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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Farmers and ranchers will receive increased help developing nutrient management plans with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Agriculture Department announced Monday.
Projects to conserve and restore grasslands are among the biggest beneficiaries of $197 million in grants awarded Friday under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which uses local contributions to maximize funding for each project.
President Joe Biden has nominated a longtime aide to be the chief agricultural negotiator for the office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., has joined the House Agriculture Committee.
USDA has a daunting task as it seeks to pick the winners for one of the biggest ag lotteries ever: the $1 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, whose first round of funding drew more than 450 proposals seeking $3 billion to $4 billion.
Thousands of producers hoping to implement more conservation practices on their farms are lining up for government assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives and Conservation Stewardship programs, as the Agriculture Department touts the promises of climate-smart agriculture as a mitigator of climate change. But these programs, despite their billion dollar budgets, aren’t equipped to deal with this demand, forcing the agency to turn away the majority of applicants.
Three major farm groups are hoping to double the amount of cover crops planted in the United States through an initiative targeting Midwestern corn and soybean farmers.
Producers, lawmakers, and administration staffers all agree on the benefits of the technical assistance provided by Agriculture Department conservation officials. The only issue is getting the funding – and the people – to make it happen.
Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee are raising concerns the Biden administration is putting too much emphasis on promoting climate-related ag practices, with one GOP member suggesting the policy was increasing food prices.
Senate Democrats are nearing the end of their internal fight over whether to change the filibuster rules to pass elections legislation. The result is not in doubt, given that Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., remain steadfast in defending the filibuster.
