The Obama administration has increased protection for a humble bumblebee. The rusty-patched bumblebee, once common across the continental United States, has been designated an endangered species by the Fish and Wildlife Service, the country’s first bumblebee, and the first bee from the lower 48 states, to be added to the register. [node:read-more:link]
Washington state vegetable farmers Burr and Rosella Mosby shifted in their seats and furrowed their brows as they listened to a panel discuss immigration issues during a session at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention. USDA economist Tom Hertz was providing some troubling numbers for the Mosbys and other farmers who depend on workers to plant, prune, pick and pack their crops. “We hand-harvest everything,” Burr Mosby said. Mexican immigration to the U.S. [node:read-more:link]
Some farm-belt advisers to the Trump campaign say they want the president-elect to put the brakes on agriculture-industry consolidation. Some farm-state advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are speaking out against a wave of mergers among global seed and pesticide companies, warning they could boost the prices farmers pay. The advisers, including state officials and farmers, warn that consolidation will leave farmers with fewer choices among suppliers and shift a large portion of critical agricultural research to foreign ownership. [node:read-more:link]
The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund (“R-CALF”) and the United Stockgrowers of America have likely survived a motion to dismiss their case against USDA challenging the beef checkoff and obtained an injunction against the Montana Beef Council (“MBC”) to prevent it spending money received from the federal Beef Checkoff Board on promotion. [node:read-more:link]
A federal district court judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter against the Obama administration. In September 2015, Otter’s office filed suit against the Interior Department, arguing the federal agency illegally imposed land-use restrictions to protect the imperiled sage grouse. Now – a year and a half later – U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan dismissed the lawsuit. The state’s lawsuit argued that the feds cut them out of the management and planning process. [node:read-more:link]
Agri-Pulse, the nation's leading source of farm and food policy information, plans to launch an in-depth editorial series next month, “The Seven Things You Should Know Before You Write the Next Farm Bill,” culminating in a Farm Bill Summit at the National Press Club on March 20. “Our editorial team had a bird's eye view of the ups and downs experienced during development of the last farm bill,” says Agri-Pulse Editor Sara Wyant. “We think there are some important ‘lessons learned' that can help inform and stimulate debate before formal work starts on writing the next bill.” [node:read-more:link]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is making available for public comment a petition from Scotts’ Company and Monsanto Company seeking deregulation for creeping bentgrass genetically engineered (GE) for resistance to the herbicide glyphosate. The petition will be available for public review and comment for 60 days starting January 8, 2016. Comments received on or before March 8, 2016, will be considered. [node:read-more:link]
This program helps fund broadband deployment into rural communities where it is not yet economically viable for private sector providers to deliver service.The Community Connect program helps rural communities extend access where broadband service is least likely to be commercially available, but where it can make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for people and businesses. The projects funded by these grants help rural residents tap into the enormous potential of the Internet for jobs, education, healthcare, public safety and community development. [node:read-more:link]
Just go to rural America. Farmers, ranchers, and most red states cannot wait for President Trump to get rid of the flood of regulations that President Obama has weighing on our shoulders. Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) is at the top of the list. The Obama EPA has tried to regulate everything. On my farm, we need to be able to tile a wet hole, straighten a creek, or dig a ditch to improve drainage. We don’t want to be required to get a permit to make improvements on our own farms. Another question – what about Obama Care? The public doesn’t like it. [node:read-more:link]
The entire issue is on farm bill issues with articles covering every title of the farm bill. [node:read-more:link]
