John Thune

CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act of 2025

This bill increases federal assistance and incentives for eligible participants and entities in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) of the Farm Service Agency. CRP is a land conservation program that provides an annual rental payment to farmers in exchange for farmers removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and planting species that will improve environmental health and quality.

The bill increases the CRP annual rental payment limitation from $50,000 to $125,000.

The bill also permanently establishes a continuous enrollment procedure for land that will be enrolled under the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative.

Additionally, the bill provides federal cost sharing payments for the establishment of grazing infrastructure on all CRP contracts and practices, if grazing is included in the conservation plan and addresses a resource concern. It also provides federal cost sharing payments under CRP for management activities to implement the conservation plan that are not related to haying or grazing.

Further, the bill allows emergency haying on CRP land during the primary nesting season in response to drought, flooding, wildfire, or other emergencies if certain conditions are met. It also modifies the conditions under which haying and grazing may be permitted on CRP land.

Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act

This bill provides for permanent coverage under Medicare of certain pharmacist services.

Specifically, the bill provides for permanent coverage of testing and treatment services provided by pharmacists relating to (1) COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat); and (2) other public health needs in relation to a declared public health emergency. (Similar authorities were temporarily granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency.) Such services must be provided in accordance with the applicable state laws governing pharmacists' scope of practice.

Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2025

This bill revises provisions related to meat and poultry processing establishments, including by establishing grants and a database to assist smaller establishments (i.e., at least 10 but fewer than 500 employees) and very small establishments (i.e., fewer than 10 employees or annual sales of less than $2.5 million).

For example, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish a searchable database of peer-reviewed validation studies for use in developing Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plans for smaller and very small establishments.

The bill increases the maximum federal cost shares for (1) state meat and poultry inspection programs (from 50% to 65%), and (2) the Cooperative Interstate Shipment (CIS) program (from 60% to 80%). The CIS program allows state-inspected facilities to operate as federally-inspected facilities and ship their products in interstate commerce and internationally.

Additionally, USDA must conduct outreach to states that have meat and poultry inspection programs, but do not participate in the CIS program. The bill also allows certain establishments with up to 50 employees (currently up to 25 employees) to participate in the program.

USDA must also award grants to increase resiliency and diversification of the meat processing system, including activities that support (1) the health and safety of meat and poultry plant employees, suppliers, and customers; (2) increased processing capacity; and (3) the resilience of the small meat and poultry processing sector.

Further, the bill establishes a grant program for meat and poultry processing career training programs, including structured apprenticeships.

Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act of 2025 or the SAFETY Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to secure foreign markets for goods using common names.

In general, the bill defines common name as a name that (1) is ordinarily or customarily used for an agricultural commodity or food product, (2) is typically placed on the packaging and product label of the agricultural commodity or food product, and (3) the use of which is consistent with standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The bill includes a list of names that will be considered common names for (1) food products (e.g., basmati, bratwurst, and parmesan); (2) wine, including grape varietal terms, grape variety designations, and non-varietal descriptors such as chateau and vintage; and (3) beer (e.g., bitter, pale ale, and hefeweizen).

Specifically, USDA must coordinate efforts with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to secure the right of U.S. agricultural producers, processors, and exporters to use common names for agricultural commodities or food products in foreign markets. Through the negotiation of bilateral, plurilateral, or multilateral agreements, memoranda of understanding, or exchanges of letters, USDA and the USTR must assure the current and future use of each common name in connection with U.S. agricultural commodities or food products.

USDA and the USTR must jointly brief Congress on these efforts on a semi-annual basis.

Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2025 or the PHIT Act of 2025

This bill allows a federal tax deduction of up to $1,000 ($2,000 for married individuals who file a joint federal tax return or a head of a household) for qualified sports and fitness expenses. (Conditions apply.)

Under current law, an individual may deduct unreimbursed expenses paid for medical care for themselves, their spouse, or a qualified dependent to the extent that such expenses exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income.

Under the bill, the definition of medical care (for purposes of the tax deduction) is expanded to include qualified sports and fitness expenses. The bill defines qualified sports and fitness expenses as amounts paid exclusively for the sole purpose of participating in a physical activity, including

• fitness facility memberships,

• participation or instruction in physical exercise or activity, or

• equipment for a physical exercise or activity program.

Livestock Disaster Assistance Improvement Act of 2025

This bill expands access to Department of Agriculture disaster assistance programs and requires increased interagency cooperation in drought-related activities.

