JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate has passed a bill to block local officials from regulating industrial farms more strictly than the state does.

Senators voted 23-11 Thursday to send the bill to the House.

The measure sparked an overnight debate earlier this week over the environmental impact of large farms, local control and actions by some county officials that critics say threaten to regulate industrial farms out of existence.

Supporters of the bill say it will help ensure farmers can make a living in rural Missouri.

Industrial farms known as concentrated animal feeding operations allow for more efficient production of beef, pork, poultry, dairy and eggs. They’ve also stoked concerns about air and water pollution.

Lawmakers face a May 17 deadline to pass legislation.

Following a trip to South America, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson said he believes South America as a competitor to the U.S. will “only become stronger with time.” Peterson led a delegation to South America to see firsthand its impact and potential in global agricultural trade.

The delegation saw the commitment South America has to improve its infrastructure, a key issue holding back the region when it comes to exports. During meetings, the delegation learned that the country is looking to attract billions in private investment to improve the country’s infrastructure, and in particular the capacity of its agricultural supply chain.

Peterson says “it’s only a matter of time” before infrastructure investments improve the export of agricultural products, and “cut into” the competitive advantage the U.S. enjoys over South America. Further, Peterson says the Chinese are “happy to buy everything the South Americans can grow” right now, while the U.S. is embattled in trade negotiations and facing retaliatory tariffs.

A majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing the farm impact farmers’ mental health. Other factors included stress, weather, the economy, isolation and social stigma, according to a new national poll by Morning Consult commissioned by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Polling found that many rural adults have either personally sought care or have a family member who has sought care for a mental health condition. Three in four rural adults, 75 percent said it’s important to reduce the stigma about mental health in the agriculture community, while two in three farmers and farmworkers, 66 percent, said the same.

Large majorities of rural Americans polled agreed that cost, social stigma and embarrassment would make it harder for them to seek help or treatment for mental health conditions. In response to the results, AFBF President Zippy Duvall said, “we can and must do more to address farmer stress and mental health issues in rural America.”

Optimism is growing that the U.S. and China could wrap up a trade agreement this month. Trade officials from the U.S. and China concluded talks in Beijing Wednesday with another critical round scheduled for next week in the United States. But the Trump administration has appeared to be ready to walk away if an agreement isn’t reached soon.

However, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Twitter that he and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer have concluded “productive meetings” this week. The South China Morning Post reports that the U.S. has dropped the demand that China halts alleged instances of commercial cyber theft, to bring an end to the long-running tariff dispute.

A deal at this point between the U.S. and China is expected in Mid-May, with a possible signing of the agreement planned for June. However, an agreement doesn’t mean an end to tariffs. The U.S. is planning on keeping some tariffs on China, and China will likely keep retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products, according to a Chinese trade expert.

Lawmakers in Mexico this week took a step towards implementing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico’s Senate approved a bill that overhauls the country’s labor code. The move was a pre-condition for U.S. Democrats in the House of Representatives for considering the agreement.

Bloomberg News reports Mexican lawmakers raced to pass the bill before the end of their session Tuesday to allow their counterparts in the U.S. to take up discussion of the trade deal. Mexico’s Senate voted 120-0 in favor of the bill that was previously passed by the nation’s lower chamber. The bill gives workers the right to vote on unions and labor contracts through secret ballots.

However, to complete USMCA, other conditions remain, including the desired removal of section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Canada has hinted that the nation may not approve USMCA until the tariffs are removed. U.S. lawmakers are expected to consider the trade agreement later this year.