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Pallet C e nt ral • Janu a r y -Fe b r u a r y 2 0 24 15 Kylie Fronczak is a senior associate at Lot Sixteen. Her background in communications lends itself to her current policy work, focusing on government affairs. She may be reached through lotsixteen.com. APHIS Advocacy Work is past year also brought additional opportunities for engagement with the Biden administration, specifically with the USDA's Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). e association has always maintained open lines of communication with APHIS— using its monthly stakeholder meetings as an avenue for sustained engagement— and has been a vocal advocate and supporter of the ISPM15 program, which APHIS is tasked with administering. When concerns over proposed changes to APHIS reporting standards arose, our policy team took action, ramping up education and advocacy efforts, ultimately neutralizing concerns and turning the situation into a positive one. e increased engagement even resulted in an in-person meeting with the Acting APHIS Administrator back in July, further elevating the association's profile and the industry's challenges. With these key relationships further developed, NWPCA is well-positioned to continue serving as a voice for the industry and providing critical stakeholder input to the APHIS team in 2024. Looking Ahead To 2024 – Farm Bill & Fly-In In true Washington fashion, the expected reauthorization of the Farm Bill has been punted to 2024 thanks to the November continuing resolution that kept the government funded, providing a short- term extension of USDA's authorities. e good news is that we've done much of the necessary groundwork last year. When Farm Bill discussions resume in 2024, key relationships have already been established, paving the way for additional check-ins and advocacy opportunities. And while we don't yet have a finalized Forestry Title to show for it, our work in 2023 elevated NWPCA's status as an engaged supporter for lawmakers, earning us a seat at the table regarding stakeholder input. Committee staffers and the staff handling agricultural and forestry issues for other influential members of the Committee know our association, and we can be trusted to provide honest and valuable industry insights on provisions that will impact us most. Another thing to keep in mind is that with the Farm Bill extended through September 2024, our summer fly-in will be at a crucial time for negotiations as the Chair and Ranking Members of the Agriculture Committees in both chambers have noted their commitment to "working together to get [the bill] done next year." Our advocacy and education efforts will be perfectly timed, garnering another year of thoughtful and engaging conversations with lawmakers nationwide.

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