including manufacturers, academia, professionals, students, and the communities in which they operate. We believe manufacturing holds the key to economic growth and prosperity, and champion the industry's potential as a diverse, thriving, and valued ecosystem. SME accelerates new technology adoption and builds talent and capabilities to advance manufacturing and drive competitiveness, resiliency, and national security. SME designs new ways to understand and solve problems, and our solutions advance the next wave of growth in manufacturing. Learn more at SME.org.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.sme.org/aboutsme/newsroom/press-releases/2026/sme-chief-manufacturing-officer-appointed-to-america-makes-executive-committee/
[Category: Business]
National Farmers Union Issues Letter to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The National Farmers Union issued the following letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee:
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 5, 2026
The Honorable John Boozman
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
Dear Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar:
On behalf of America's family farm organization, I write as the Senate ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The National Farmers Union issued the following letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 5, 2026 The Honorable John Boozman Chairman Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Amy Klobuchar Ranking Member Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - Dear Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar: On behalf of America's family farm organization, I write as the SenateAgriculture Committee prepares to debate farm bill legislation this week.
After years of delays, family farmers and ranchers need a bipartisan farm bill that addresses today's challenges and strengthens our food system for the future. We are encouraged by the improvements in the most recent bill text, especially permanently authorizing year-round E15 fuel, which would create additional market opportunities for family farmers while lowering fuel prices for American consumers.
But as currently drafted, the legislation does not rise to meet the challenges family farmers are facing. Low commodity prices, persistently high production costs, agricultural trade disruptions, weather-related losses, and uncertainty stemming from geopolitical tensions are straining operations and driving poor economic conditions across much of rural America. Decades of growing corporate consolidation have further eroded access to fair and competitive markets.
We need a farm bill that makes meaningful reforms to the farm safety net, provides funding for local and regional food procurement programs, reinstates country-of-origin labeling, and strengthens protections for livestock producers under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
Improvements to farm policy should not come at the expense of nutrition programs that help Americans across the country put food on the table. A strong farm bill would build a connection between the families that produce our food and the families who consume it. A better balance must be struck.
We urge the Committee to continue working through these issues to improve the legislation so it can earn broad support from producers and consumers.
Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to advancing a bipartisan farm bill. We look forward to working with you to ensure the final legislation provides meaningful support for America's family farmers and ranchers.
Sincerely,
Rob Larew, President
* * *
Original text here: https://nfu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/08-05-26-NFU-Letter-Senate-Farm-Bill-markup.pdf
News Release here: https://nfu.org/news/nfu-urges-senate-agriculture-committee-to-strengthen-farm-bill/
[Category: Agriculture]
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 5, 2026
The Honorable John Boozman
Chairman
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
Ranking Member
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
Dear Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar:
On behalf of America's family farm organization, I write as the Senate ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The National Farmers Union issued the following letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 5, 2026 The Honorable John Boozman Chairman Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Amy Klobuchar Ranking Member Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - Dear Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar: On behalf of America's family farm organization, I write as the SenateAgriculture Committee prepares to debate farm bill legislation this week.
After years of delays, family farmers and ranchers need a bipartisan farm bill that addresses today's challenges and strengthens our food system for the future. We are encouraged by the improvements in the most recent bill text, especially permanently authorizing year-round E15 fuel, which would create additional market opportunities for family farmers while lowering fuel prices for American consumers.
But as currently drafted, the legislation does not rise to meet the challenges family farmers are facing. Low commodity prices, persistently high production costs, agricultural trade disruptions, weather-related losses, and uncertainty stemming from geopolitical tensions are straining operations and driving poor economic conditions across much of rural America. Decades of growing corporate consolidation have further eroded access to fair and competitive markets.
We need a farm bill that makes meaningful reforms to the farm safety net, provides funding for local and regional food procurement programs, reinstates country-of-origin labeling, and strengthens protections for livestock producers under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
Improvements to farm policy should not come at the expense of nutrition programs that help Americans across the country put food on the table. A strong farm bill would build a connection between the families that produce our food and the families who consume it. A better balance must be struck.
We urge the Committee to continue working through these issues to improve the legislation so it can earn broad support from producers and consumers.
Thank you for your leadership and your commitment to advancing a bipartisan farm bill. We look forward to working with you to ensure the final legislation provides meaningful support for America's family farmers and ranchers.
Sincerely,
Rob Larew, President
* * *
Original text here: https://nfu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/08-05-26-NFU-Letter-Senate-Farm-Bill-markup.pdf
News Release here: https://nfu.org/news/nfu-urges-senate-agriculture-committee-to-strengthen-farm-bill/
[Category: Agriculture]
National Corn Growers Association Issues Letter to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee
CHESTERFIELD, Missouri, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The National Corn Growers Association issued the following letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee:
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 3, 2026
The Honorable John Boozman
Chairman
328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
Ranking Member
328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar,
As the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry approaches the legislative markup for the Agricultural ... Show Full Article CHESTERFIELD, Missouri, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The National Corn Growers Association issued the following letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 3, 2026 The Honorable John Boozman Chairman 328A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Amy Klobuchar Ranking Member 328A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar, As the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry approaches the legislative markup for the AgriculturalAct of 2026, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) appreciates your work to support America's farmers, rural communities, and consumers. Corn growers support the consideration and advancement of the Agricultural Act this week.
NCGA represents 36,000 dues paying members and the interests of the broader community of 500,000 U.S. corn farmers. As a grassroots-led association, grower leaders representing NCGA and affiliated state associations have spent several years providing Congress formal input with recommendations for updating farm bill policies and programs. Corn growers from across the country have participated in listening sessions, field hearings, Congressional testimony, and meetings with their Senators to call for improvements to make USDA programs more effective, efficient, and responsive.
Corn growers have continued to call for the bipartisan development and passage of a farm bill "2.0" this Congress. Many of the NCGA endorsed farm bill marker bills and policy recommendations are reflected in this proposed legislation, and they would improve existing programs for corn growers and rural America.
This letter highlights specific policy details that are of interest or importance to our grower members. Corn growers recognize there are limited legislative days remaining in this Congress for the farm bill and E15 to pass and be signed into law. With these views considered, NCGA urges the Committee to advance the farm bill this week ahead of the planned August recess.
Year-Round E15
NCGA continues to encourage Congress to act immediately to pass pending legislation that would provide consumers nationwide with year-round access to fuel with 15% ethanol blends (E15). This deregulatory action will help corn growers and the rural economy during this difficult time and will also address issues around affordability by lowering prices at the pump. NCGA is extremely grateful that year-round E15 is included in the Agricultural Act.
Farm Bill "2.0"
NCGA's values and areas of emphasis for the farm bill are summarized by these key principles: championing initiatives important to rural America; supporting voluntary conservation programs; bolstering U.S. international market development efforts; strengthening the producer safety net and protecting federal crop insurance.
While several important and longstanding farm bill priorities for corn growers, including key investments in commodity and trade promotion programs, were addressed primarily through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in 2025, corn growers recognize that the legislation was passed via the budget reconciliation process, which limited the scope of policy provisions.
Championing initiatives important to rural America
The farm bill contains many programs and policies important to corn growers and broader constituencies across rural America, including provisions in the credit, rural development, research, energy, and miscellaneous titles.
Access to credit and rural development programs is important for corn growers to enhance their operations and innovate with precision agriculture tools. NCGA supports sections 5201 and 5202 that update loan limits for farm ownership loans and guaranteed operating loans. Corn growers also support provisions in Section 12610 that expand access and promote the adoption of precision agriculture technology. This will help to ease the financial burden of adopting precision agriculture practices.
Corn growers are supportive of the reauthorization of several key research priorities through 2031 including Section 7125 the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA), Section 7207 the Agriculture Genome to Phenome Initiative, and Section 7412 the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
Increased access and innovation to biofuels, bioproducts, and related feedstocks remain a top priority for corn growers. NCGA supports clearly defining sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as an advanced biofuel as seen in Section 9001 and the strategy to encourage the production of SAF in Section 9011. Additionally, corn growers support reauthorizing USDA's BioPreferred program through Section 9002, which expands domestic manufacturing of renewable biobased products. Improvements to Biorefinery Assistance in Section 9003 provide the U.S. with the tools to lead in research, development, and manufacturing of bioproducts.
Predictable and reliable access to critical crop protection tools is important to corn growers. NCGA supports uniformity of pesticide labeling requirements and the Supreme Court's ruling that EPA's science-based labeling decisions carry national force under FIFRA. NCGA would oppose any proposed amendments to reverse the Court's decision in the Monsanto Company v. Durnell case.
