Several concerns are being raised in relation to President Joe Biden’s American Families Plan, particularly something being referred to as a “transfer tax.” Former Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee …
Industry Groups Urge Congressional Support for Climate-Smart Agriculture
A coalition of a dozen agricultural and conservation groups are encouraging lawmakers to broaden support for climate-smart agriculture. Last week a letter was sent by the coalition to the leadership …
Secretary Vilsack Talks Drought, Trade, and Labor at Fresno County Farm
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited California this week, meeting with growers, industry groups, and state officials to learn about the challenges facing agriculture. During his stop at Terranova Ranch …
‘Unprecedented’ Emergency Curtailments Adopted by State Water Board
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) has passed emergency curtailments for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed. Approximately 5,700 water rights holders are expected to be impacted by the order, …
CDFA Issues Stop Use Notice on Organic Pesticide Products
The California Department of Food and Agriculture has issued a Stop Use Notice for two pesticide products that are labeled for organic use. Organic producers are being warned that the products EcoMight-Pro …
Public Good Achieved Through Agricultural Regulations Warrants Public Support
Many agricultural regulations are implemented as a safety mechanism to help provide some measure of protection to the environment. These efforts generally provide a public good to the community at …
Senate to Begin Work on $1 Trillion Infrastructure Deal
The U.S. Senate will begin working on a bipartisan infrastructure deal after a vote of 67-32 in favor of debating the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has indicated that …
Plans for Revising the WOTUS Definition Moving Forward
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army are moving forward with revising the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). Updating the WOTUS definition …
Optimism for Getting WHIP+ Extension Through Congress
There is optimism for getting the $8.5 billion disaster bill to extend the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) through Congress. Vice President of Washington Operations for the National …
Nearly $17 Million Being Made Available Through USDA’s 2501 Program
Approximately $16.6 million dollars is being made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program, …
New Program Helps Heirs Resolve Land Ownership and Succession Issues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has developed a new program to help heirs resolve land ownership and succession issues. The new Heirs’ Property Relending Program (HPRP) was announced during …
Committee Hearings Shine a Light on Issues Within the Food Supply Chain
Two Congressional committee hearings were held recently to examine areas of the food supply chain that need improvements. The House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture held a …
Performance Measures Updated for Multiple USDA Programs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced updates to the performance measures for several programs. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will be applying the updates moving forward beginning with …
Organic Fresh Produce Sales Continue Upward Momentum
Organic fresh produce sales experienced continued growth for the second quarter of 2021. The sales figures are detailed in a recent report from the Organic Produce Network (OPN) and Category …