World Ag Expo recently announced Steve Wilbur as chairman of the 2022 event. A local cotton farmer, Wilbur also runs a dairy with his family, grows feed and multiple row …
NASS Collecting Additional Information on Local Food Practices
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be collecting additional information on agricultural products marketed as local foods during 2020. Earlier this year, NASS collected detailed data on 2020 local …
FVIAC to Hold Virtual Meeting November 3-4
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee will be holding a virtual meeting on November 3-4. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is …
EPA, Army Announce Regional Roundtables on WOTUS
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army are calling on communities to propose roundtables to provide input on the implications of the new “WOTUS” rule. The regional …
White House Takes Steps to Address Supply Chain Issues
The Biden Administration announced a series of steps in the private and public sectors to help address the continuing supply chain crisis in the U.S. Forbes says the White House …
Pelosi Warns of Cuts to Build Back Better Act
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 …