DC News

Biden administration announces funding for high-speed internet in rural areas

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced nearly $700 million in grants and loans to connect thousands of rural residents, farmers and business owners in 22 states and the Marshall Islands to reliable, affordable high-speed internet through the ReConnect Program, funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan ...

NCBA slams presidential overreach in latest Antiquities Act Designation

WASHINGTON (Aug. 8, 2023) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) slammed President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to put sweeping federal designations on over a million additional acres of land in Arizona, amounting to yet another presidential land grab.       “This kind of use of the Antiquities Act is one ...

Cattle producers praise congressional resolution supporting Beef Checkoff

WASHINGTON (July 13, 2023) - Cattle industry leaders praised the introduction of a bipartisan congressional resolution recognizing the importance of commodity checkoff programs, including the Beef Checkoff.       "As a cattle producer who invests in the Beef Checkoff, I know how important this program is to the continued success of America’s cattlemen ...

EPA to issue new WOTUS rule by September

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers plan to issue a revised definition of waters of the United States, or WOTUS, by Sept. 1, the EPA said in a court filing on Monday.       The action follows the May 25 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court ...
foreign

House committee votes to restrict foreign land purchases

Recently, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted to adopt an amendment restricting the purchasing of U.S. agricultural land by the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, North Korea, or Iran. The vote tallied 34-26. The amendment to the Agriculture and Rural Development Appropriations bill was introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and comes ...
wetlands

Supreme Court WOTUS ruling narrows definition of wetlands, but what about levees?

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on May 25th narrowed the definition of what is considered “waters of the United States” in the Clean Water Act. But there remains room for discussion on wetlands separated by levees for flood control and dry creek beds, said the National Agricultural Law Center’s ...