Latest News From Ag Policy

Cattle Producers Send WOTUS Letter to EPA
Cattle Producers Send WOTUS Letter to EPA

NCBA submitted a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of over 1,600 cattle producers from 44 states calling for a definition of “Waters of the United States” that works for the cattle industry.

Meat Institute Supports Klobuchar-Thune Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Meat Institute Supports Klobuchar-Thune Ocean Shipping Reform Act

The Meat Institute called for the U.S. Senate to pass a bipartisan bill to address unreasonable ocean carrier practices that are undermining competitiveness of American exporters including the meat and poultry industry.

Will The USDA Pop-Up Site Solve The Clogged Ports Issue?
Will The USDA Pop-Up Site Solve The Clogged Ports Issue?

Rep. Garamendi says the USDA partnership with the Port of Oakland “isn’t going to solve the problem” because shippers deliver product to the U.S. and leave ports with empty containers.

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EPA on Standby as Supreme Court Reconsiders WOTUS Rulings

The AFBF suggests EPA halt their plan to rewrite WOTUS until it has more guidance in deciding which waters are categorized under the federal jurisdiction.

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China’s Central Bank Cut Rates for First Time in Two Years

On Monday the People’s Bank of China also announced a 0.1 percentage point cut to two of its key policy rates. It acted after GDP grew by more than 8% in 2021, but slowed down in the fourth quarter.

Texas rural land values rose again in 2016, marking six consecutive years of increases, according to data gathered by the Texas Real Estate Center (REC) and Texas A&M University.
White House Will Recruit Rural Land For New Clean Energy Projects, Could it Create Too Much Competition for Land?

The Biden Administration is deploying money and resources to ramp up clean energy projects across rural America. The White House says the plan taps federal lands to install wind, solar and geothermal energy projects.

2022 Happenings on The Hill
2022 Happenings on The Hill

COVID-19-related legislation continues to run the gavel, while rural America urges Congress to deliver on its economic relief promises. Here are three issues to watch.

Farmers Saw Biden's 30x30 Plan As A 'Land Grab,' Here's Why You No Longer Hear About It
Farmers Saw Biden's 30x30 Plan As A 'Land Grab,' Here's Why You No Longer Hear About It

AFBF President Zippy Duvall told members this week he will continue to press for policy that progresses agriculture, citing AFBF's work on changes to the White House's "America the Beautiful" plan as an example.

Natural Gas Prices Only Account for 15% of Run-Up in Anhydrous Ammonia Prices, Shows New Texas A&M Study
Natural Gas Prices Only Account for 15% of Run-Up in Anhydrous Ammonia Prices, Shows New Texas A&M Study

The report found nitrogen accounts for more than 50% of fertilizer costs for a corn producer at $117 per acre.

White House Will Push China to Make Up for $16B Trade Deficit in Phase One, Vilsack Tells American Farm Bureau
White House Will Push China to Make Up for $16B Trade Deficit in Phase One, Vilsack Tells American Farm Bureau

AFBF's in-person annual convention focused on everything from H-2A workers, drought, supply chain chaos and policy changes like the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the group Monday.

Biden Plan Directs $1 Billion To Impact Meat & Poultry Processing, Strengthen P&SA, Add New Labeling Rules
Biden Plan Directs $1 Billion To Impact Meat & Poultry Processing, Strengthen P&SA, Add New Labeling Rules

The Biden Administration unveiled a new, four-pronged action plan to aid independent meat processors, strengthen the Packers & Stockyards Act, and issue new "Product of USA" labeling rules.

Biden Administration Will Outline Steps to Boost Competition in the Meat Sector in Monday Announcement
Biden Administration Will Outline Steps to Boost Competition in the Meat Sector in Monday Announcement

The Biden Administration will announce "Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain" Monday. The White House says it will help boost competition and reduce prices.

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Time is Ticking on the 2021 Policy Clock

The House and Senate are on recess this week, but work is ramping back up to finalize 2021 legislation before the New Year begins.

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NCBA Policy Team Reflects on 2021 Campaigns, Forecasts 2022

Earlier this week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association policy team convened to summarize their efforts on The Hill in 2021.

Setting the Farm Bill Stage
Setting the Farm Bill Stage

For the upcoming 2023 farm bill, expect chatter and debate about carbon markets, conservation, trade and more. Policy watchers encourage farmers to keep an eye on these issues, as discussions begin in January.

Manchin Blocks Biden's Build Back Better Climate and Social Agenda, What Happens Now?
Manchin Blocks Biden's Build Back Better Climate and Social Agenda, What Happens Now?

Lawmakers may have left town, but centrist Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) left no doubt that he cannot support President Biden’s $1.75 trillion social and climate spending plan, imperiling the president’s agenda.

House Approval of Ocean Shipping Reform Act: Key Step for U.S. Ag Exports
House Approval of Ocean Shipping Reform Act: Key Step for U.S. Ag Exports

Although red meat exports are on a record pace in 2021, shipping delays and obstacles remain a major concern for exporters and their international customers.

