House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) praised the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement it is repealing the Obama administration’s waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule and called on other agencies to revise and re-evaluate their enforcement of this onerous provision. Following the EPA’s announcement, Chairman Conaway made the below remarks: “WOTUS has never been about clean water, it …
UF Water Institute Gets $5 Million Grant to Aid Region’s Agriculture, Environment
by Beverly James, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences The University of Florida Water Institute has received a $5 million, five- year grant to promote water security for the region’s farmers, foresters, and the environment. The Water Institute, a campus-wide interdisciplinary Institute, received the grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture program. …
Water Rights Protection Act Offers Relief from Federal Water Extortion
The Water Rights Protection Act, introduced in the House, could bring U.S. ranchers much-needed relief from ongoing efforts by the federal government to extort privately held water rights from law-abiding citizens, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. “It’s time to put a stop to federal strong-arming of ranchers by a government that owns the majority of the land for …
EPA Working to Rescind Waters of U.S. Rule, Then Replace It
An EPA official says EPA will first work to rescind the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule and then gather information for a replacement for that rule. Gary Crawford has the details. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role In Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle …
Appeals Court Rejects Caloosahatchee Water Case
by Jim Saunders, News Service of Florida A federal appeals court Monday rejected a lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ management of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River caused pollution problems in the Southwest Florida waterway. A three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based appeals court — in a case described in one document as a …
New Forecast Tools for Tropical Storm Preparations
With all eyes on the tropics this week, information is out concerning new storm surge and wind forecast models. According to a story from Rod Bain, these new models should increase emergency preparedness for those potentially in the path of a tropical storm or hurricane. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role In Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB …
Critical Agricultural Water Resources Issues
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced 14 grants totaling more than $9 million to help solve critical water problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States. The grants are funded through the Water for Agriculture Challenge Area of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, authorized by the 2014 Farm …
Trump Waterways Commitment Needs Funding
Farm groups are encouraged by President Donald Trump’s infrastructure commitment for waterways, but Politico questions how the President plans to fund the effort. Trump announced his plan with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke earlier this week. The American Soybean Association says President Trump’s remarks highlighted the importance of the waterways and the need for infrastructure upgrades, …
Conaway Applauds Delay of Compliance Dates for FSMA Agricultural Water Standards
“Producers need additional time to come into compliance with FSMA’s produce safety rules and I commend the FDA for providing this needed flexibility.” House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) issued the following statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to delay the compliance dates for agricultural water requirements in the FDA Food Safety …
Wellhead Protection Sign-up Deadline Nearing in Alabama
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alabama wants to remind residents living in two key watersheds in the northern part of the state, that the deadline to sign up for Wellhead protection is Thursday, June 8. Image courtesy of USDA/NRCS. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Plays Major Role In Applied Beef Cattle ResearchOctober 17, 2025FCEB Recurring Funding …