Corn growers have been raising concern about rising input costs and have offered recommendations to increase transparency, competition, and fairness in the fertilizer market. NCGA supports the inclusion of the three provisions within the fertilizer subtitle including Section 12301, which will codify the full-time Crop Input Economist within the USDA office of chief economist, Section 12302, requiring USDA to conduct and publish a report on the U.S. fertilizer industry, and Section 12303, which requires USDA to collect and publish data on fertilizer prices from manufacturers.
Supporting voluntary conservation programs
Corn growers are committed to implementing successful conservation practices on their farms. NCGA supports investments into USDA working lands conservation programs, which help corn growers continue to be good stewards of the land and play an important role in advancing the adoption of conservation practices.
NCGA supports the provisions in Sections 2403 and 2404 which would expedite the development of innovative conservation practices ensuring corn farmers have timely access to the latest, proven technologies and practices. The Agricultural Act also improves the delivery of technical assistance for producers.
Bolstering U.S. international market development efforts
Dynamic USDA trade programs boost U.S. agricultural exports, are vital to the prosperity of U.S. agriculture and related business, increase the value of agriculture exports, and provide a high value of return on the investments. NCGA strongly supported the doubling of mandatory funding for USDA trade promotion programs in the OBBBA. Corn growers support the funding allocations for the existing Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program found in Section 3204 and appreciate the efforts made to ensure that the programs are efficient and effective.
Strengthening the producer safety net and protecting federal crop insurance
In the Agricultural Act, corn growers support Section 1105 that clarifies eligibility for the storage facility loan program to include propane and fertilizer storage that is primarily used for agricultural production.
The OBBBA had multiple provisions to modify the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) commodity programs, including several recommendations from NCGA. Base acres underpin the eligibility for these commodity programs. While USDA is currently implementing a one-time voluntary opportunity to add 30 million new base acres, NCGA has concerns that the previous legislation did not provide enough new base acres nationwide, which may lead to a pro-rated allocation of these base acres. NCGA continues to advocate for meaningful reforms and updates to existing base acres to ensure that commodity program eligibility and payments more accurately reflect growers' recent planting history.
With crop insurance consistently ranked as a top farm bill program and priority for corn growers, NCGA will continue to oppose efforts to cut crop insurance programs or restrict producer accessibility to risk management tools.
Challenges in the farm economy require additional Congressional action
Along with the farm bill, NCGA urges the U.S. Senate to prioritize consideration and passage of the budget reconciliation legislation that would provide additional and much needed short-term assistance for agriculture. Swift consideration and passage of the budget resolution will ensure critical assistance provides relief for America's farmers as soon as possible.
This year is expected to be the fourth consecutive year of net income losses for corn growers with an expected loss of nearly $150 per acre and USDA has proven that the Department can deliver authorized assistance timely and accurately.
Corn growers appreciate the leadership of Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, and all Members of the Committee for their service to agriculture and rural America.
As you prepare for the business meeting to markup the Agricultural Act of 2026, NCGA supports the advancement of the legislation this week. NCGA and affiliated state associations will help defend against harmful amendments and will continue to work with Senators for additional policy enhancements. Corn growers would like to see the Agricultural Act, including year-round E15, move forward in a bipartisan manner and for the farm bill to be signed into law this year.
Sincerely,
Jed Bower, President, National Corn Growers Association
CC: Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
* * *
Original text here: https://dt176nijwh14e.cloudfront.net/file/906/FINAL%20LTTR%20TO%20HILL%20ON%20FARM%20BILL.pdf
News Release here: https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2026/08/ncga-letter-supports-action-on-senate-farm-bill
[Category: Agriculture]
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 3, 2026
The Honorable John Boozman
Chairman
328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar
Ranking Member
328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar,
As the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry approaches the legislative markup for the Agricultural ... Show Full Article CHESTERFIELD, Missouri, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The National Corn Growers Association issued the following letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 3, 2026 The Honorable John Boozman Chairman 328A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Amy Klobuchar Ranking Member 328A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar, As the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry approaches the legislative markup for the AgriculturalAct of 2026, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) appreciates your work to support America's farmers, rural communities, and consumers. Corn growers support the consideration and advancement of the Agricultural Act this week.
NCGA represents 36,000 dues paying members and the interests of the broader community of 500,000 U.S. corn farmers. As a grassroots-led association, grower leaders representing NCGA and affiliated state associations have spent several years providing Congress formal input with recommendations for updating farm bill policies and programs. Corn growers from across the country have participated in listening sessions, field hearings, Congressional testimony, and meetings with their Senators to call for improvements to make USDA programs more effective, efficient, and responsive.
Corn growers have continued to call for the bipartisan development and passage of a farm bill "2.0" this Congress. Many of the NCGA endorsed farm bill marker bills and policy recommendations are reflected in this proposed legislation, and they would improve existing programs for corn growers and rural America.
This letter highlights specific policy details that are of interest or importance to our grower members. Corn growers recognize there are limited legislative days remaining in this Congress for the farm bill and E15 to pass and be signed into law. With these views considered, NCGA urges the Committee to advance the farm bill this week ahead of the planned August recess.
Year-Round E15
NCGA continues to encourage Congress to act immediately to pass pending legislation that would provide consumers nationwide with year-round access to fuel with 15% ethanol blends (E15). This deregulatory action will help corn growers and the rural economy during this difficult time and will also address issues around affordability by lowering prices at the pump. NCGA is extremely grateful that year-round E15 is included in the Agricultural Act.
Farm Bill "2.0"
NCGA's values and areas of emphasis for the farm bill are summarized by these key principles: championing initiatives important to rural America; supporting voluntary conservation programs; bolstering U.S. international market development efforts; strengthening the producer safety net and protecting federal crop insurance.
While several important and longstanding farm bill priorities for corn growers, including key investments in commodity and trade promotion programs, were addressed primarily through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in 2025, corn growers recognize that the legislation was passed via the budget reconciliation process, which limited the scope of policy provisions.
Championing initiatives important to rural America
The farm bill contains many programs and policies important to corn growers and broader constituencies across rural America, including provisions in the credit, rural development, research, energy, and miscellaneous titles.
Access to credit and rural development programs is important for corn growers to enhance their operations and innovate with precision agriculture tools. NCGA supports sections 5201 and 5202 that update loan limits for farm ownership loans and guaranteed operating loans. Corn growers also support provisions in Section 12610 that expand access and promote the adoption of precision agriculture technology. This will help to ease the financial burden of adopting precision agriculture practices.
Corn growers are supportive of the reauthorization of several key research priorities through 2031 including Section 7125 the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA), Section 7207 the Agriculture Genome to Phenome Initiative, and Section 7412 the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
Increased access and innovation to biofuels, bioproducts, and related feedstocks remain a top priority for corn growers. NCGA supports clearly defining sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as an advanced biofuel as seen in Section 9001 and the strategy to encourage the production of SAF in Section 9011. Additionally, corn growers support reauthorizing USDA's BioPreferred program through Section 9002, which expands domestic manufacturing of renewable biobased products. Improvements to Biorefinery Assistance in Section 9003 provide the U.S. with the tools to lead in research, development, and manufacturing of bioproducts.
Predictable and reliable access to critical crop protection tools is important to corn growers. NCGA supports uniformity of pesticide labeling requirements and the Supreme Court's ruling that EPA's science-based labeling decisions carry national force under FIFRA. NCGA would oppose any proposed amendments to reverse the Court's decision in the Monsanto Company v. Durnell case.
Corn growers have been raising concern about rising input costs and have offered recommendations to increase transparency, competition, and fairness in the fertilizer market. NCGA supports the inclusion of the three provisions within the fertilizer subtitle including Section 12301, which will codify the full-time Crop Input Economist within the USDA office of chief economist, Section 12302, requiring USDA to conduct and publish a report on the U.S. fertilizer industry, and Section 12303, which requires USDA to collect and publish data on fertilizer prices from manufacturers.
Supporting voluntary conservation programs
Corn growers are committed to implementing successful conservation practices on their farms. NCGA supports investments into USDA working lands conservation programs, which help corn growers continue to be good stewards of the land and play an important role in advancing the adoption of conservation practices.
NCGA supports the provisions in Sections 2403 and 2404 which would expedite the development of innovative conservation practices ensuring corn farmers have timely access to the latest, proven technologies and practices. The Agricultural Act also improves the delivery of technical assistance for producers.
Bolstering U.S. international market development efforts
Dynamic USDA trade programs boost U.S. agricultural exports, are vital to the prosperity of U.S. agriculture and related business, increase the value of agriculture exports, and provide a high value of return on the investments. NCGA strongly supported the doubling of mandatory funding for USDA trade promotion programs in the OBBBA. Corn growers support the funding allocations for the existing Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program found in Section 3204 and appreciate the efforts made to ensure that the programs are efficient and effective.
