With help from Daniel Lippman

ANIMAL-FREE ADVOCACY: The Swiss food company Nestlé has added a lobbying firm to engage on plant-based policy.

— Earlier this week, Mercury Public Affairs registered to represent Nestlé. The company has added a number of investments in plant-based foods, including acquiring the California-based plant-based company Sweet Earth in 2017. Nestlé’s offerings also include a pea-based milk alternative, Wunda, and a plant-based tuna called Sensational Vuna.

— Shannon Campagna, a veteran of the supermarket chain Safeway and the food and petcare company Mars, will represent the company, according to the filing. Campagna joined Mercury earlier this year from Van Scoyoc Associates, where she represented the Alliance for Plant Based Inclusion. The alliance includes major food companies Conagra, Kraft Heinz, ADM and Kellogg.

— As a managing director at Mercury, Campagna will develop the firm’s work in food and agriculture policy and lead the alliance, alongside former Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.). Bustos, who served on the House Agriculture Committee, also joined the firm earlier this year.

— Nestlé has lobbied on plant-based policy since at least 2021, according to lobbying disclosures. They’re not the only big food company staking out a position in the space. Cargill, which makes plant-based protein ingredients, has also disclosed lobbying on alternative proteins. Other big food companies have invested in alt proteins like lab-grown meat or plant-based foods, including JBS and Tyson Foods.

— Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) introduced a marker bill last week to fund plant-based food production, the PLANT Act. The bill earned praise from the Plant Based Foods Association, but the industry is still pushing for traction among key lawmakers. Opposition from conventional ag groups like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association remains strong. Ranchers and other farm groups have rallied around labeling disputes over what can be called meat or milk — with plenty of support from lawmakers. For their part, PBFA calls such opposition censorship.

Happy Thursday, and welcome to PI! My name is Hailey Fuchs, and I’m taking the helm of the newsletter this week while Caitlin is away. Please send me all your lobbying tips to [email protected]. Follow me on the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Hailey_Fuchs.

LOCAL CALI LOBBYING: Journalists at CalMatters report that “local governments, water districts and transit agencies have spent nearly $24 million on lobbying the state this year, accounting for about 10% of the more than $233 million total.”

— “The tiny Central Valley city of Farmersville reported lobbying on a contentious caste discrimination bill, even though it doesn’t have a large South Asian population. San Mateo County lobbied the state budget, plus one specific bill this session, focused on student meals, at the request of its health department. Rosemead in Los Angeles County lobbied on a stalled youth tackle football bill, at the urging of one city councilmember,” Sameea Kamal and Jeremia Kimelman write.

— ”These are some of the more unusual and curious examples of one way business gets done at the state Capitol — local governments using taxpayers’ money to lobby the Legislature and state agencies, sometimes for more tax money.”

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN TALLAHASSEE?: The number of lobbyists registered to advocate at Tallahassee’s City Hall this year is markedly lower than last year, creating some concern, Jeff Burlew reports for the Tallahassee Democrat.

— “Last year, 29 lobbyists representing clients from Honeywell to Publix and smaller companies in between registered to lobby city commissioners and staff. They paid their annual $25 registration fees and disclosed their clients and interests.”

— “But so far this year, only six lobbyists have signed up, marking an 77% year-to-date drop and an all-time low in registration numbers since the city’s lobbying ordinance was enacted in 2011.”

SAY BYE TO BABA?: A coalition of trade associations is criticizing the administration’s Build America Buy America guidelines, arguing that the unclear requirements will inhibit the intended goals of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

— In a press release, the coalition — which includes the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the American Public Power Association, the Information Technology Industry Council, among others — said it had shared its concerns in a letter to senior advisers to the president, Mitch Landrieu and John Podesta. They argue that the current state of the guidelines is creating confusion and delaying projects.

— “For well over a year we have been communicating directly with all levels of the Biden administration the importance of clear, consistent and strategically crafted BABA guidelines that will allow U.S. industry a realistic path to compliance while fulfilling the President’s infrastructure vision,” NEMA President and CEO Debra Phillips said in the release. “Nevertheless, our members, other industry associations manufacturers, contractors and suppliers remain seriously concerned about the challenges they are facing with these domestic content rules.”

— Michael Jacobs is now assistant general counsel, federal regulatory affairs at Lumen Technologies. He was previously vice president of regulatory affairs at ACA Connects — America’s Communications Association and the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance.

— Amy Herzfeld-Copple has been appointed executive director of Western States Center. She starts Sept. 1.

— Matt Wing has started a communications and marketing firm called Wingspan. He has previously worked for UnitedMasters and Uber and is an Andrew Cuomo alum.

— Clare Krusing is rejoining Reservoir Communications Group. She previously worked in external communications for Morgan Health, a business unit of JPMorgan Chase.

MTG Victory Fund, Inc. (Marjorie Taylor Greene, Save America Stop Socialism PAC, NRCC)

Kentucky Wins PAC (PAC)

BAYADA Hearts For Home Care, Inc. Political Action Committee (PAC)

The Great American PAC (PAC)

Cigar Rights of America Political Action Committee (Puro PAC) (PAC)

Peter Damon Group LLC: Old North Strategies, LLC On Behalf Of Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC

AJW, Inc.: Bioenergy Devco LLC

Husch Blackwell Strategies: Great American Outdoors Group, LLC

The Raben Group: Groundwork Action, A Project Of Sixteen Thirty Fund

Hannegan Landau Poersch & Rosenbaum Advocacy, LLC: Digimarc

National Women’s Health Network: Denys Symonette Mitchell