Ag Policy
Animal rights activist Matthew Johnson with the group Direct Action Everywhere has been charged with trespassing at a food operation for his Feb. 5 presence outside an Iowa Select Farms sow operation in Dows, Iowa.
While critics say President Biden’s infrastructure plan is too costly and includes more than infrastructure, proponents say it could help bridge the rural and urban digital divide.
As the 2021 bull market continues, it’s leading to a growing level of optimism from farmers. The latest Ag Economy Barometer from Purdue University/CME group shows farmer sentiments rose to 177 this month.
The second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) restarted April 5. Farmers have 60 days to either apply or make modifications to their existing CFAP 2 applications.
Senators John Hoeven and Michael Bennet reintroduced the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the Hours of Service and Electronic Logging Device regulations at the U.S. DOT.
A federal court has removed a provision of the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System that enabled pork processors to establish maximum line speeds.
The governments of nearly half the U.S. states are in agreement of the North American Meat Institute’s petition challenging the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 12.
President Biden is preparing to announce a $2.25T infrastructure plan on Wednesday. It’s aimed to fuel funding for America’s roads, waterways, broadband and the electric grid, but there’s also a focus on climate.
USTR Katherine Tai on Monday told the European Union’s competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, that she has a “strong desire to develop a more positive and productive” trade relationship with the EU.
Farmers and ranchers have more time to sign up for the Paycheck Protection Program. The Senate passed legislation to extend the deadline from March 31 to May 31.
A second bill to change the H-2A guest worker program has been introduced in the House. This version would move oversight from the Department of Labor to USDA.
As USDA Vilsack prepares to testify before the House Ag Committee Thursday on the state of black farmers in the U.S., he is highlighting disparities in coronavirus aid payments to minority and disadvantaged farmers.
USDA will move forward with $20 per acre payments for price-trigger crops outlined in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) round three with checks going out starting in April.
The Biden Admin. is readying a $3T infrastructure and economic plan. While officials say the plan centers around roads and infrastructure projects, critics say that’s only a small piece of the potential proposal.
One year has passed since the red meat trade provisions of the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement entered into force, expanding access for U.S. beef and pork in the world’s largest red meat import market.
For a fifth year, the White House is publicly recognizing March 23, 2021, as National Ag Day. As part of the proclamation, the White House salutes farmers and ranchers for the contributions they continue to make.
Proposition 12, California’s animal welfare rule, is slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2022. But with these new regulations still mired in a legal battle, the pork industry is left in limbo, Rabobank says.
Farmers for Free Trade wants to see a full implementation of the Phase One trade agreement. A year into the deal, there are still accountability and compliance issues with China.
In a unanimous Senate vote on Wednesday, Katharine Tai was confirmed as the next U.S. Trade Representative. The trade expert was confirmed with a vote of 98-0.
The idea has met resistance over fears of political backlash.
Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) said he will not support an extreme climate agenda that fails to consider that rural Americans will have to shoulder the burden of it.
A pork producer, a professional, a mom, a storyteller, a champion for the pork industry. Jen Sorenson, newly elected NPPC president, is hitting the ground running in her new role.
While trade is not a headline of the Biden Administration in the first 100 days, it’s not stopping Katherine Tai from making her voice heard. Tai is now waiting full confirmation vote to put her ideas to work.
The pork bologna was discovered under the seats and floorboard of a vehicle upon inspection at the border crossing from Mexico.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to eliminate the Voluntary Trichinae Certification Program and remove the regulations associated with the program from the Code of Federal Regulations.
The Meat Institute filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review an earlier ruling of the Meat Institute’s challenge to the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 12.
75% of Pulse respondents say they strongly disapprove of the job done by President Joe Biden so far.
Congress got a clearer view of President Biden’s trade agenda this week as the Senate Finance Committee questioned Katherine Tai, Biden’s nominee to serve as the United States Trade Representative.
The Senate has scheduled a vote on Tom Vilsack’s nomination for Secretary of Agriculture on Feb. 23. In early February, the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved President Biden’s pick to lead USDA.
Biden’s USTR nominee was a key player in the USMCA negotiations, and some think USMCA may be a template for future trade talks, including the possibility of rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).