Strengthening the producer safety net and protecting federal crop insurance
In the Agricultural Act, corn growers support Section 1105 that clarifies eligibility for the storage facility loan program to include propane and fertilizer storage that is primarily used for agricultural production.
The OBBBA had multiple provisions to modify the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) commodity programs, including several recommendations from NCGA. Base acres underpin the eligibility for these commodity programs. While USDA is currently implementing a one-time voluntary opportunity to add 30 million new base acres, NCGA has concerns that the previous legislation did not provide enough new base acres nationwide, which may lead to a pro-rated allocation of these base acres. NCGA continues to advocate for meaningful reforms and updates to existing base acres to ensure that commodity program eligibility and payments more accurately reflect growers' recent planting history.
With crop insurance consistently ranked as a top farm bill program and priority for corn growers, NCGA will continue to oppose efforts to cut crop insurance programs or restrict producer accessibility to risk management tools.
Challenges in the farm economy require additional Congressional action
Along with the farm bill, NCGA urges the U.S. Senate to prioritize consideration and passage of the budget reconciliation legislation that would provide additional and much needed short-term assistance for agriculture. Swift consideration and passage of the budget resolution will ensure critical assistance provides relief for America's farmers as soon as possible.
This year is expected to be the fourth consecutive year of net income losses for corn growers with an expected loss of nearly $150 per acre and USDA has proven that the Department can deliver authorized assistance timely and accurately.
Corn growers appreciate the leadership of Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, and all Members of the Committee for their service to agriculture and rural America.
As you prepare for the business meeting to markup the Agricultural Act of 2026, NCGA supports the advancement of the legislation this week. NCGA and affiliated state associations will help defend against harmful amendments and will continue to work with Senators for additional policy enhancements. Corn growers would like to see the Agricultural Act, including year-round E15, move forward in a bipartisan manner and for the farm bill to be signed into law this year.
Sincerely,
Jed Bower, President, National Corn Growers Association
CC: Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
* * *
Original text here: https://dt176nijwh14e.cloudfront.net/file/906/FINAL%20LTTR%20TO%20HILL%20ON%20FARM%20BILL.pdf
News Release here: https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2026/08/ncga-letter-supports-action-on-senate-farm-bill
[Category: Agriculture]
Entrepreneurs' Organization: How An Employee Ownership Trust Made It Possible to Exit on My Terms
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Aug. 20 -- Entrepreneurs' Organization issued the following Q&A on Aug. 19, 2026, involving founder and trust protector of Ocaquatics Miren Oca:
* * *
How An Employee Ownership Trust Made It Possible to Exit on My Terms
After three decades of building her company, Miren Oca realized she was not interested in the highest bidder; she wanted the best steward to guide the company forward. Her journey to employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) offers founders an exit path designed to preserve culture, purpose, and opportunity for the people who helped build ... Show Full Article ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Aug. 20 -- Entrepreneurs' Organization issued the following Q&A on Aug. 19, 2026, involving founder and trust protector of Ocaquatics Miren Oca: * * * How An Employee Ownership Trust Made It Possible to Exit on My Terms After three decades of building her company, Miren Oca realized she was not interested in the highest bidder; she wanted the best steward to guide the company forward. Her journey to employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) offers founders an exit path designed to preserve culture, purpose, and opportunity for the people who helped buildthe business.
After spending years building your company, exiting is one of the most complex and consequential decisions an entrepreneur will make. To support members on their exit journeys, EO Women will host an Exit Strategy Roundtable. on 27 August. The interactive virtual event will showcase first-person perspectives about multiple different exit options so members who are considering their exit strategy can learn from the personal experience of others.
Miren Oca, an EO South Florida member who exited her business in 2024 through an Employee Ownership Trust, is one of the featured speakers for the Exit Strategy Roundtable. We asked Miren to share her journey ahead of the event:
Why I Started My Company
When I started Ocaquatics in 1994, I wasn't thinking about an exit strategy. I was 22 years old, teaching swimming lessons because I loved helping children become safer around the water. I was also a single mother with a young toddler who needed to make ends meet. I had no investors, no grand business plan, and certainly no vision that one day we would become what we have grown into today.
Over the next three decades, Ocaquatics grew into five purpose-built indoor swim schools, more than 160 team members, and over 3 million swim lessons taught. While I am proud of that growth, what I'm most proud of is the culture we built together.
Long before we became employee-owned, our purpose was simple: To make a positive difference for our team, our families, our community, and our planet. That purpose guided many of the decisions we made over the years.
How EO Impacted My Journey
I became a member of EO in September 2017. Through EO, I connected with incredible entrepreneurs around the world who use business to solve meaningful problems. My company became a Certified B Corporation. in 2022 because we believed business could be a force for good.
I have since become involved with EO groups that help members pursue B Corp certification,. and I love seeing more founders embrace that framework. I think B Corp is an incredible model for values-aligned entrepreneurs who want to demonstrate that profit and purpose can absolutely coexist.
EO has had an enormous impact on my journey as a leader. My Forum has challenged me, supported me through difficult decisions, and helped me become a better entrepreneur. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from sitting in a room with my fellow Forum members who asked me better questions than I was asking myself.
One of those questions eventually became: "What happens to this company when I'm no longer leading it?"
People often assume founders begin thinking about succession when they are ready to retire.
That wasn't true for me.
My Exit Strategy Journey
I was first approached by a private equity firm that wanted to buy my company in June 2014.
Around that same time, my son, who had grown up in the business and worked alongside me for years, made it clear that he didn't want to run "Mom's company."
While that was a difficult conversation, it was also an important one. It forced me to realize that family succession wasn't the future, as I had imagined.
Over the following years, I met with private equity firms and explored traditional exit options. Every conversation left me with the same feeling: They were buying a business.
Yet I was trying to protect something much bigger.
I wasn't just thinking about revenue or valuation. I was thinking about 30 years of relationships. About the team members who helped build the company. About our purpose. About our community. About whether Ocaquatics would still feel like Ocaquatics 10 years after I stepped away.
How The Pandemic Changed My Perspective
Then March of 2020 happened. Like so many businesses, we were forced to close our doors overnight.
On March 13, I had to lay off 100 part-time team members. It remains the hardest day of my professional life.
For the first time, I experienced what it might feel like to lose the business I had spent my life building. I was not sure when we would be allowed to reopen, or if we would survive. But we stuck together as a team, and when we were finally allowed to reopen three months later, 98 percent of our team came back.
That experience changed me. People didn't come back because of a job. They came back because of each other. They came back because they believed in what we had built together.
I realized something I hadn't fully appreciated before: I was exploring succession options. But maybe this was even more important.
I was not just looking for a buyer. I was searching for alignment. And that eventually led me to broad-based employee ownership. I wanted the people who had helped build Ocaquatics to share in its future success.
Once I became clear on that goal, I started researching every employee ownership model I could find.
I explored worker cooperatives. I explored Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Both are incredible ownership models that create life-changing opportunities for employees. But as I dug deeper into how each one worked, neither felt like the right fit.
Finding the Right Fit: An Employee Ownership Trust
Then I discovered the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
Honestly, I was surprised I had never heard of it. The more I learned, the more I realized it wasn't simply another ownership model. It was the one that aligned with everything I was trying to accomplish.
Instead of concentrating ownership in the hands of another buyer, the trust owns the company on behalf of eligible employees. Team members don't have to purchase shares or take on personal financial risk. Instead, they become beneficiaries of the trust and share in the company's long-term success.
For me, the EOT checked every box:
* It rewarded the people who had helped create the company's success.
* It protected the purpose and culture we had spent three decades building.
* It allowed the company to remain independent and locally rooted.
* It gave me confidence that Ocaquatics could continue creating positive impact long after I was gone.
I wasn't interested in the highest bidder; I was looking for the best steward. In the end, I realized the best steward wasn't another company. It was the people who had helped build this one.
On March 1, 2024, Ocaquatics became 100 percent employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust, making us -- to the best of our knowledge -- the first swim school in the world to make this transition and the first company in Florida to adopt the EOT ownership model.
The legal transaction itself was like a typical M&A transaction. It required thoughtful legal, financial, tax, and governance planning. But the idea behind it is beautifully simple: Create a structure that allows the company to continue benefiting the people who help create its success while protecting its purpose for generations to come.
Today, Ocaquatics is owned by the trust on behalf of our eligible employee-owners. An independent trustee has the responsibility of ensuring the trust operates for the benefit of those employee-owners while protecting the company's long-term purpose. I serve as the trust protector for now.
When we announced the transition to our team, there was plenty of confusion at first. Employee ownership wasn't something most people had ever heard of. As we explained the trust, answered questions, and talked about what ownership truly means, confusion gradually turned into excitement, pride, and possibility. We continue investing a great deal of time helping our employee-owners understand what this means, because ownership isn't just a legal document.
It's a mindset.