CBO Report Shows True Cost of Biden Administration's Build Back Better Plan Closer to $5T
CBO Report Shows True Cost of Biden Administration's Build Back Better Plan Closer to $5T

Senate leadership’s timeline for the BBB proposal is just before Christmas, according to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Centrist Sen. Joe Manchin is calling for a strategic pause for the vote, delaying it into 2022.

APHIS Awards $16.3 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Protect Animal Health
APHIS Awards $16.3 Million in Farm Bill Funding to Protect Animal Health

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is awarding more than $16.3 million to 64 projects with states, universities and other partners to strengthen programs to protect animal health.

House Passes Two NCBA-Backed Bills on Market Transparency
House Passes Two NCBA-Backed Bills on Market Transparency

On Wednesday the U.S. House voted to pass two NCBA-supported pieces of legislation that are critical to providing producers with greater transparency in the cattle markets.

The Next Chapter of WOTUS
The Next Chapter of WOTUS

The EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are seeking comment on the pre-2015 WOTUS rule published in the Federal Register.

Cattle Raisers Urge Straightforward Labeling for Lab-grown Products
Cattle Raisers Urge Straightforward Labeling for Lab-grown Products

The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association submitted comments to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service to address questions about labeling of lab-grown protein products.

USDA Invests $633 Million in Climate-Smart and Resilient Infrastructure
USDA Invests $633 Million in Climate-Smart and Resilient Infrastructure

United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Department is investing $633 million to reduce the impacts of climate change on rural communities.

Biden to Meet with CEOs on Supply Chain Amid New COVID Variant Threat
Biden to Meet with CEOs on Supply Chain Amid New COVID Variant Threat

President Biden planned to meet with chief executives of major retailers and companies to discuss how to move goods to shelves as the U.S. holiday shopping season begins in the shadow of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Secy. Vilsack Unpacks Build Back Better and What it Means for Ag
Secy. Vilsack Unpacks Build Back Better and What it Means for Ag

On Tuesday, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack rang in on AgriTalk to share agriculture’s angle in the BBB plan with host Chip Flory.

NCBA Opposes Repeal of Navigable Waters Protection Rule
NCBA Opposes Repeal of Navigable Waters Protection Rule

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has criticized the repeal of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which provided regulatory certainty to farmers and ranchers and limited federal overreach.

House, Senate Deliver Cattle Market Compromise
House, Senate Deliver Cattle Market Compromise

U.S. Senators and Representatives introduce legislation that seeks to return fairness to the cattle marketplace dominated by four major meat packers.

Trade Mentioned, Not a Focus of Biden-Xi Talks as China Warns U.S. It's 'Playing with Fire' on Taiwan
Trade Mentioned, Not a Focus of Biden-Xi Talks as China Warns U.S. It's 'Playing with Fire' on Taiwan

High-level talks between the U.S. and China yielded no major outcome Monday night. From human rights issues to crypto mining, leaders talked about a number of issues. Trade was mentioned but was not a priority topic.

Livestock Haulers Secure a Win in House Infrastructure Bill
Livestock Haulers Secure a Win in House Infrastructure Bill

Livestock haulers secured a win in the Biden administration’s infrastructure bill, which the House approved last week. Provisions of Sen. Deb Fischer's HAULS Act are included in the bipartisan infrastructure framework.

Is Surging Inflation the Shock That Will Slash Consumers' Record Appetite for Meat?
Is Surging Inflation the Shock That Will Slash Consumers' Record Appetite for Meat?

Inflation levels are now at levels the U.S. hasn't seen in three decades. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed a 6.2% spike over the past 12 months, the largest increase since 1990. Beef prices are up 20%.

Cattle Market Compromise Ensures Transparency, Eliminates Confidentiality
Cattle Market Compromise Ensures Transparency, Eliminates Confidentiality

AgriTalk’s Chip Flory is accompanied by Iowa Cattlemen’s CEO Matt Deppe on Tuesday as they discuss the new Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act that U.S. Senators are expected to propose in coming days.

Senators Compromise To Send Cattle Market Proposal Forward
Senators Compromise To Send Cattle Market Proposal Forward

Four U.S. Senators announced they’ve reached a compromise on measures they see as improvements to the cattle market, combining components of previous bills into a new Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act.

Dissecting Congress' $1.2T Infrastructure Plan, What's In It For Agriculture?
Dissecting Congress' $1.2T Infrastructure Plan, What's In It For Agriculture?

After months of negotiation, the House passed the $1.2T infrastructure Bill. With $550 billion in new spending, from roads and bridges to a boost to broadband, we look into what's in the bill for agriculture.

U.S. Democrats Pass $1 Trln Infrastructure Bill, Ending Daylong Standoff
U.S. Democrats Pass $1 Trln Infrastructure Bill, Ending Daylong Standoff

Democrats set aside divisions between progressives and centrists to pass a $1 trillion package of highway, broadband and other infrastructure improvement, sending it on to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

U.S., EU Agree to Collaborate On Agriculture
U.S., EU Agree to Collaborate On Agriculture

EU Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski and U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a newly created transatlantic collaboration platform on agriculture sustainability and climate change.

