Biden Administration

The Department of Agriculture this week announced a $59 million investment to increase independent meat and poultry processing capacity.  The funding also seeks to expand market opportunities for farmers and create jobs in rural areas.  The investment is part of the Biden administration's Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain.  The action p...

Earlier this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding for agricultural producers and forest landowners to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices.  The Inflation Reduction Act provided an additional $19.5 billion...

On Thursday, Idaho Senators Jim Risch and Mike Crapo as well as West Virginia's Shelley Moore Capito, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined 47 of their Senate Republican colleagues in introducing a formal challenge to the Biden administration’s WOTUS rule.  Tha...

The Senate Ag Committee is preparing to hold its first Farm Bill hearing of the new Congress, focusing on trade and global food aid.  The Ag panel is scheduled to hear from USDA Trade Undersecretary Alexis Taylor, Undersecretary for Marketing Jenny Lester Moffitt and Sarah Charles USAID Assistant to the Administrator.  Taylor ...

President Joe Biden has again nominated Margo Schlanger and Stacy Dean to politically appointed positions at the Department of Agriculture.  Biden nominated Schlanger to serve as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights and Dean as Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. Both wer...

Late last week, the Department of Energy announced $118 million in funding to help expand U.S. biofuel production.  Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor said the funds will undoubtedly accelerate the innovations taking place at U.S. ethanol plants. ...

The U.S. is currently in a third round of talks to redo the World Trade Organization’s trade dispute arbitration system.  The U.S. Ambassador to the WTO told Reuters that America wants it to be fully up and running by the end of 2024.   The WT...

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association recently filed a Notice of Intent to sue the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  NCBA is planning the lawsuit over the listing of the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act.   ...

USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh’s announced retirement last week will soon leave a key department post without a political appointee.  Bronaugh’s announcement she wants to spend more time with her family is a key loss for USDA and Secretary Tom Vilsack.  Senate Ag Ranking M...

Thursday, several members of the House of Representatives, including Washington’s Dan Newhouse, Illinois’ Mike Bost, North Carolina’s David Rouzer, and Iowa’s Mariannette Miller-Meeks led 192 other House Republicans in a letter blasting the Administration for its "premature and reckless WOTUS final rule".  The Members demand th...