Life After the Transition
I'm still the CEO of Ocaquatics, but I see my role differently today.
The ownership transition is complete. Now, I have the opportunity to focus on the leadership transition.
I've had the privilege of leading this company for 32 years, and I still have a few more years in me. During this next chapter, my responsibility is to continue developing our leaders, strengthening our culture, and preparing the next generation to carry the company forward.
I no longer think of myself simply as the owner. I think of myself as the steward. My goal is to ensure Ocaquatics is even stronger when I eventually hand over the leadership role than it was when I transferred ownership.
Why an EOT Instead of an ESOP?
People often ask whether an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is better than an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
I don't think that is the right question. They are both outstanding ownership models. ESOPs have helped thousands of companies create employee ownership with an incredible track record. Worker cooperatives have also created meaningful ownership opportunities for countless employees.
The EOT simply turned out to be the best fit for Ocaquatics.
One of the reasons is that an EOT is built on the framework of a Perpetual Purpose Trust. The trust doesn't simply hold ownership on behalf of employees; it also protects the long-term purpose of the company. That was incredibly important to me because I wasn't just thinking about who would own the business after I was gone. I was thinking about how we could preserve the mission, culture, and values that had guided us for more than three decades.
For me, succession wasn't only about transferring ownership. It was about protecting purpose. The important thing isn't choosing one ownership model over another -- it's that founders know these options exist.
Too many entrepreneurs believe they only have a few paths available when it's time to exit.
I certainly did.
I want founders to know there are alternatives that can preserve culture, protect purpose, keep businesses locally rooted, and create opportunities for the people who helped build them.
My Message for the EO Women Exit Strategy Roundtable
At the EO Women Exit Strategy Roundtable, I hope to encourage founders to start thinking about succession much earlier than they think they need to.
An exit strategy is not just another financial transaction; it is one of the most important leadership decisions you will ever make as a business owner.
I don't believe employee ownership is right for every company, just as I don't believe private equity is wrong for every company. Or family succession. Or selling to a strategic buyer. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Every founder has different goals, different values, and different circumstances to consider.
But I do believe every founder deserves to understand all of their options before making one of the biggest decisions of their entrepreneurial journey.
For me, the question that changed everything wasn't, "Who should own my company?"
It became, "Who should benefit from the value we created together?"
That one question changed the way I thought about succession.
What's Next?
Today, I'm still leading Ocaquatics while also spending more time speaking with entrepreneurs around the world about ownership, succession, stewardship, and purpose-driven business.
Over the next decade, millions of founders will decide what happens to the companies they've spent their lives building. Those decisions won't just determine who owns businesses. They will determine:
* Where opportunity flows
* Where wealth is created
* Who benefits from that wealth
* Whether companies remain rooted in the communities that helped build them
* And, whether purpose survives beyond the founder
I believe we are standing at one of the most significant moments in the future of entrepreneurship. Not because millions of businesses will change hands, but because millions of founders have the opportunity to rethink what ownership can look like.
In my exit strategy journey, I was searching for alignment between ownership and purpose. Alignment between the people who helped create the value and the people who would benefit from it.
For Ocaquatics, that alignment was an Employee Ownership Trust. While I don't believe it's the right answer for every company, I do believe every founder deserves to know it's an option.
If sharing our story helps even one entrepreneur discover a succession path they didn't know existed, then every conversation is worth having.
* * *
Interested in attending EO's Exit Strategy Roundtable. on 27 August from 9-10am ET (1-2pm UTC)? It's free for EO members; simply sign up (https://one.eonetwork.org/networks/events/271415). and be ready with your questions for founders who have already walked the path successfully.
* * *
Contributed to EO by Miren Oca, an EO South Florida member who is the founder and trust protector of Ocaquatics..
* * *
Original text here: https://eonetwork.org/blog/how-an-employee-ownership-trust-made-it-possible-to-exit-on-my-terms/
[Category: Business]
* * *
How An Employee Ownership Trust Made It Possible to Exit on My Terms
After three decades of building her company, Miren Oca realized she was not interested in the highest bidder; she wanted the best steward to guide the company forward. Her journey to employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) offers founders an exit path designed to preserve culture, purpose, and opportunity for the people who helped build ... Show Full Article ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Aug. 20 -- Entrepreneurs' Organization issued the following Q&A on Aug. 19, 2026, involving founder and trust protector of Ocaquatics Miren Oca: * * * How An Employee Ownership Trust Made It Possible to Exit on My Terms After three decades of building her company, Miren Oca realized she was not interested in the highest bidder; she wanted the best steward to guide the company forward. Her journey to employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) offers founders an exit path designed to preserve culture, purpose, and opportunity for the people who helped buildthe business.
After spending years building your company, exiting is one of the most complex and consequential decisions an entrepreneur will make. To support members on their exit journeys, EO Women will host an Exit Strategy Roundtable. on 27 August. The interactive virtual event will showcase first-person perspectives about multiple different exit options so members who are considering their exit strategy can learn from the personal experience of others.
Miren Oca, an EO South Florida member who exited her business in 2024 through an Employee Ownership Trust, is one of the featured speakers for the Exit Strategy Roundtable. We asked Miren to share her journey ahead of the event:
Why I Started My Company
When I started Ocaquatics in 1994, I wasn't thinking about an exit strategy. I was 22 years old, teaching swimming lessons because I loved helping children become safer around the water. I was also a single mother with a young toddler who needed to make ends meet. I had no investors, no grand business plan, and certainly no vision that one day we would become what we have grown into today.
Over the next three decades, Ocaquatics grew into five purpose-built indoor swim schools, more than 160 team members, and over 3 million swim lessons taught. While I am proud of that growth, what I'm most proud of is the culture we built together.
Long before we became employee-owned, our purpose was simple: To make a positive difference for our team, our families, our community, and our planet. That purpose guided many of the decisions we made over the years.
How EO Impacted My Journey
I became a member of EO in September 2017. Through EO, I connected with incredible entrepreneurs around the world who use business to solve meaningful problems. My company became a Certified B Corporation. in 2022 because we believed business could be a force for good.
I have since become involved with EO groups that help members pursue B Corp certification,. and I love seeing more founders embrace that framework. I think B Corp is an incredible model for values-aligned entrepreneurs who want to demonstrate that profit and purpose can absolutely coexist.
EO has had an enormous impact on my journey as a leader. My Forum has challenged me, supported me through difficult decisions, and helped me become a better entrepreneur. Some of my biggest breakthroughs have come from sitting in a room with my fellow Forum members who asked me better questions than I was asking myself.
One of those questions eventually became: "What happens to this company when I'm no longer leading it?"
People often assume founders begin thinking about succession when they are ready to retire.
That wasn't true for me.
My Exit Strategy Journey
I was first approached by a private equity firm that wanted to buy my company in June 2014.
Around that same time, my son, who had grown up in the business and worked alongside me for years, made it clear that he didn't want to run "Mom's company."
While that was a difficult conversation, it was also an important one. It forced me to realize that family succession wasn't the future, as I had imagined.
Over the following years, I met with private equity firms and explored traditional exit options. Every conversation left me with the same feeling: They were buying a business.
Yet I was trying to protect something much bigger.
I wasn't just thinking about revenue or valuation. I was thinking about 30 years of relationships. About the team members who helped build the company. About our purpose. About our community. About whether Ocaquatics would still feel like Ocaquatics 10 years after I stepped away.
How The Pandemic Changed My Perspective
Then March of 2020 happened. Like so many businesses, we were forced to close our doors overnight.
On March 13, I had to lay off 100 part-time team members. It remains the hardest day of my professional life.
For the first time, I experienced what it might feel like to lose the business I had spent my life building. I was not sure when we would be allowed to reopen, or if we would survive. But we stuck together as a team, and when we were finally allowed to reopen three months later, 98 percent of our team came back.
That experience changed me. People didn't come back because of a job. They came back because of each other. They came back because they believed in what we had built together.
I realized something I hadn't fully appreciated before: I was exploring succession options. But maybe this was even more important.
I was not just looking for a buyer. I was searching for alignment. And that eventually led me to broad-based employee ownership. I wanted the people who had helped build Ocaquatics to share in its future success.
Once I became clear on that goal, I started researching every employee ownership model I could find.
I explored worker cooperatives. I explored Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). Both are incredible ownership models that create life-changing opportunities for employees. But as I dug deeper into how each one worked, neither felt like the right fit.
Finding the Right Fit: An Employee Ownership Trust
Then I discovered the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
Honestly, I was surprised I had never heard of it. The more I learned, the more I realized it wasn't simply another ownership model. It was the one that aligned with everything I was trying to accomplish.
Instead of concentrating ownership in the hands of another buyer, the trust owns the company on behalf of eligible employees. Team members don't have to purchase shares or take on personal financial risk. Instead, they become beneficiaries of the trust and share in the company's long-term success.
