The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted an ELD waiver to farmers and ranchers who haul animals, that would fall under the Electronic Logging Device mandate that went…
Agriculture Secretary Perdue Comments on Tax Reform
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue calls the recently passed tax reform bill a “once-in-a-generation” reform of the federal tax code. Calling tax reform an eagerly awaited Christmas present for taxpayers, Perdue…
USDA Expands Flexibility, Encourages Program Integration in SNAP Administration
…more efficient while improving customer service. SNAP is unique among federal programs in that the law requires state civil servants (“merit system personnel”) to certify applicant households for benefits. The…
Improvements to Crop Insurance continue in 2018
USDA Strengthens Crop Insurance Program to keep Rural Economy Viable Changes to the Federal crop insurance program initiated in 2017 will continue into 2018. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)…
Wendy’s to Reduce Antibiotics Use in Beef Supply Chain
…medicine from chicken production, something the company pledged to do last year. Wendy’s latest move comes a little more than a week after the Food and Drug Administration released a…
Cruz Proposes Renewable Fuel Credit Cap
…post, which was the result of friction over biofuels proposals between the oil and biofuels industries, and the Trump administration. The senator also proposed forming a working group of administration…
Organic Trade Association Filed Complaint About Organic Livestock Rule
The Organic Trade Association filed a complaint in federal court regarding the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule a week before the Department of Agriculture announced its withdrawal. USDA on…
EPA to Finalize WOTUS Repeal in April
…AFBF has been calling on the EPA to “ditch the rule” since it was proposed during the Obama administration. National Corn Growers Association public policy director Ethan Matthews has previously…
USDA Seeks Applications for $10 Million in Conservation Innovation Grants
…procedures. All U.S.-based entities and individuals are invited to apply, with the sole exception of Federal agencies. Up to 20 percent of CIG funds will be set aside for proposals…
FCA Reports on Agricultural Economic Conditions
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) released a quarterly report on economic issues affecting agriculture and updated the financial condition of the Farm Credit System. The report says the USDA is…
Coalition Wants Federal Ag Budget to Increase
More than 70 agricultural groups sent a letter to congressional leaders asking for an increase in the agricultural budget for the 2018 Ag Appropriations Bill that Congress is developing. The…
Republican Governors Meet VP About NAFTA
…U.S. to make sure it doesn’t harm agriculture and global trade while it updates NAFTA. “The administration was clear that it wants to be able to negotiate a better deal…
USDA Highlights $40 Million in Infrastructure Investments in Rural Communities
…asphalt, water main improvements and sewer upgrades. Tennessee: The city of Sweetwater received $477,700 to help construct an administration building and a warehouse for storage of materials. The administration building…
Available Positions on 2018 Almond Board of Directors
…agency established to administer the Federal Marketing Order for almonds. The Almond Board assures industry compliance with marketing order regulations and is responsible for administering all aspects of the marketing…