Ag Policy Blog

Senators this week introduced bills that would deal with the treatment of crop insurance for wheat producers in drought-stricken areas. Another bill by senators also would beef up USDA's suite of livestock disaster programs.

The House Agriculture Committee is going to examine labor issues and how to reform the H-2A program through a bipartisan working group that the committee announced on Wednesday.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is key for triggering a lot of programs. The more severe the drought, the quicker eligibility kicks in for some of these programs. There are also rules about haying and grazing Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres during nesting season.

Marshall's bill, called the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, preserves the right of states and local units of government to regulate agriculture within their jurisdiction, free from interference from other jurisdictions. The bill also blocks states from dictating...

USDA on Wednesday announced more scrutiny on meatpacker and retailer claims about how animals are raised, seeking more information that must be approved by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) before labels can be added to meat and poultry products.

Eleven governors called on Congress to support the "Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act," a bill reintroduced in the U.S. Senate last month following the U.S. Supreme Court's 5-4 decision in May upholding California's Proposition 12.

USDA on Monday announced its enrollment for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign up. The Department also released details for $714 million in grants and loans for its ReConnect broadband program.

The committee will markup a set of tax bills on Tuesday that includes several provisions for extending bonus deprecation and expanding Section 179 deductions and the creation of rural opportunity zones.

While the Senate minority leader wants a new farm bill passed, the Canadian government on Friday also announced it will join the U.S. in a dispute case against Mexico under the USMCA over the Mexican decree regarding biotech corn.

Lawmakers introduced a bill that would create an office at USDA focusing on smaller farm operations. A House committee also advanced a bill that would allow schools to offer whole milk to students in the school-lunch program.

Rather than the Senate aggies, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, announced a hearing next week looking at agriculture and climate change. Whitehouse is known for giving nearly 300 floor speeches in the Senate chamber on climate...

The letter to Tai noted she had told Congress two months ago that if the Biden administration's concerns over Mexico' policies were not resolved through technical consultations then the USTR would "consider all options to fix this problem, including by taking additional steps...

The debt-limit bill, as released Sunday by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., would cover U.S. obligations through Jan. 2, 2025. The bill is titled the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Agricultural groups and Republican lawmakers praised the Supreme Court decision for setting a new standard for regulating bodies of water. Democrats and environmental groups see the ruling as setting back the country's clean water provisions. There was even disagreement over...

If you haven't filled out your ag census form, it is due May 31. USDA also wants comments from producers and will be holding public listening sessions on possible changes to prevented-planting crop insurance coverage.

In a subcommittee hearing Tuesdy, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee raised doubts over whether USDA can manage all of the conservation spending ifrom the Inflation Reduction Act. He also remains opposed to rules with the funding that tie it to reducing...

The markup for USDA's fiscal-year 2024 funding was unusual in that the subcommittee usually reaches agreement in advance of the markup, but this year the Republicans made big cuts to farm and nutrition programs to which the Democrats objected vigorously.

Using $10.7 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA on Tuesday will lay out two new loan and grant programs for rural electric cooperatives and other rural power providers. The projects will look to help rural areas convert more energy to low-carbon...

In a hearing Wednesday before a House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, leaders from the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), National Turkey Federation (NTF) and North American Meat Institute (NAMI) each lamented the...

Using $10.7 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, USDA on Tuesday will lay out two new loan and grant programs for rural electric cooperatives and other rural power providers. The projects will look to help rural areas convert more energy to low-carbon...