For me, the EOT checked every box:
* It rewarded the people who had helped create the company's success.
* It protected the purpose and culture we had spent three decades building.
* It allowed the company to remain independent and locally rooted.
* It gave me confidence that Ocaquatics could continue creating positive impact long after I was gone.
I wasn't interested in the highest bidder; I was looking for the best steward. In the end, I realized the best steward wasn't another company. It was the people who had helped build this one.
On March 1, 2024, Ocaquatics became 100 percent employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust, making us -- to the best of our knowledge -- the first swim school in the world to make this transition and the first company in Florida to adopt the EOT ownership model.
The legal transaction itself was like a typical M&A transaction. It required thoughtful legal, financial, tax, and governance planning. But the idea behind it is beautifully simple: Create a structure that allows the company to continue benefiting the people who help create its success while protecting its purpose for generations to come.
Today, Ocaquatics is owned by the trust on behalf of our eligible employee-owners. An independent trustee has the responsibility of ensuring the trust operates for the benefit of those employee-owners while protecting the company's long-term purpose. I serve as the trust protector for now.
When we announced the transition to our team, there was plenty of confusion at first. Employee ownership wasn't something most people had ever heard of. As we explained the trust, answered questions, and talked about what ownership truly means, confusion gradually turned into excitement, pride, and possibility. We continue investing a great deal of time helping our employee-owners understand what this means, because ownership isn't just a legal document.
It's a mindset.
Life After the Transition
I'm still the CEO of Ocaquatics, but I see my role differently today.
The ownership transition is complete. Now, I have the opportunity to focus on the leadership transition.
I've had the privilege of leading this company for 32 years, and I still have a few more years in me. During this next chapter, my responsibility is to continue developing our leaders, strengthening our culture, and preparing the next generation to carry the company forward.
I no longer think of myself simply as the owner. I think of myself as the steward. My goal is to ensure Ocaquatics is even stronger when I eventually hand over the leadership role than it was when I transferred ownership.
Why an EOT Instead of an ESOP?
People often ask whether an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is better than an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
I don't think that is the right question. They are both outstanding ownership models. ESOPs have helped thousands of companies create employee ownership with an incredible track record. Worker cooperatives have also created meaningful ownership opportunities for countless employees.
The EOT simply turned out to be the best fit for Ocaquatics.
One of the reasons is that an EOT is built on the framework of a Perpetual Purpose Trust. The trust doesn't simply hold ownership on behalf of employees; it also protects the long-term purpose of the company. That was incredibly important to me because I wasn't just thinking about who would own the business after I was gone. I was thinking about how we could preserve the mission, culture, and values that had guided us for more than three decades.
For me, succession wasn't only about transferring ownership. It was about protecting purpose. The important thing isn't choosing one ownership model over another -- it's that founders know these options exist.
Too many entrepreneurs believe they only have a few paths available when it's time to exit.
I certainly did.
I want founders to know there are alternatives that can preserve culture, protect purpose, keep businesses locally rooted, and create opportunities for the people who helped build them.
My Message for the EO Women Exit Strategy Roundtable
At the EO Women Exit Strategy Roundtable, I hope to encourage founders to start thinking about succession much earlier than they think they need to.
An exit strategy is not just another financial transaction; it is one of the most important leadership decisions you will ever make as a business owner.
I don't believe employee ownership is right for every company, just as I don't believe private equity is wrong for every company. Or family succession. Or selling to a strategic buyer. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Every founder has different goals, different values, and different circumstances to consider.
But I do believe every founder deserves to understand all of their options before making one of the biggest decisions of their entrepreneurial journey.
For me, the question that changed everything wasn't, "Who should own my company?"
It became, "Who should benefit from the value we created together?"
That one question changed the way I thought about succession.
What's Next?
Today, I'm still leading Ocaquatics while also spending more time speaking with entrepreneurs around the world about ownership, succession, stewardship, and purpose-driven business.
Over the next decade, millions of founders will decide what happens to the companies they've spent their lives building. Those decisions won't just determine who owns businesses. They will determine:
* Where opportunity flows
* Where wealth is created
* Who benefits from that wealth
* Whether companies remain rooted in the communities that helped build them
* And, whether purpose survives beyond the founder
I believe we are standing at one of the most significant moments in the future of entrepreneurship. Not because millions of businesses will change hands, but because millions of founders have the opportunity to rethink what ownership can look like.
In my exit strategy journey, I was searching for alignment between ownership and purpose. Alignment between the people who helped create the value and the people who would benefit from it.
For Ocaquatics, that alignment was an Employee Ownership Trust. While I don't believe it's the right answer for every company, I do believe every founder deserves to know it's an option.
If sharing our story helps even one entrepreneur discover a succession path they didn't know existed, then every conversation is worth having.
* * *
Interested in attending EO's Exit Strategy Roundtable. on 27 August from 9-10am ET (1-2pm UTC)? It's free for EO members; simply sign up (https://one.eonetwork.org/networks/events/271415). and be ready with your questions for founders who have already walked the path successfully.
* * *
Contributed to EO by Miren Oca, an EO South Florida member who is the founder and trust protector of Ocaquatics..
* * *
Original text here: https://eonetwork.org/blog/how-an-employee-ownership-trust-made-it-possible-to-exit-on-my-terms/
[Category: Business]
Computer & Communications Industry Association Issues Letter to Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The Computer and Communications Industry Association issued the following letter to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee:
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 3, 2026
Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
167 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20002
-
Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
Dear Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and Members of the Senate Committee on ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The Computer and Communications Industry Association issued the following letter to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 3, 2026 Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation 167 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20002 - Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation 511 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - Dear Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and Members of the Senate Committee onCommerce, Science, and Transportation:
The Computer & Communications Industry Association ("CCIA") is an international nonprofit association representing a broad cross section of communications and technology firms. For more than fifty years, CCIA has promoted open markets, open systems, and open networks. CCIA members employ more than 1.6 million workers, invest more than $100 billion in research and development, and contribute trillions of dollars in productivity to the global economy. While CCIA shares the goal of increasing online safety for minors, three bills scheduled for consideration during Wednesday's markup--S. 1748, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), S. 4199, the Youth AI Privacy Act (YAPA), and S. 4407, the CHATBOT Act--would threaten privacy, reduce parental choice, and create unworkable and often contradictory compliance obligations for digital services. CCIA offers the following concerns:
* The bills incentivize businesses to collect more sensitive data from minors, undermining their privacy;
* The bills allow the government to determine a family's relationship with technology;
* The bills contain vague, overbroad, and contradictory standards that threaten lawful speech and online access; and
* Congress should promote a consistent, workable regulatory landscape nationwide.
I. The bills incentivize businesses to collect more sensitive data from minors,
undermining their privacy.
Several of the bills' requirements increase the amount of sensitive data businesses must collect from minors. At a time when data minimization should be a key priority, each of the bills would require digital services to collect more highly sensitive information than is needed from the most vulnerable of populations. Rather than forcing digital services to collect information they otherwise would not need, Congress should strengthen nationwide privacy protections for minors while promoting digital literacy initiatives and voluntary parental tools. These efforts protect minors online while minimizing the risk that their most sensitive personal information will be exposed to bad actors. Indeed, several of the most devastating data breaches in recent years have arisen directly from age verification systems.
KOSA covers services based on whether they are "reasonably likely to be used" by a minor. Because no objective standard exists for determining when a service is "reasonably likely" to be used by a minor, covered services will be incentivized to verify the ages of all users, requiring the collection of additional sensitive information from both minors and adults.
Likewise, YAPA and the CHATBOT Act employ ambiguous knowledge standards that force businesses to verify users' ages in order to mitigate litigation risk, despite the bill's stated intent not to require age assurance. In practice, businesses cannot reliably mitigate liability under these standards without verifying users' ages. Age and parental verification systems are expensive to develop and maintain, disproportionately burdening smaller businesses and new market entrants while increasing exposure to cybersecurity threats.
KOSA's third-party audit requirement augments these privacy concerns. Besides duplicating existing compliance frameworks, they may expose sensitive operational details through mandatory disclosures that jeopardize user privacy and covered services' proprietary information. This risk carries little reward, as consumer-facing digital services have already built considerable consensus around mitigating risks, such as ISO/IEC 25389.
II. The bills allow the government to determine a family's relationship with technology.
By imposing overly prescriptive parental control requirements, KOSA and the CHATBOT Act would undermine, rather than promote, parental autonomy. Both bills mandate specific default settings and technical controls rather than setting flexible, outcome-based requirements. These restrictions could interfere with beneficial product features and limit companies' ability to innovate and design effective safety tools.
