The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the comment period for provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Produce Safety Rule. The FDA initially issued a request for information back …
Biden Transition Team Performing Agency Reviews of USDA and EPA
President-elect Joe Biden is working to address important positions within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A series of agency review teams have …
EU Moves Forward with Increased Tariffs on American Goods
The European Union (EU) has announced that it will be moving forward with increased tariffs on U.S. goods. Tariffs will be imposed on nearly $4 billion worth of American imports. …
FDA Reviews Rollout of New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently provided a progress report on the rollout of the New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint. FDA hosted a webinar in October …
Nearly 60 Conservation Practice Standards Revised by USDA
Conservation practice standards have been updated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The revisions to the standards were done in accordance with the 2018 …
UCCE Offering Water Measurement and Reporting Course November 18
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is offering a water measurement and reporting course on Wednesday, November 18. Water-rights holders are required to report any water diverted from surface …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Biological Delivering Targeted Ant Bait Sustainably
Ants can be a compounding issue for growers. Although the pest doesn’t always directly impact the crop or quality, they do hinder protective measures. UC Riverside Biological Control Specialist Dr. …
Proposition 15 Defeated: ‘Farmers Can Breathe A Little Easier’
Two weeks after the election, results show that Proposition 15 has officially been defeated. The ballot measure was defeated by a margin of more than 550,000 votes. A broad array …
Federal Officials Moving Forward on Friant-Kern Canal Repairs
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is moving forward on critically important Friant-Kern Canal repairs. A Record of Decision was signed last month authorizing repairs to a 33-mile portion of the …
Proposed Neonicotinoid Mitigations Are Moving Forward
The proposed neonicotinoids mitigations from that the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) are moving forward. It has been a lengthy process for DPR to address the material. The comment …
ACE Act Officially Signed into Law by President Trump
President Donald Trump recently signed America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act into law. The legislation will help to address several challenges that ranchers face in regard to wildlife. Senators John Barrasso …
Agricultural Committees Undergo Leadership Changes
Leadership positions in Congressional agricultural committees will undergo some changes in light of the recent election. Both the U.S. Senate and House Ag Committees are going to be led by …
H-2A Labor Rates Stay the Same Through 2022
A legal compromise stabilizes H-2A labor rates for two more years. In an effort to reduce production costs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture tried to discontinue the use of its Farm …
California Water Districts Receive Funding Through WaterSMART Initiative
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) selected the recipients of funding support as part of the WaterSMART Initiative. NRCS selected 31 priority areas to receive a …