Arizona

Americans are paying up to 40% more for their vegetables than in 2021, and drought is a big reason for the price hike.  A new report from Daily Mail says the increase is due, in large part, to states that grow fresh produce getting hit with water cuts because of droughts and storms destroying some crops as well.   ...

Legislation recently introduced seeks an excise tax on the sale and export of water-intensive crops grown in the U.S. by foreign governments.  Arizona Democrat Representative Ruben Gallego introduced the Water Protection Act of 2022, as Arizona and other states face prolonged drought. ...

Smithfield Foods said it will stop all harvest and processing operations in Vernon, CA, in early 2023 due to the rising cost of doing business in the state. At the same time, the company will align its hog production system by reducing its sow herd in the western region ...

The state of Idaho has a new Bureau of Land Management director. In her new role, Karen Kelleher will oversee approximately 12 million acres of public lands, representing nearly one-fourth of the state's total land area, for multiple uses including livestock grazing, mining, conservation and recreation ...

According to Politico, the White House and the EPA target February for the administration’s WOTUS debut. The Waters of the United States Rule continues its seesaw reputation since first announced during the Obama administration. The Trump administration overhauled the rule, and now, the Biden administration is doing the same. The ...

Chicago-Based Evans Food Group is recalling approximately 10,359 pounds of pork pellet products that were not presented for import re-inspection into the United States. The pork pellet products were imported on September 15th and further processed into pork rind and chicharrones items ...

The USDA has provided $12 million for Hispanic-serving Institutions of higher education. Last week’s announcement was part of a launch of the first in a series of virtual roundtable engagement sessions with Minority-serving Institutions and Land-grant Universities serving underrepresented students. The ...

The District of Arizona court ruled this week to vacate the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. However, what the decision means for the rule is one of many questions yet to be answered. Three courts have refused to dismantle the NWPR, including last month when a federal court in South Carolina refused a similar request from plaintiff groups ...

As the hot, dry summer continues, the drought is impacting Northwest crops in a variety of ways. For the Idaho dairy industry, the biggest impact is the dramatic increase in feed costs. “We’re seeing more and more competition for hay," noted Rick Naerebout, CEO of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association. "Competing with ...

More than 1,000 counties are eligible for emergency Conservation Reserve Program haying and grazing. The most recently published list of counties with permitted haying and grazing on CRP land, which was released Thursday 06/24/21, includes 1,021 counties, or 32% of counties nationwide ...