Latest News From POLICY

The Kremlin said there was no link between the attack and suspending the deal, which lets Ukraine export grain through the Black Sea. Instead, it occurred over a failure to ease rules for food and fertilizer exports.

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) introduced an act to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting U.S. land near security sites, and would push a review of current ownership in these areas.

State officials find these states serve as early examples of the challenges other places may face in response to the recent Sackett ruling on WOTUS.

This slump, deeper than May's 7.5% drop, represents the largest decline since February 2020.

Dr. Carl Zulauf of Ohio State University, via a FarmDoc Daily article, proposes merging General CRP and Continuous CRP into a Site Specific CRP.

The program targets those who were discriminated against before Jan. 1, 2021, or those still in debt from discriminatory USDA farm loans. 

During a bilateral meeting on Thursday, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai discussed with Mexico's Secretary of Economy Tatiana Clouthier various issues concerning energy and biotech corn.

Erik Lichtenberg, University of Maryland professor, says Congress could reorient farm bill conservation funds for climate change, but it could cut into their support.

A new report examines a future without glyphosate, showing if the herbicide was no longer available for farmers, the immediate impact would be costly to the economy, farmers and the environment.

Representatives from the U.S., Mexico and Canada will meet in Cancun, Mexico this week to discuss a series of disputes, including Mexican energy and biotech policies and Canadian dairy barriers.

Beijing on Monday announced export controls on gallium and germanium. Now the Biden administration is set to restrict Chinese companies’ access to U.S. cloud-computing services that use AI chips.

The European Commission proposed revising its rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Wednesday to loosen some restrictions for plants resulting from newer gene-editing technology.

EPA plans to revise the "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS) regulation by Sept. 1. Both the EPA and the Corps of Engineers have regulatory duties for federal waterways.

While Sen. McConnell says the budget has little give, Sen. Boozeman has consistently said he will not support a farm bill that doesn't provide an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program's reference prices.

The Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor is a new survey of nearly 50 economists. Most ag economists agree the next 12 months could produce more financial pressure for agriculture, but their views vary depending on commodity.

Thomas Villegas says the administrative state operates a fixed game. His lawsuit contends private landowners are accused, judged, and sentenced by the same set of unelected government employees.

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) opened the door to shifting almost $20 billion from her party’s climate and tax credit law enacted last year to more general spending in the upcoming farm bill.

The Committee on Ag is looking to solve workforce issues with the formation of the Ag Labor Working Group. "Reforms are desperately needed to address this pressing issue," said Co-Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ar.).

California has modified the implementation date for Proposition 12 compliance from July 1 to Dec. 31, in an attempt to achieve a smoother transition for the entire pork value chain, including foreign trading partners. 

Under the bill, the USDA and the FDA would become members of CFIUS and their powers would be expanded to better consider ag needs when it decides if a purchase would create national security risks.

EPA released biofuel blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard on Tuesday. While EPA says the decision will reduce reliance on oil imports, some biofuel industry leaders do not approve.

Mexico reached an agreement with food manufacturers to use only non-GMO corn in tortilla production across the country. The government says it plans to implement new import tariffs on white corn imports.

The committee will meet on Thursday to officially set the toplines for each of the 12 appropriations bills. If all 12 bills aren't passed by year-end, automatic across-the-board cuts would kick in to push talks along.

The U.S. and China have reportedly made “progress” and agreed to stabilize their relationship, but no major breakthroughs were outlined during the two-day meeting between U.S. and China high-ranking officials.

CRISPR results are identical to results of conventional breeding, and it's nearly impossible to differentiate from conventional vs CRISPR. The breeding tool is also having an impact on the apprehension of GMOs.

Over the 29 years of free trade, U.S. ag exports to Mexico increased both in terms of volume and value, although there were some years where growth was not positive.

The White House set a goal of producing 3 billion gal. of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030. Senators say outdated climate data is keeping producers from reaching the finish line, but a new bill could change that.

It's not as simple as you might think. House Ag Chair G.T. Thompson shares a rundown of the funding and extension processes. He says the ag committees need to find new dollars to expand the farm bill budget.

The policy of the EPA and the rest of the federal government should be to join the Supreme Court in supporting and trusting farmers and landowners to do the right thing.

Sluggish exports continue to be the main theme in the grain markets with USDA cutting both old and new crop ending stocks. Arlan Suderman of StoneX Group says the bigger story moving forward might be soft corn demand.

National enrollment in ag and related science majors at two-year institutions grew 41% in Fall 2021. The Community College Ag Advancement Act aims to give these students more industry opportunities.

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow, (D-Mich.) says there will be no new funding for the 2023 farm bill. However, Stabenow stressed she will not allow a cut in conservation funding.

The Senate and House Ag committees are facing delays in drafting the next farm bill, and it is expected to be the most expensive farm bill to date, clocking in at around $1.5 trillion.

“We fundamentally disagree with the position Mexico has taken on the issue of biotechnology, which has been proven to be safe for decades,” said Tom Vilsack, USDA secretary.

Who enforces Prop 12? Here's a look at California Department of Food and Agriculture's recent guidance titled "Questions and Answers Related to Pork Sales in the Wake of the 2023 Supreme Court Decision."

Bill 3372 could lower greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate factors leading to supply chain backlogs, reduce damage to roads, and provide an extra set of brakes to improve stopping capacity and safety, one lawmaker says.

China's exports to Russia reached a record high in April, amounting to $9.6 billion.

"The Court’s ruling today should provide the legal certainly necessary for ag retailers and their farmer customers," says Daren Coppock.

Court Justice Samuel Alito said the EPA's interpretation of its powers went "too far."

“We can't prioritize one natural resource concern over all others and we shouldn't prioritize one solution above all others,” Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) said.

Seven U.S. states along the drought-starved Colorado River have reached a deal with the Biden administration to conserve water in a "historic consensus" to prevent supply problems for big cities as well as farmers.

The Ukraine Black Sea grain deal has been extended for two more months, one day before Russia could have quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports.

John Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, says ag need to be "front and center" as the climate solution.

Rural electric cooperatives, utilities and other energy providers will soon be able to apply for nearly $11 billion in grants and loans for clean energy projects, funded by the $430 billion Inflation Reduction Act.

Disappointment, frustration and disbelief shook the U.S. pork industry when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold California’s Proposition 12. Meanwhile, animal activist groups called it a win.

Rep. Thompson signaled he wants to hear “commitment from everyone, including the president, that we will get this done and in the manner I've been speaking about. Bipartisan, bicameral, on time and highly effective.'"

Automakers, including Ford, recently announced they are planning to remove AM radio from their lineups. Joe Gill, National Association of Farm Broadcasters president, says this move poses a threat to public safety.

The Office of Investment Security proposed a rule on Friday that would require foreign entities to garner U.S. government approval before they are able to purchase land within 100 miles of eight military bases.

Lenders In the hearing seemed to agree on a boost to lending limits in USDA guaranteed loans as lawmakers ready for the next farm bill.

The reason for the shift is rooted in financial improvements, according to James Mintert, professor in the Department of Ag Economics at Purdue.