…Puglia also discussed the stalled Farm Bill, saying disagreements over SNAP administrative requirements were among the issues preventing an agreement. He described the proposed legislation as potentially transformative for specialty…
George Washington’s Complicated Relationship With Slavery
…agricultural operations remained tied to a system in which enslaved people were denied their freedom and compelled to work. As president, Washington also signed legislation passed by Congress that addressed…
Jessie Shambaugh and the Early Roots of 4-H
…could expand. The legislation helped firmly establish the national framework associated with 4-H. What began with community-minded individuals such as Jessie Shambaugh and local groups of boys and girls grew…
4-H Roots Trace Back to the Smith-Lever Act of 1914
Cooperative Extension Service Helped Shape Rural America The roots of one of America’s best-known youth agricultural organizations can be traced back to legislation passed more than a century ago. In…
Senate Farm Bill Advances With E15 Provision, Proposition 12 Dispute Unresolved
…South Dakota Senator John Thune, a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, pointed to several agricultural priorities included in the legislation, including year-round E15 sales. “One of the things…
MCOOL Debate Continues as Congress Considers Country-of-Origin Labeling
…taking place as lawmakers work on the 2026 Farm Bill. The Senate Agriculture Committee passed the Agriculture Act of 2026, known as Farm Bill 2.0, on September 16. The legislation…
Shannon Douglass Discusses Wolves, Labor and California Agriculture
…“Securing America’s Workforce,” as a potential avenue for H-2A reform. Farm Bill Still a Work in Progress The Farm Bill was another major topic. Douglass described the legislation as a…
California Ag Faces Wolves, Labor and Regulatory Challenges
…move legislation forward and the challenges created by separating agricultural provisions from food assistance programs. Agricultural technology and regulation receive plenty of attention as well. Papagni and Douglass discuss autonomous…
Rancher’s First Initiative Targets Cattle Herd Rebuilding and Producer Stability
…cattle herd. South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar recently introduced the bipartisan Rebuilding America’s National Cow Herd, or Ranch Act. The legislation would establish a voluntary…
America’s Early Forest Management Begins in 1876
…1891 A major development came a decade later. In 1891, Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act, legislation that gave the President authority to designate certain public lands in the West…
Ryan Jacobsen: California Ag’s Future Depends on Water
…to pursue an MBA, combining his animal-science background with business training. That combination ultimately helped prepare Jacobsen for agricultural advocacy. He now approaches issues from multiple perspectives — legislation, regulation,…
Smith-Lever Act Created USDA Extension Service in 1914
…research-based knowledge and practical educational resources. The story of the Smith-Lever Act is ultimately a story about making knowledge accessible. In 1914, the legislation helped bring agricultural research out of…
How Agriculture Shaped America’s New Nation
…agricultural knowledge. The Morrill Act and America’s Land-Grant Universities Another major milestone came with the Morrill Act of 1862. The legislation established the foundation for what are now known as…
USDA and the Birth of America’s Land-Grant Universities
…pieces of legislation in the history of American higher education. The Morrill Act of 1862 Creates a New Educational Model In 1862, Congress passed the Morrill Act, legislation that provided…