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 …
Making Sense of Biologicals: Hoop House Example of Spider Mite Control
Twospotted spider mite can be a significant issue when populations get large enough. However, in several cropping systems, biological control is attainable as long as growers have the right beneficial …
EPA Finalized Rule for Exclusion Zones for Pesticide Applications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a new rule changing exclusion zones for pesticide applications. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler recently announced that the agency had provided some clarification for Application Exclusion …
H-2A Wages to Remain Stable Over the Next Two Years
The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that H-2A wages will remain at 2020 rates for the next two years. DOL is revising the methodology for how the department determines …
USDA Outlines Projects Through Great American Outdoors Act
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has outlined project priorities under the Great American Outdoors Act. A prioritized list of deferred maintenance projects has been delivered to Congress. The list …
India’s Dairy Producers Work to Block Trade Deal with U.S.
India’s dairy producers have rallied to push back against a potential free trade deal with the United States. Negotiation between the U.S. and India have been ongoing since 2018. The …
Tri-National Agricultural Accord Highlights Importance of USMCA
State and provincial agriculture officials from North America met virtually last week for the 29th annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord. The online event gathered members of the National Association of State …
Housing for the Harvest Program Continues to Expand
The Housing for the Harvest program is continuing to expand to cover more areas of California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently announced that Yolo and Imperial …
EPA Approves New Dicamba Registrations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the approval of new dicamba registrations. New five-year registrations have been approved for two over-the-top (OTT) dicamba products. EPA also extended the registration for …
Final EQIP Rule Announced with New Enhancements
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently announced its updated rule for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The final EQIP rule makes updates to the program that were part …
More than $7 Billion Paid in Second Round of USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that in the first month of the application period, the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) approved more than $7 billion in payments …