Reuters’ P.J. Huffstutter and Leah Douglas reported Saturday that “the U.S. Department of Agriculture has frozen some funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers would not be affected in the government overhaul. The impact has been immediate and wide-ranging, from cash assistance […]
Regulations
Ogallala Aquifer Dropped More Than a Foot in Kansas in 2024
The Kansas Reflector’s Allison Kite reported Tuesday that “aquifer levels in parts of western Kansas that rely on groundwater for everything from drinking to irrigation fell more than a foot last year, Kansas Geological Survey scientists said Tuesday.” “The Kansas Geological Survey earlier this month completed its annual campaign to measure the Ogallala Aquifer, which […]
FTC Sues John Deere Over Right to Repair
Reuters’ Leah Douglas and Jonathan Stempel reported Wednesday that “the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday sued farm equipment maker Deere, alleging it illegally drives up repair costs by forcing farmers to rely on its authorized dealer network. The lawsuit argues Deere has unlawfully boosted profits by requiring farmers to use its network of authorized […]
Foreign Ownership of Ag Land Grew 1.6 Million Acres in 2023
Foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States increased by 1.58 million acres from 2022 to 2023, driven primarily by the expansion of renewable energy projects across the country. According to a new analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Daniel Munch, 45.58 million acres of U.S. agricultural land (or 3.61% of total privately […]
Two Judges Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Alexander Coolidge reported Tuesday that “two judges, one federal and another in Washington state, ruled on Tuesday against Kroger’s $25 billion takeover bid for Albertsons, granting court orders blocking the deal.” “After holding a more than three-week ‘mini-trial’ in August and September, U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson in Portland, Oregon, decided the […]
Biden Admin Expects to Finalize 45Z Tax Credit
Progressive Farmer’s Todd Neeley reported Tuesday afternoon that “the Biden administration is set to finalize guidance on the 45Z Clean Fuel Production tax credit before President Joe Biden leaves office come Jan. 20, 2025, a spokesperson for the U.S. Treasury Department told DTN on Tuesday.” Neeley noted on the social media platform X that “once […]
FTC Investigating John Deere Over ‘Right To Repair’
Reuters’ Jody Godoy reported at the end of this past week that “the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is probing farm equipment maker Deere over the company’s repair policies, according to a filing made public on Thursday. The investigation, authorized on Sept. 2, 2021, focuses on repair restrictions manufacturers place on hardware or software, often referred […]
Judge blocks Biden rule on H-2A workers unionizing
Reuters’ Daniel Wiessner reported Tuesday that “a federal judge in Georgia has blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a rule that bars employers from retaliating against farmworkers who are in the U.S. on temporary H-2A visas and trying to form unions in 17 Republican-led states.” “U.S. District Judge Lisa Wood in Brunswick, Georgia, said on […]
State AGs Seek to Prevent Extra Warning Labels on Weedkillers
The Des Moines Register’s Donnelle Eller reported Thursday that “Iowa, Nebraska and nine other states filed a petition Wednesday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, asking it to adopt a rule preventing states like California from adding warning labels to chemicals that exceed the federal agency’s findings about their potential hazards.” “The EPA regulates the […]
Domestic SAF Production Capacity Could Increase by 1400% in 2024
Reuters reported Wednesday that “production capacity of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States could jump by 1400% in 2024 if all announced capacity additions come on line, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.” “The EIA anticipates domestic production of (other) biofuels will increase by about 50% in 2024, led by rising SAF […]
Iowa Regulators Approve Summit Carbon Pipeline Permit
The Des Moines Register’s Kevin Baskins reported that “after a 2½-year process filled with controversy, the Iowa Utilities Board on Tuesday approved Summit Carbon Solutions’ request to build a carbon capture pipeline across Iowa.” “In perhaps the most controversial part of its decision, the board said Summit will be able to use eminent domain to […]
Ag Groups Suing Over Biden Emissions Rules
Reuters reported Tuesday that “the top U.S. oil and corn industry lobby groups said on Tuesday they were suing the administration of President Joe Biden over its plans to slash planet-warming tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks, arguing the regulations will cause economic harm.” “The American Petroleum Institute (API), which is the top U.S. oil […]
Biden Admin Unveils Carbon Offset Guidelines
Bloomberg’s Jennifer A. Dlouhy and Natasha White reported Tuesday that “the Biden administration unveiled a framework for using carbon offsets to drive climate progress, with principles it says are meant to help ensure the trading regimes deliver real emissions reductions — not a green mirage.” “The documents released Tuesday by top cabinet officials, including Treasury […]
Community Benefits Agreement Reached for Nebraska Pipeline Project
The Iowa Capital Dispatch’s Paul Hammel reported last week that “the developer of a carbon-dioxide pipeline (across Nebraska) and an environmental group have struck a ‘one-of-a-kind’ agreement to ensure ‘community benefits’ from the pipeline as well as support for the project.” “Kansas-based Tallgrass, which is converting a 392-mile-long natural gas pipeline to transport CO2, announced […]
Iowa Senate Votes to Limit Pesticide Illness Lawsuits
Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric reported Wednesday that “Republicans in the Iowa Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would bar Iowans with severe illnesses from suing pesticide manufacturers for failing to warn them of potential health risks like cancer.” “Republican supporters of the bill said it would ensure pesticide companies are not sued for following […]
‘Product of USA’ label restricted to US-grown meat, poultry and eggs
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday finalized a rule requiring meat, poultry, or eggs labeled as a U.S. product to come from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the country.” “The rule, proposed last March, is a victory for U.S. ranchers who argued for years that […]
Ag Groups Seek Dicamba Stocks Order
Progressive Farmer’s Todd Neeley reported last week that “state and national associations representing soybean and cotton growers and the head of the American Farm Bureau Federation have asked EPA to issue an order to allow farmers to use existing stocks of over-the-top (OTT) dicamba herbicides after a federal court this week vacated the registrations of […]
Summit Carbon Pipeline Adds More Plants
Reuters’ Leah Douglas reported that “POET LLC, the world’s largest ethanol producer, on Monday said it will partner with Summit Carbon Solutions to capture carbon dioxide emissions at 17 of POET’s U.S. Midwest ethanol plants as part of Summit’s multi-state pipeline project.” “Summit will capture and store 4.7 million metric tons of CO2 from 12 […]
Farmer Protests Spreading Across Europe
Just a few weeks after farmer protests against government regulations and taxes began in Germany, protests are now “spreading across Europe, with workers from countries including France and Poland disrupting transport routes over rising costs and burdensome regulations,” Bloomberg’s William Horobin and Milda Seputyte reported. The protestors also made their way to the European Union […]
California’s Proposition 12 Takes Full Effect
California’s Proposition 12 farm animal confinement law took full effect at the beginning of the year, a little more than 5 years after voters approved it as a ballot measure in the state. The law “bars sales in California of pork, veal and eggs from animals whose confinement failed to meet certain minimum space requirements,” […]