The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is preparing to implement a new law, effective January 1, 2024, that limits the retail sale and non-agricultural use of neonicotinoid pesticides to …
EPA Finalizes Rule to Reinstate Pesticide Safety Zones
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule to restore the 2015 Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) requirements under the Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS). This rule strengthens protections …
School Nutrition Topic of Senate Ag Hearing
Student nutrition and school meals were front and center at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary …
Farm Struggles Similar to Those Seen in 1980’s Continue to Impact Growers
There’s hope that ongoing farm challenges will begin to ease in the near future. Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobson said that it’s been a tough couple years for …
Another Increase to California’s Minimum Wage is On the Way
California’s minimum wage is set to increase once again starting January 1, 2025. The increase applies to all employers, regardless of size. The increase is based on inflation, specifically a …
Restraining Order Against the State Water Resources Control Board Extended
Legal efforts to challenge probationary status under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act continue moving forward. Kings County Superior Court Judge Kathy Ciuffini extended a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the …
California Officials Enforcing EPA Order Banning Dacthal
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the herbicide Dacthal, commonly known as DCPA. It is the first time in 40 years that EPA has issued an emergency ban, …
Labeling Lab-Grown Meat
Ag leaders and various advocacy groups around the nation continue to take on the topic of lab-grown meat. Speaking at the Nebraska Governor’s Ag and Economic Summit, executive director of …
Ag Groups Urge EPA to Amend Endangered Species Act Processes
A coalition of more than 300 agricultural organizations is requesting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amend the processes for pesticides under the Endangered Species Act. In a letter sent to …
EPA to Assess Potential Pesticide Exposure Earlier in the Review Process
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced additional steps it will be taking intended to offer protection from pesticide exposure more quickly. The EPA will now evaluate the risk …
Lawsuits Against BLM Public Lands Rule
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council have filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over its “Conservation and Landscape Health” rule. They argue …
Judge Halts Enforcement of Tulare Lake Subbasin Probation
Parameters of the Tulare Lake Subbasin probation are being put on hold for the next several weeks. Kings County Superior Court Judge Ciuffini issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against …
Lawmakers Want Action Following Chevron Deference Ruling
Lawmakers are pushing back against federal agencies following a Supreme Court decision that ended Chevron deference. The legal principle previously allowed federal agencies to interpret laws broadly. The recent decision …
Wildfire Smoke a Risk to Crews in the Field
Summer temperatures are here, bringing triple digits to several areas of California, drying up brush and grasses. Fires are anticipated to be quite common in the next few months as …