EPA GHG Regulations Bring ‘Double Economic Jolt’ to Ag
America’s farmers and ranchers will receive a “double economic jolt” from the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases, the American Farm Bureau Federation told a House subcommittee today. Philip Nelson, president of the Illinois Farm Bureau, testified on behalf of AFBF before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power. “First, any costs...
Read MoreCorn Stocks at Record Low
Lower supplies and higher demand continue to play a major role in price increases for wheat and corn in the Agriculture Department’s February crop report released today. USDA made no changes in the wheat, soybeans and cotton stocks estimates, but corn stocks were reduced to 675 million bushels from 745 million bushels in the January estimate. This puts corn stocks at a very tight level of 5...
Read MoreAdministration Will Pursue Trade Agreements This Year
In testimony today before the House Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the Obama administration will pursue trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama this year, but will not sacrifice concerns over labor and human rights. In the meantime, eight former agriculture secretaries wrote to Congress on Tuesday urging fast passage of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade...
Read MoreColorado Dams Drying Up
According to a Denver Post examination, Colorado could increase its water storage capacity by the equivalent of four Chatfield Reservoir’s if the state’s water project funds were adequate. Many dams in the state are far from full capacity, limited by safety concerns from the Department of Natural Resources. The department says it lacks the funds to repair existing dams that have been deemed...
Read MoreUSDA Announces Partial Deregulation of Biotech Sugar Beets
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced Friday it will partially deregulate biotech sugar beets. The decision means farmers can resume plantings of sugar beets that had been barred by a federal judge. “After conducting an environmental assessment, accepting and reviewing public comments and conducting a plant pest risk assessment, APHIS has determined that the Roundup...
Read MoreLegislative Tracking 2013
