(NSF/TALLAHASSEE/April 26, 2022) — Federal wildlife officials will decide in the coming months whether increased protections are needed for gopher tortoises, as Florida looks for ways to move the animals out of the path of development. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Center for Biological Diversity reached a settlement Tuesday that will require the federal agency to determine …
Phase 1 NEPA Revisions Met with Criticism from Farm Groups
Last week, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced their final adjustments to portions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Several ag groups have raised concern about the Phase 1 NEPA revisions and the negative impact it will have on agriculture. The latest revisions would effectively reverse the amendments made in 2020, which was the first comprehensive update in …
Farm Groups Oppose Final NEPA Changes
Key farm groups are opposing the Biden Administration’s final phase 1 revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) affecting major infrastructure projects. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) say the revised NEPA rules are a step backwards and jeopardize the very projects the Biden Administration is promoting. Here is AFBF’s Shelby Hagenauer. …
USDA in Georgia Seeks Additional Proposals from Conservation Minded Partners
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia had previously requested proposals to assist with the technical aspects of implementing key priorities in the state. Now, they’ve announced an additional opportunity to partner with likeminded natural resource conservation partners in Georgia to help provide outreach and education on USDA-NRCS programs. Conservation minded organizations who wish to apply should demonstrate …
March Ag Economy Barometer Dips Lower
The Purdue University CME Ag Economy Barometer dipped to a reading of 113 in March. That is the weakest farmer sentiment reading since May, 2020. The March reading went 12 points lower than a month earlier, and 36 percent lower than March, 2021. Compared to a year earlier, producers appraisal of current conditions was down 44 percent, while their expectrations …
CSP Signup Deadline in Georgia is Friday
Agricultural producers and forest landowners looking to build on conservation efforts in Georgia are being reminded of a nearing deadline. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). And while they accept CSP applications year-round, Georgia producers and landowners need to apply by Friday, April 1 to be considered for funding in the current cycle.? Agricultural …
USDA Publishes Origin of Livestock Final Rule for Organic Dairy
(Release No. 0069.22/USDA/AMS/WASHINGTON, Mar. 29, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture published the highly anticipated Origin of Livestock (OOL) final rule for organic dairy. This change to the USDA organic regulations will promote a fairer and more competitive market for all organic dairy producers, by making sure that certified USDA organic dairy products are produced to the same consistent standard. “This …
Biden’s 2023 Budget Proposal: Ag and Rural Funds
President Joe Biden unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal year 2023, Monday. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the President’s budget provides USDA with “the tools needed to support a vibrant, revitalized, and prosperous rural America.” The budget includes more than $10 million for oversight and enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act as well as money to support innovation in …
Supreme Court to Hear NPPC Case Against Prop. 12
(NPPC/WASHINGTON, D.C., Mar. 28, 2022) — The U.S. Supreme Court at its Mar. 25 conference agreed to hear a case brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) against California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of pork from hogs born to sows that weren’t raised according to the state’s “arbitrary” production standards. “We are …
Florida Legislation Wrap Up from FFAA
Florida state lawmakers wrapped up the 2022 legislative session earlier this month and voted on several bills related to agriculture. Among them is the Nutrient Application Rates Bill, which the Florida Fertilizer & Agrichemical Association (FFAA) says provides citrus growers a pathway to use site-specific nutrient application rates developed by a Certified Crop Advisor with a 4R Nutrient Management Specialty …