For instance, the bills could restrict routine personalization on a wide variety of services that provide recommendations, such as music, news, or other content suggestions based on user preferences. Restricting personalization on such services would not carry any meaningful safety benefit for minors and would substantially reduce consumer choice.
Similarly, YAPA's broad restrictions on AI-enabled services could discourage the deployment of basic natural-language functionality on search tools, and other services that present little or no child-safety risk. Instead, Congress should work with industry leaders to promote parental tools that are tailored to the risks associated with each service. These voluntary tools allow parents to determine their family's relationship with technology rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all federal standard.
III. The bills contain vague, overbroad, and contradictory standards that threaten lawful speech and online access.
Many provisions of KOSA, YAPA, and the CHATBOT Act are vague, inconsistent, or unworkable, leaving covered businesses without a reliable way to know if they are complying with the law. Notably, all three bills institute regulations based on whether a business has "knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances" that a user is a minor. This standard creates legal uncertainty and unpredictable liability, especially if interpreted to include aggregate information about a service's user base rather than user-specific facts.
KOSA compounds this uncertainty by assigning covered businesses an undefined "duty of care" that invites courts across the country to create conflicting legal standards, leaving digital services without a clear path to compliance. These standards risk arbitrary and inconsistent application of the laws, ultimately forcing digital services to err on the side of defensively removing lawful speech and limiting access to "sensitive" content. In sum, lawful speech and online access will be restricted.
Ironically, a duty of care creates more legal risks to companies that invest the most in online safety. To develop such features, covered services will likely have to gather data about users' ages, which leads to increased liability. By contrast, those who avoid such investments can escape these obligations, and with it, the broad liability that attaches. Legislation should reward investments in online safety rather than deter them by tying those investments to additional legal and compliance burdens. Accordingly, CCIA recommends replacing the undefined duty of care with clearly defined statutory obligations, and "or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances" from the definition of "know" in both bills.
The CHATBOT Act contains several other requirements that are not well-defined. The bill's definition of "AI chatbot" is overbroad. The current definition could sweep in productivity tools, enterprise software, educational and productivity services incorporating general-purpose conversational AI, customer-service bots, embedded AI assistants, and other tools that do not pose the child-safety risks the bill is intended to address.
YAPA raises similar concerns because its broad scope risks encompassing a wide range of AI-enabled services that present minimal child-safety concerns. For example, educational and productivity services incorporating general-purpose conversational AI, search tools, or customer-support functions that incorporate basic natural-language capabilities could be swept into the bill despite presenting little or no child-safety risk. To fix this issue, the definition should be limited to AI systems designed and marketed to simulate a sustained human or human-like relationship with a user, rather than capturing any open-ended conversational AI tool.
Similarly, the definition of "covered entity" should be narrowed to exclude developers of general-purpose AI systems that another digital service has incorporated into a user-facing chatbot, while the definition of "targeted advertising" should be narrowed to exclude ads based on first-party data. Likewise, recent revisions removed the bill's "primary function" limitation, significantly expanding the range of covered services. As a result, AI assistants offered as one feature among many within broader platforms may now be swept into the legislation despite presenting little relationship to the harms the bill seeks to address. The legislation should instead focus on AI systems designed and marketed to foster sustained social or emotional relationships with users, rather than task-oriented or ancillary AI features.
The CHATBOT Act also imposes contradictory obligations on covered businesses. The bill simultaneously requires immediate deletion of all personal data upon account termination while also requiring that data to remain available during a 90-day portability window. Fulfilling both of these requirements may prove impossible. Moreover, mandatory data portability requirements may inadvertently increase cybersecurity risks by requiring businesses to create additional public-facing mechanisms for transmitting sensitive user data.
IV. Congress should promote a consistent, workable regulatory landscape nationwide.
The bills now expressly establish federal minimum standards while preserving states' ability to impose additional requirements. This "floor but not ceiling" approach will subject digital services to overlapping and potentially inconsistent legal obligations, frustrating Congress's goal of creating a predictable national framework.
Failure to institute unified federal frameworks has imposed substantial compliance costs in many technological sectors. In practice, every state will contend that its own requirements provide "greater" protections for minors, inviting litigation over the scope of federal preemption and leaving courts, not Congress, to define the governing legal standards. These costs disproportionately burden smaller businesses and new entrants, reducing competition and innovation.
Finally, the bills should ensure consistent, equitable enforcement. To achieve this end, the FTC should have exclusive regulatory authority rather than allowing state attorneys general enforcement powers. Covered businesses should have sufficient opportunity to cure violations before enforcement actions can be brought, and the bill should require the FTC to show actual harm to a consumer when bringing such actions.
* * * * *
In sum, KOSA, YAPA, and the CHATBOT Act would undermine the very online safety goals they seek to advance. The bills require minors and parents to disclose more sensitive personal information, discourage investments in online safety, reduce parental autonomy, rely on vague legal standards, threaten lawful online speech and access, and create an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape, while expanding uncertainty regarding which AI systems and digital services are covered. As a result, minors' privacy and safety will be reduced while businesses will be unable to clearly ascertain their legal obligations. These bills must be substantially re-worked if they are to further their own goals.
Sincerely,
Brian McMillan, Vice President, Head of U.S. Policy, Computer & Communications Industry Association
* * *
Original text and footnotes here: https://ccianet.org/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2026/08/2026-08-04-FED-AFF-CCIA-Concerns-KOSA-YAPA-CHATBOT.pdf
News Release here: https://ccianet.org/news/2026/08/senate-commerce-committee-to-markup-several-bills-aimed-at-online-safety-on-wednesday/
[Category: Computer Technology]
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 3, 2026
Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
167 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20002
-
Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation
511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
Dear Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and Members of the Senate Committee on ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The Computer and Communications Industry Association issued the following letter to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 3, 2026 Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation 167 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20002 - Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA) Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation 511 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - Dear Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and Members of the Senate Committee onCommerce, Science, and Transportation:
The Computer & Communications Industry Association ("CCIA") is an international nonprofit association representing a broad cross section of communications and technology firms. For more than fifty years, CCIA has promoted open markets, open systems, and open networks. CCIA members employ more than 1.6 million workers, invest more than $100 billion in research and development, and contribute trillions of dollars in productivity to the global economy. While CCIA shares the goal of increasing online safety for minors, three bills scheduled for consideration during Wednesday's markup--S. 1748, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), S. 4199, the Youth AI Privacy Act (YAPA), and S. 4407, the CHATBOT Act--would threaten privacy, reduce parental choice, and create unworkable and often contradictory compliance obligations for digital services. CCIA offers the following concerns:
* The bills incentivize businesses to collect more sensitive data from minors, undermining their privacy;
* The bills allow the government to determine a family's relationship with technology;
* The bills contain vague, overbroad, and contradictory standards that threaten lawful speech and online access; and
* Congress should promote a consistent, workable regulatory landscape nationwide.
I. The bills incentivize businesses to collect more sensitive data from minors,
undermining their privacy.
Several of the bills' requirements increase the amount of sensitive data businesses must collect from minors. At a time when data minimization should be a key priority, each of the bills would require digital services to collect more highly sensitive information than is needed from the most vulnerable of populations. Rather than forcing digital services to collect information they otherwise would not need, Congress should strengthen nationwide privacy protections for minors while promoting digital literacy initiatives and voluntary parental tools. These efforts protect minors online while minimizing the risk that their most sensitive personal information will be exposed to bad actors. Indeed, several of the most devastating data breaches in recent years have arisen directly from age verification systems.
KOSA covers services based on whether they are "reasonably likely to be used" by a minor. Because no objective standard exists for determining when a service is "reasonably likely" to be used by a minor, covered services will be incentivized to verify the ages of all users, requiring the collection of additional sensitive information from both minors and adults.
Likewise, YAPA and the CHATBOT Act employ ambiguous knowledge standards that force businesses to verify users' ages in order to mitigate litigation risk, despite the bill's stated intent not to require age assurance. In practice, businesses cannot reliably mitigate liability under these standards without verifying users' ages. Age and parental verification systems are expensive to develop and maintain, disproportionately burdening smaller businesses and new market entrants while increasing exposure to cybersecurity threats.
KOSA's third-party audit requirement augments these privacy concerns. Besides duplicating existing compliance frameworks, they may expose sensitive operational details through mandatory disclosures that jeopardize user privacy and covered services' proprietary information. This risk carries little reward, as consumer-facing digital services have already built considerable consensus around mitigating risks, such as ISO/IEC 25389.
II. The bills allow the government to determine a family's relationship with technology.
By imposing overly prescriptive parental control requirements, KOSA and the CHATBOT Act would undermine, rather than promote, parental autonomy. Both bills mandate specific default settings and technical controls rather than setting flexible, outcome-based requirements. These restrictions could interfere with beneficial product features and limit companies' ability to innovate and design effective safety tools.