World Leaders Are Placing Big Bets On Agriculture In The Growing Climate Crisis Debate
World Leaders Are Placing Big Bets On Agriculture In The Growing Climate Crisis Debate

The Biden administration kicked off the nearly week-long trip EU climate trip with a $1 billion announcement. And there's more funds in the Build Back Better program, but some say details are still sparse.

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Senators on Cyberattacks: ‘Agricultural Security is National Security’

Cyber criminals strike the agricultural industry once more. This time, a dairy processing company in Wisconsin. Senators Grassley and Ernst take the Floor while Resilience’s Davis Hake talks insurance.

From Historic Conservation Funding to Farmer Debt Relief, Who Will Pay for Biden's Revised Build Back Better Plan?
From Historic Conservation Funding to Farmer Debt Relief, Who Will Pay for Biden's Revised Build Back Better Plan?

Biden's new Build Back Better plan could have a sweeping impact on ag. The plan provides a boost to biofuels and conservation efforts and expands USDA's proposed minority farmer and rancher debt relief by $6 billion.

 Newest Tax Proposal in Washington Won’t Impact Most Farmers Today, But Tax Expert Warns it Could Be a Trojan Horse for Higher Taxes
Newest Tax Proposal in Washington Won’t Impact Most Farmers Today, But Tax Expert Warns it Could Be a Trojan Horse for Higher Taxes

The newest tax proposal in Washington would impose a tax on billionaires. A farm tax expert warns the proposed changes could turn into a trojan horse for farmers and result in higher taxes within a decade.

Will the Run Up in Retail Meat Prices Continue? USDA Thinks So, Says Consolidation Isn't Fully to Blame
Will the Run Up in Retail Meat Prices Continue? USDA Thinks So, Says Consolidation Isn't Fully to Blame

The price shoppers pay for items like meat at the grocery store are expected to continue the rapid rise. An updated Consumer Price Index shows wholesale beef prices could increase 20% this year.

House Ag Committee Passes Chronic Wasting Disease Bill to Hinder the Spread of Prions
House Ag Committee Passes Chronic Wasting Disease Bill to Hinder the Spread of Prions

The House Agriculture Committee passed the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act with a unanimous vote, allotting $70 million annually to chronic wasting disease (CWD) control.

Agriculture Left High Centered as Supply Chain Problems Expected to Persist Well into 2022
Agriculture Left High Centered as Supply Chain Problems Expected to Persist Well into 2022

Supply chain issues are becoming one of the biggest concerns for agriculture, and some economists say as the bottlenecks reach a critical point, it could take at least a year to remedy chaos in the global supply chain.

China Presses U.S. to Cancel Tariffs in Test of Bilateral Engagement
China Presses U.S. to Cancel Tariffs in Test of Bilateral Engagement

China said on Saturday it pressed the United States to eliminate tariffs in talks between the countries' top trade officials that Washington saw as a test of bilateral engagement between the world's biggest economies.

FSA Farmer Fallout? Vaccine Mandate Pegs All Personnel, Including Elected County Committee Members
FSA Farmer Fallout? Vaccine Mandate Pegs All Personnel, Including Elected County Committee Members

The White House’s executive order signed in September requires all USDA employees to be vaccinated by Nov. 22, and includes county FSA offices and employees, as well as elected county committee members who are paid.

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U.S., China Container Shipping Rates Plummet 50%, Backlog of Unfilled Orders Grows

As backlogs at U.S. ports and climbing shipping rates plague the supply chain, new data shows container shipping rates between the U.S and China are dropping by more than 50% in  just a month. 

Cowboys, Lawmakers Discuss Market Reforms During House Ag Committee Hearing
Cowboys, Lawmakers Discuss Market Reforms During House Ag Committee Hearing

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee held its fourth hearing on livestock markets on Thursday, with witnesses addressing the need for reforms but with no consensus of what such reforms might entail.

Government Interference Will cost Producers Billions, NAMI Says
Government Interference Will cost Producers Billions, NAMI Says

Legislative proposals aimed at the U.S. livestock markets could have a negative impact on farmers and ranchers they are intended to protect, Meat Institute argues ahead of Thursday’s House Ag Committee hearing.

House Agriculture Committee to Hear Review on State of Livestock Industry
House Agriculture Committee to Hear Review on State of Livestock Industry

Meat industry representatives will defend their operations and pricing practices on Thursday before the full House Agriculture Committee during a “Hearing to Review the State of the Livestock Industry."

 U.S. Cattle Market Disruptions Report Delivered To Congress, USDA
U.S. Cattle Market Disruptions Report Delivered To Congress, USDA

Report requested by Congress and USDA puts into context a variety of cattle market disruptions, including the 2019 Tyson fire and the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on packing plants and disruption of beef supply chains.

USDA Launches Loan Guarantee To Build Capacity
USDA Launches Loan Guarantee To Build Capacity

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announces a USDA loan guarantee initiative to create more and better market opportunities, promote competition and strengthen America’s food supply chain