Articles Tagged with ''Natural Resources Conservation Service''

The House finally cleared a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill late Friday that will provide an historic infusion of federal funding into rural broadband expansion and construction of roads, bridges, waterways and Western water projects.

The Biden administration is rolling out new regulations on methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. But administration officials insist they intend to rely on voluntary measures to reduce methane emissions from agriculture.

A stopgap-funding bill that will keep the government operating this fall includes a $10 billion expansion in agricultural disaster aid and temporarily extends authority for USDA’s livestock price reporting system.

It’s a huge week ahead on Capitol Hill. Congress must act to keep the government from shutting down when the new fiscal year begins on Friday.

Key USDA watershed programs that fund agricultural waste management, water quality, and flood prevention projects would get $918 million through the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package awaiting a final House vote.

The Department of Agriculture is in touch with Capitol Hill as Democratic leaders work to craft legislation that has the potential to funnel more money into the farm bill and expand the number of producers who could receive funding and assistance for government conservation programs.

The House on Thursday passed a package of seven fiscal 2022 spending bills that would provide significant increases for climate measures and agricultural research while also beefing up agencies that enforce environmental and labor regulations.

The Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is offering more than $41 million in funds meant to soften the blow of drought in California, Colorado, Oregon and Arizona.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told senators Tuesday that his department is working on measures that will “significantly” increase U.S. meatpacking capacity, a top priority of producers who believe industry concentration is depressing livestock prices.