For instance, the bills could restrict routine personalization on a wide variety of services that provide recommendations, such as music, news, or other content suggestions based on user preferences. Restricting personalization on such services would not carry any meaningful safety benefit for minors and would substantially reduce consumer choice.
Similarly, YAPA's broad restrictions on AI-enabled services could discourage the deployment of basic natural-language functionality on search tools, and other services that present little or no child-safety risk. Instead, Congress should work with industry leaders to promote parental tools that are tailored to the risks associated with each service. These voluntary tools allow parents to determine their family's relationship with technology rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all federal standard.
III. The bills contain vague, overbroad, and contradictory standards that threaten lawful speech and online access.
Many provisions of KOSA, YAPA, and the CHATBOT Act are vague, inconsistent, or unworkable, leaving covered businesses without a reliable way to know if they are complying with the law. Notably, all three bills institute regulations based on whether a business has "knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances" that a user is a minor. This standard creates legal uncertainty and unpredictable liability, especially if interpreted to include aggregate information about a service's user base rather than user-specific facts.
KOSA compounds this uncertainty by assigning covered businesses an undefined "duty of care" that invites courts across the country to create conflicting legal standards, leaving digital services without a clear path to compliance. These standards risk arbitrary and inconsistent application of the laws, ultimately forcing digital services to err on the side of defensively removing lawful speech and limiting access to "sensitive" content. In sum, lawful speech and online access will be restricted.
Ironically, a duty of care creates more legal risks to companies that invest the most in online safety. To develop such features, covered services will likely have to gather data about users' ages, which leads to increased liability. By contrast, those who avoid such investments can escape these obligations, and with it, the broad liability that attaches. Legislation should reward investments in online safety rather than deter them by tying those investments to additional legal and compliance burdens. Accordingly, CCIA recommends replacing the undefined duty of care with clearly defined statutory obligations, and "or knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances" from the definition of "know" in both bills.
The CHATBOT Act contains several other requirements that are not well-defined. The bill's definition of "AI chatbot" is overbroad. The current definition could sweep in productivity tools, enterprise software, educational and productivity services incorporating general-purpose conversational AI, customer-service bots, embedded AI assistants, and other tools that do not pose the child-safety risks the bill is intended to address.
YAPA raises similar concerns because its broad scope risks encompassing a wide range of AI-enabled services that present minimal child-safety concerns. For example, educational and productivity services incorporating general-purpose conversational AI, search tools, or customer-support functions that incorporate basic natural-language capabilities could be swept into the bill despite presenting little or no child-safety risk. To fix this issue, the definition should be limited to AI systems designed and marketed to simulate a sustained human or human-like relationship with a user, rather than capturing any open-ended conversational AI tool.
Similarly, the definition of "covered entity" should be narrowed to exclude developers of general-purpose AI systems that another digital service has incorporated into a user-facing chatbot, while the definition of "targeted advertising" should be narrowed to exclude ads based on first-party data. Likewise, recent revisions removed the bill's "primary function" limitation, significantly expanding the range of covered services. As a result, AI assistants offered as one feature among many within broader platforms may now be swept into the legislation despite presenting little relationship to the harms the bill seeks to address. The legislation should instead focus on AI systems designed and marketed to foster sustained social or emotional relationships with users, rather than task-oriented or ancillary AI features.
The CHATBOT Act also imposes contradictory obligations on covered businesses. The bill simultaneously requires immediate deletion of all personal data upon account termination while also requiring that data to remain available during a 90-day portability window. Fulfilling both of these requirements may prove impossible. Moreover, mandatory data portability requirements may inadvertently increase cybersecurity risks by requiring businesses to create additional public-facing mechanisms for transmitting sensitive user data.
IV. Congress should promote a consistent, workable regulatory landscape nationwide.
The bills now expressly establish federal minimum standards while preserving states' ability to impose additional requirements. This "floor but not ceiling" approach will subject digital services to overlapping and potentially inconsistent legal obligations, frustrating Congress's goal of creating a predictable national framework.
Failure to institute unified federal frameworks has imposed substantial compliance costs in many technological sectors. In practice, every state will contend that its own requirements provide "greater" protections for minors, inviting litigation over the scope of federal preemption and leaving courts, not Congress, to define the governing legal standards. These costs disproportionately burden smaller businesses and new entrants, reducing competition and innovation.
Finally, the bills should ensure consistent, equitable enforcement. To achieve this end, the FTC should have exclusive regulatory authority rather than allowing state attorneys general enforcement powers. Covered businesses should have sufficient opportunity to cure violations before enforcement actions can be brought, and the bill should require the FTC to show actual harm to a consumer when bringing such actions.
* * * * *
In sum, KOSA, YAPA, and the CHATBOT Act would undermine the very online safety goals they seek to advance. The bills require minors and parents to disclose more sensitive personal information, discourage investments in online safety, reduce parental autonomy, rely on vague legal standards, threaten lawful online speech and access, and create an increasingly fragmented regulatory landscape, while expanding uncertainty regarding which AI systems and digital services are covered. As a result, minors' privacy and safety will be reduced while businesses will be unable to clearly ascertain their legal obligations. These bills must be substantially re-worked if they are to further their own goals.
Sincerely,
Brian McMillan, Vice President, Head of U.S. Policy, Computer & Communications Industry Association
* * *
Original text and footnotes here: https://ccianet.org/wp-content/uploads/securepdfs/2026/08/2026-08-04-FED-AFF-CCIA-Concerns-KOSA-YAPA-CHATBOT.pdf
News Release here: https://ccianet.org/news/2026/08/senate-commerce-committee-to-markup-several-bills-aimed-at-online-safety-on-wednesday/
[Category: Computer Technology]
American Farm Bureau Federation Issues Letter to Senate Leadership, Senate Budget Committee
NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The American Farm Bureau Federation issued the following letter to the Senate leadership and Senate Budget Committee:
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 3, 2026
The Honorable John Thune
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Minority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Ron Johnson
Chairman
Senate Committee on the Budget
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Jeff Merkley
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on the Budget
United ... Show Full Article NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The American Farm Bureau Federation issued the following letter to the Senate leadership and Senate Budget Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 3, 2026 The Honorable John Thune Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Ron Johnson Chairman Senate Committee on the Budget United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Jeff Merkley Ranking Member Senate Committee on the Budget UnitedStates Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
Dear Leader Thune, Leader Schumer, Chairman Ron Johnson, and Ranking Member Merkley:
We appreciate your steadfast leadership and unwavering support of America's farmers and ranchers. As you have acknowledged, farmers are navigating an extremely challenging farm economy following historic inflation in production expenses and persistently low commodity prices. These factors have contributed to multiple years of losses for U.S. agriculture, which has made it increasingly difficult for farm families to stay afloat.
Farmers and ranchers are very appreciative of the farm safety net enhancements and tax relief achieved in H.R. 1, which will deliver much needed support to farm country this fall. Congressional actions to deliver timely assistance to U.S. agriculture has been greatly appreciated. We are also grateful for the Administration's recent efforts to provide support to farmers this year.
Due to persistent financial challenges across the agricultural economy, the President has called on Congress to deliver additional farmer assistance this year, and the House of Representatives answered the call with $12 billion for U.S. agriculture in reconciliation. American Farm Bureau Federation supports the advancement of this Budget Resolution in the Senate, which will provide critical relief to enhance the farm safety net. We are grateful to the House for acting to deliver needed relief for agriculture, and for the Senate's consideration of this Budget Resolution. We recognize that the cumulative losses for agriculture due to sustained economic pressures far exceed $12 billion and urge continued work to address these losses.
U.S. agriculture delivers the food, fuel, and fiber that Americans rely on every day. Farmers are leaders in their communities and serve as the backbone of America, boosting our rural economy and protecting our food supply. We greatly appreciate your continued leadership and support of American agriculture, and we respectfully urge your support to bring relief for farmers and ranchers during this prolonged downturn in the farm economy.
Sincerely,
Zippy Duvall, President
* * *
Original text here: https://www.fb.org/files/8.3.26_AFBF_Senate-Reconciliation-Letter.pdf
News Release here: https://www.fb.org/news-release/farm-bureau-encourages-senate-passage-of-reconciliation-package-including-economic-aid
[Category: Agriculture]
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 3, 2026
The Honorable John Thune
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Minority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Ron Johnson
Chairman
Senate Committee on the Budget
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Jeff Merkley
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on the Budget
United ... Show Full Article NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- The American Farm Bureau Federation issued the following letter to the Senate leadership and Senate Budget Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 3, 2026 The Honorable John Thune Majority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Ron Johnson Chairman Senate Committee on the Budget United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Jeff Merkley Ranking Member Senate Committee on the Budget UnitedStates Senate
Washington, DC 20510
-
Dear Leader Thune, Leader Schumer, Chairman Ron Johnson, and Ranking Member Merkley:
We appreciate your steadfast leadership and unwavering support of America's farmers and ranchers. As you have acknowledged, farmers are navigating an extremely challenging farm economy following historic inflation in production expenses and persistently low commodity prices. These factors have contributed to multiple years of losses for U.S. agriculture, which has made it increasingly difficult for farm families to stay afloat.
