More than one million acres have been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the latest signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). USDA’s Farm Service Agency notes …
Farmer/Congressman Supports Dignity Act for Immigrants
As a longtime farmer, John Duarte of California has paid close attention to immigration bills and now as a first-term congressman, he has the opportunity to support one. Congressman Duarte …
LandFlex Opportunities Becoming Available to More Farmers
LandFlex opportunities available to farmers and ranchers will be expanding. The program offers incentives to producers to reduce demand for groundwater supplies and help comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management …
West Coast Port Slowdowns Attracting More Federal Attention
Labor negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) continue creating uncertainty. It has been just under a year since the previous labor …
Congressman Says Mexico is Too Late to Change USMCA Terms
If Mexico’s president wanted to restrict GMO corn from the U.S., the time to do that was more than three years ago, before he agreed to the terms of the …
Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Support Agrivoltaics Research
Senators Martin Heinrich and Mike Braun have introduced the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Act of 2023. It would authorize $75 million to help expand the agrivoltaic systems which combine solar …
IFPA Wants Equity in Farm Bill
“We think that the federal government should up investment that they make in the specialty crop industry,” says IFPA’s Rebeckah Adcock The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) wants to see …
Coalition Encourages Bolstering U.K. Trade Opportunities Through UNITED Act
A coalition of nearly 50 food and agriculture organizations is encouraging lawmakers to support the Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism (UNITED) Act. The legislation was introduced …
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act Moves Out of Committee
A push for whole milk in schools moves forward. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The Committee on Education and the Workforce last week voted to advance a …
Water Board Authorizes More Than a Million Acre-Feet of Groundwater Recharge
Groundwater recharge efforts have been significantly bolstered by multiple storm systems beginning last December. As a result, the State Water Resources Control Board has authorized the diversion of 1.2 million …
‘Dangerous’ Water Rights Legislation Continues Moving Forward
California lawmakers are continuing the progression of multiple pieces of water rights legislation. Three particular bills recently passed through their house of origin. Collectively, the bills would create fundamental changes …
Environmental Groups Sue EPA Over Treated Seed Regulations
Two environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in regard to treated seed regulations. The lawsuit was filed by the Center for Food Safety …
VofV: How Bayer’s Dr. Frank Wong Overcame His Skepticism About Biologicals
Dr. Frank Wong, one of Bayer’s Industry Affairs Directors, discusses his shift in opinion about biological solutions on this week’s episode of Voices of the Valley. “I would say that …
McKalip Discusses Specialty Crops, GMO Corn, Dairy Trade at Summit
by Sabrina Halvorson The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is keeping specialty crops in focus for trade deals and working on disputes under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Chief Agricultural Negotiator …