House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned her party about the need to trim back the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, the budget reconciliation bill. Pelosi told reporters, “I’m very disappointed …
Lawmakers Alert USTR of Chinese Influence in Latin America
A group of 12 lawmakers recently penned a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative about the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party in Latin America and Caribbean trade and …
Finalists Selected for 2021 California Leopold Conservation Award
Three finalists have been selected for the 2021 California Leopold Conservation Award. Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes those who inspire others with their dedication …
USTR Tai Meets with Chinese Counterpart
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai met with her Chinese counterpart last week before meetings this week with Italy and a European Commission official. Tai held a virtual meeting with China’s …
Oil Prices Reach 7 Year High, Gas Prices Surge
Oil prices reached a seven-year high last week, pushing fuel prices higher. The national average price of gas jumped 5.2 cents to $3.25 a gallon, and the price of diesel …
USDA Commits $25 Million for Programs reaching Underserved Communities
The Department of Agriculture announced a trio of awards totaling nearly $25 million in grants and cooperative agreements. The funding seeks to ensure broader access and participation in USDA programs …
Specialty Crops Program Deploys New Network for Inspection and Audit Services
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will begin issuing inspection certificates and audit reports in multiple different formats. Over the next year, AMS will be developing …
Vaccine Requirement Won’t Close FSA Offices
The Biden Administration’s requirement that all federal employees, including the employees of the Farm Service Agency, be vaccinated against COVID-19 will not cause FSA offices to close or farmers to …
House Ag Committee Dems Want Ag Spending Preserved
House Ag Committee Chair David Scott and fellow Democrats sent a letter to House and Senate leadership asking them to preserve the ag spending provisions in the Build Back Better …
NIFA Invests $10 Million for Food Safety Outreach, Training and Education
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $10 million to enhance food safety outreach, training, and education. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced that 21 …
Farmer-led Coalition Advancing $100/acre Climate Policy Plan
Rural Investment to Protect our Environment, known as RIPE, seeks to reward farmers for voluntary stewardship through the RIPE100 plan. The farmer-led nonprofit seeks to pay farmers $100 per acre, …
USDA Announces Plan to Integrate Climate Adaptation Into its Missions and Programs
As part of an Administration-wide rollout, the Department of Agriculture released its climate adaption and resilience plan. The plan describes how USDA will prepare for current and future impacts of …
Exports Projected to Reach New High in Fiscal Year 2022
The total value of agriculture exports may reach an all-time high in fiscal year 2022, October through September. USDA‘s Economic Research Service says higher shipments of major categories of commodities, …
Armed to Farm California Virtual Workshop Series Begins October 12
A three-part, interactive virtual workshop series for beginning farmer-veterans is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 12. The National Center for Appropriate Technology’s Armed to Farm team has partnered with …