Farmers and ranchers are very appreciative of the farm safety net enhancements and tax relief achieved in H.R. 1, which will deliver much needed support to farm country this fall. Congressional actions to deliver timely assistance to U.S. agriculture has been greatly appreciated. We are also grateful for the Administration's recent efforts to provide support to farmers this year.
Due to persistent financial challenges across the agricultural economy, the President has called on Congress to deliver additional farmer assistance this year, and the House of Representatives answered the call with $12 billion for U.S. agriculture in reconciliation. American Farm Bureau Federation supports the advancement of this Budget Resolution in the Senate, which will provide critical relief to enhance the farm safety net. We are grateful to the House for acting to deliver needed relief for agriculture, and for the Senate's consideration of this Budget Resolution. We recognize that the cumulative losses for agriculture due to sustained economic pressures far exceed $12 billion and urge continued work to address these losses.
U.S. agriculture delivers the food, fuel, and fiber that Americans rely on every day. Farmers are leaders in their communities and serve as the backbone of America, boosting our rural economy and protecting our food supply. We greatly appreciate your continued leadership and support of American agriculture, and we respectfully urge your support to bring relief for farmers and ranchers during this prolonged downturn in the farm economy.
Sincerely,
Zippy Duvall, President
* * *
Original text here: https://www.fb.org/files/8.3.26_AFBF_Senate-Reconciliation-Letter.pdf
News Release here: https://www.fb.org/news-release/farm-bureau-encourages-senate-passage-of-reconciliation-package-including-economic-aid
[Category: Agriculture]
Airlines for America, American Hotel & Lodging Association, U.S. Travel Association Issue Letter to Congressional Leadership
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- Airlines for America, American Hotel and Lodging Association and U.S. Travel Association issued the following letter to the Congressional leadership:
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 10, 2026
The Honorable John Thune
Majority Leader U.S. Senate
S-511 - The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
-
The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Minority Leader U.S. Senate
322 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House
521 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
-
The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries
House ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- Airlines for America, American Hotel and Lodging Association and U.S. Travel Association issued the following letter to the Congressional leadership: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 10, 2026 The Honorable John Thune Majority Leader U.S. Senate S-511 - The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 - The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader U.S. Senate 322 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker of the House 521 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 - The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries HouseDemocratic Leader
2267 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
-
Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jefferies, Leader Thune and Leader Schumer:
On behalf of the U.S. Travel Association, Airlines for America and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, we appreciate the work of both chambers to pass separate continuing resolutions (CR) to keep the federal government funded while negotiations continue on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) appropriations bills. When Congress returns to session in September, we urge you to quickly resolve differences between the House and Senate continuing resolutions and enact a stopgap measure before September 30, 2026.
This week, as senators board flights home, they will pass through security checkpoints staffed by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and rely on the dedicated work of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers and aviation professionals responsible for getting them safely to their destinations. These are the very same frontline federal workers who helped deliver a safe, secure and seamless FIFA World Cup for millions of Americans and international visitors. After demonstrating to the world that America can successfully welcome global travelers, allowing that progress and the goodwill those workers helped earn to be undone is entirely unacceptable.
The consequences of another shutdown will be immediate. TSA officers and air traffic controllers would once again be required to protect the traveling public without pay, worsening staffing shortages and increasing the risk of longer security lines, flight delays and cancellations. Hiring and training new controllers would stall, setting back efforts to enhance our national air space, while national parks, museums and other federal attractions would close or operate with limited services, depriving communities across the country of critical visitor spending.
The economic ramifications would be equally significant. During last fall's 43-day shutdown--the longest in U.S. history--more than 9,000 flights were delayed or cancelled, significantly impacting six million travelers and countless deliveries. These disruptions cost the travel economy an estimated $1 billion every week, with ripple effects felt by airlines, hotels, restaurants, small businesses and workers across every state. At a time when we are working to restore international visitation and strengthen confidence in America's travel system, another shutdown would send precisely the wrong message.
Enactment of the full FY27 appropriations bills is critical to the safety and operations of America's passenger and cargo air transportation system, and that remains our top priority.
However, whenever agreement on the full-year funding bills cannot be reached, it is imperative that Congress enact continuing resolutions to keep the government funded.
Because government funding lapses have increased in recent years--often due to unrelated policy disagreements--it is imperative for Congress to enact legislation that would keep TSA and FAA workers paid during government shutdowns, such as advance appropriations for these critical functions or other solutions like the Keep America Flying Act, the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026, the Aviation Funding Solvency Act and the Aviation Funding Stability Act.
America's travelers, workers, and communities deserve certainty--not another preventable disruption. We urge you to act without delay.
Sincerely,
Geoff Freeman, President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association
Chris Sununu, President & CEO, Airlines for America
Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association
* * *
Original text and footnotes here: https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/2026-08/UST-A4A-AHLA-Shutdown-Letter-8.10.26.pdf
News Release here: https://www.ustravel.org/press/us-travel-association-airlines-america-american-hotel-lodging-association-urge-congress
[Category: Travel]
* * *
Here is the text of the letter:
August 10, 2026
The Honorable John Thune
Majority Leader U.S. Senate
S-511 - The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
-
The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Minority Leader U.S. Senate
322 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
-
The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House
521 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
-
The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries
House ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSletter) -- Airlines for America, American Hotel and Lodging Association and U.S. Travel Association issued the following letter to the Congressional leadership: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 10, 2026 The Honorable John Thune Majority Leader U.S. Senate S-511 - The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 - The Honorable Chuck Schumer Minority Leader U.S. Senate 322 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 - The Honorable Mike Johnson Speaker of the House 521 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 - The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries HouseDemocratic Leader
2267 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
-
Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jefferies, Leader Thune and Leader Schumer:
On behalf of the U.S. Travel Association, Airlines for America and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, we appreciate the work of both chambers to pass separate continuing resolutions (CR) to keep the federal government funded while negotiations continue on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) appropriations bills. When Congress returns to session in September, we urge you to quickly resolve differences between the House and Senate continuing resolutions and enact a stopgap measure before September 30, 2026.
This week, as senators board flights home, they will pass through security checkpoints staffed by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and rely on the dedicated work of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers and aviation professionals responsible for getting them safely to their destinations. These are the very same frontline federal workers who helped deliver a safe, secure and seamless FIFA World Cup for millions of Americans and international visitors. After demonstrating to the world that America can successfully welcome global travelers, allowing that progress and the goodwill those workers helped earn to be undone is entirely unacceptable.
The consequences of another shutdown will be immediate. TSA officers and air traffic controllers would once again be required to protect the traveling public without pay, worsening staffing shortages and increasing the risk of longer security lines, flight delays and cancellations. Hiring and training new controllers would stall, setting back efforts to enhance our national air space, while national parks, museums and other federal attractions would close or operate with limited services, depriving communities across the country of critical visitor spending.
The economic ramifications would be equally significant. During last fall's 43-day shutdown--the longest in U.S. history--more than 9,000 flights were delayed or cancelled, significantly impacting six million travelers and countless deliveries. These disruptions cost the travel economy an estimated $1 billion every week, with ripple effects felt by airlines, hotels, restaurants, small businesses and workers across every state. At a time when we are working to restore international visitation and strengthen confidence in America's travel system, another shutdown would send precisely the wrong message.
Enactment of the full FY27 appropriations bills is critical to the safety and operations of America's passenger and cargo air transportation system, and that remains our top priority.
However, whenever agreement on the full-year funding bills cannot be reached, it is imperative that Congress enact continuing resolutions to keep the government funded.
Because government funding lapses have increased in recent years--often due to unrelated policy disagreements--it is imperative for Congress to enact legislation that would keep TSA and FAA workers paid during government shutdowns, such as advance appropriations for these critical functions or other solutions like the Keep America Flying Act, the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2026, the Aviation Funding Solvency Act and the Aviation Funding Stability Act.
America's travelers, workers, and communities deserve certainty--not another preventable disruption. We urge you to act without delay.
Sincerely,
Geoff Freeman, President & CEO, U.S. Travel Association
Chris Sununu, President & CEO, Airlines for America
Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association
* * *
Original text and footnotes here: https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/2026-08/UST-A4A-AHLA-Shutdown-Letter-8.10.26.pdf
News Release here: https://www.ustravel.org/press/us-travel-association-airlines-america-american-hotel-lodging-association-urge-congress
[Category: Travel]