The Obama administration will announce measures that further ease travel and trade restrictions on Cuba later this month. Ahead of his visit to Cuba, President Obama is slated to make the announcement March 17th. The new rules will mark his latest effort to use executive powers to sidestep Congress and chip away at the U.S. embargo against Cuba, according to Reuters. The measures are expected to make travel easier for Americans and further loosen trade and banking rules. However, a ban on general tourism to Cuba will remain in force. It is part of the broader U.S. embargo and can only be lifted by Congress. The embargo also places stiff restrictions on trade and financing of agricultural products. The President will travel to Cuba on March 21st, the first visit to Cuba by a sitting president since the 1920’s.

The Humane Society of the United States says they have not engaged in new talks with USDA regarding a lawsuit against the sale of intellection property within the pork industry. Politico reports special counsel for the Humane Society, Matt Penzer, says his group has not engaged in further settlement talks with USDA since December. At that time, USDA agreed to review the contract requiring the National Pork Board to pay the National Pork Producers Council $3 million per year to use its “Pork: The Other White Meat” slogan. USDA has until early May to complete the review per a joint document signed with HSUS. At the Pork Industry Forum over the weekend, the Pork Board and Pork Producers Council both voted to urge USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to fight, not settle, the lawsuit brought against the USDA in 2012 by HSUS. At a House Agriculture hearing last month, Vilsack told lawmakers the settlement talks were being held and initiated in “concert with industry.” However, neither the Pork Board nor Pork Producers Council approve of the settlement negotiations.

The Senate may be settling for pushing through a mandatory GMO labeling bill, but in the form of “mandatory disclosure.” Industry lobbyist told the Hagstrom Report that Senate Agriculture Leaders are moving towards a proposal favored by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, requiring the use of “smart labels” and banning state labeling laws. The lobbyists referred to this system as “mandatory disclosure,” rather than “mandatory labeling.” Secretary Vilsack called for the system in two separate speeches within the last week, at Commodity Classic and the National Farmers Union annual convention. The lobbyists say it appears that the food companies lobbying against mandatory labeling are more comfortable with that term, “mandatory disclosure.” Vilsack has said that President Barack Obama would sign such a bill. The Senate appears likely to attempt passing the measure before the Easter Recess that begins March 18th.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts postponed Today’s (Thursday’s) planned markup of his GMO labeling bill until next week. The Kansas Senator said in a press advisory the markup was postponed “due to changes on the Senate floor,” adding the new time will be announced later. Roberts distributed a letter of support for his bill Wednesday, according to the Hagstrom Report. The letter was organized by the Coalition for a Safe, Affordable Food Supply, a group that opposes state labeling laws. The bill would serve as a national voluntary GM labeling standard that pre-empts state laws, such as the Vermont mandatory labeling law taking effect this July. So far, no Democrats have publicly announced support for the bill in its current form. Roberts has indicated the bill is subject to amendments and was designed as a framework for the labeling discussion.

President Barack Obama Monday said he was “cautiously optimistic” Congress will support the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Speaking to a delegation of state governors at the White House earlier this week, Obama said he would have to rely on votes from pro-trade Democrats and Republicans since labor leaders opposed the deal, according to Reuters. Obama did say Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan had largely been supportive of the pact. The 12 member-nations reached an agreement last year on the trade deal and signed the pact earlier this month. It still must be ratified by the governments of each member nation. Congress seems likely to delay a vote on the trade deal until after the November elections in the lame duck session, or once a new President takes office next year.