The bill specifies that state and federal grazing permit holders are eligible for the Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program. Further, emergency measures eligible for payments include new permanent measures, such as permanent water wells and pipelines. The bill also waives the 30-day comment period required for applications under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for emergency measures carried out during a drought emergency.

Modifications to the Livestock Forage Disaster Program allow for one monthly payment when a county has four consecutive weeks of a D2 rating (severe drought) and two payments for eight consecutive weeks of D2. Currently, one payment is available for eight consecutive weeks of D2.

The bill expands coverage for producers under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) to include losses caused by drought. The bill also specifies that covered losses include transportation costs related to feed or water shortages. Further, the bill requires the ELAP payment rate for honey bee producers to incorporate additional factors, such as per-hive and per-colony rates of loss.

The USDA must establish an interagency working group to improve the consistency and accuracy of U.S. Drought Monitor data.

Finally, the Farm Service Agency and the Forest Service must enter into a memorandum of understanding to better align their drought response activities.

Accelerating Broadband Permits Act

This bill makes specified changes to processes for federal review of certain communications and broadband infrastructure projects.

Specifically, the bill requires executive branch agencies to identify and address factors that contribute to delays in their review of applications for easements, rights-of-way, or leases related to communications infrastructure projects. (Under current law, executive branch agencies with control over buildings or property may grant such easements, rights-of-way, or leases to entities seeking to install, construct, modify, or maintain communications facilities. Generally, agencies must act on such applications within 270 days.)

Under the bill, agencies must develop controls to ensure accurate tracking of processing times for such applications and take action to address factors contributing to delays as they occur. Agencies must also establish methods to alert employees when the agency is at risk of failing to meet the 270-day deadline with respect to a particular application. (These provisions were recommended by the Government Accountability Office in an April 2024 report to Congress entitled Broadband Deployment: Agencies Should Take Steps to Better Meet Deadline for Processing Permits.)

Separately, the bill lowers the cost threshold for certain broadband infrastructure projects to qualify as covered projects under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act from $200 million to $5 million. Such projects qualify for expedited federal environmental review.

Promoting Precision Agriculture Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop voluntary standards for precision agriculture (i.e., managing, tracking, or reducing crop or livestock production inputs, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality).

USDA, in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), must develop voluntary, consensus-based, private sector-led interconnectivity standards, guidelines, and best practices for precision agriculture to promote economies of scale and ease the burden of adoption. USDA must (1) coordinate with relevant public and trusted private sector stakeholders and relevant industry organizations, and (2) consult with sector-specific agencies and state and local governments.

Further, in developing the standards, USDA must, in consultation with NIST and the FCC, consider the

• connectivity needs of precision agriculture equipment,

• cybersecurity challenges facing precision agriculture, and

• impact of artificial intelligence on this area.

The Government Accountability Office must periodically assess and report to Congress on the standards.

Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act of 2025

This bill excludes from environmental review certain projects that reduce the risk of damage to National Forests from wildfires or insect infestations. It also makes permanent the authority for states to retain and use revenues from good neighbor agreement timber sales for certain restoration services.

The bill exempts such projects from federal environmental review requirements if the projects are carried out in (1) insect and disease treatment areas where timber harvest activities are allowed; or (2) areas in Fire Regime Group IV, which are areas that typically burn every 35-200 years with high severity. However, the exemption does not apply to National Wilderness Preservation System lands or certain roadless areas.

The Forest Service must conduct an environmental review for such a project if it is carried out in (1) an area where significant resource concerns exist; or (2) an insect and disease treatment area larger than a certain size.

In the case of environmental reviews of other projects addressing wildfires or insect infestations, the Forest Service only must describe (1) the proposed agency action, and (2) the alternative of no agency action.

In insect and disease treatment areas, the Forest Service must prioritize reducing the risks of insect infestations and wildfires over other objectives in forest plans.

American Beef Labeling Act of 2025

This bill reinstates mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) requirements for beef. COOL is a labeling law that requires retailers, such as full-line grocery stores, supermarkets, and club warehouse stores, to provide information to customers regarding the source of certain foods.

Specifically, the bill requires the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), to determine a means of reinstating mandatory COOL for beef that is compliant with World Trade Organization rules. The USTR and USDA must implement the means of reinstating mandatory COOL for beef within one year of the bill's enactment.