EPA’s Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule was a topic of discussion in two senate committees on Wednesday. The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee passed a bill similar to one passed by the full House last month, even before the final rule was announced, that would require EPA and the US army corps of engineers to withdraw the … Read More
GROWMARK Stresses Overlap Weed Management
In the midst of bin-busting yields last year, farmers in many areas of the Midwest saw waterhemp raise its ugly head in soybean fields late in the season, despite the best pre-emergence efforts. “Waterhemp is one of those weeds we’ve finding throughout all of our territory,” said GROWMARK Weed Science Technical Manager Dr. David Powell, who wrote an article about … Read More
Keep MOM in Mind with Nutrient Management
Mother’s Day was last month but Howard Brown tells farmers they should keep MOM in mind on the farm every day. “It’s all about MOM and if we embrace that philosophy, we’d all be better off,” says Dr. Brown, GROWMARK director of nutrient management and environmental stewardship. “Agriculture’s MOM is Minimizing environmental impact by Optimizing harvest yield and Maximizing input … Read More
Congress Action Pending on Final WOTUS Rule
EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers may have released its final Waters of the U.S. rule this week, but Congress is still intends to try and have the final word on the regulation. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) calls the final rule “bad for rural America” and brought up charges that EPA influenced the comment process through … Read More
Finalized WOTUS Rule Announced
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army finalized the Clean Water Rule that has become known as the Waters of the United States or WOTUS. According to an EPA news release, the rule “ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined and predictably determined” and specifically notes that it “does not create any … Read More
NRCS Opens Conservation Gateway
Farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners can now do business with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through a new Conservation Client Gateway announced today. NRCS chief Jason Weller says the portal will allow producers will have the ability to work with conservation planners online to access Farm Bill programs, request assistance and track payments for … Read More
USFRA to Talk Water During Toledo Food Dialogues
Last year’s toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie at Toledo, Ohio, that left half a million people without clean water, underscored the delicate balance that exists between farming and drinking supplies. So it’s no wonder the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) chose Toldeo as the site for the next Food Dialogues on Thursday, May 28, starting at 9 a.m. … Read More
AgNerd Cloud – New Holland PLM
In this AgNerd Cloud we’re going to take a more in-depth look at New Holland’s Precision Land Management (PLM) platform with Chris Carrier, Marketing Manager, Precision Land Management & T7 Series. I visited with Chris in his office recently to talk about PLM. New Holland’s PLM has a growing number of resources and functionalities that you can find on the … Read More
ASTA Plays Part in Pollinator Plan
This week, the Task Force released its strategy, under the joint leadership of EPA and USDA and agriculture industry reaction to the plan has been very positive overall. Andy LaVigne with the American Seed Trade Association says the industry had a seat at the table in developing the strategy. “We were part of the original program pulled together at the … Read More
USDA Targets Aid to Drought Stricken States
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest an additional $21 million to help farmers and ranchers in eight drought-stricken states. NRCS will provide technical and financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to target areas that are experiencing either exceptional or extreme drought conditions, including parts of California, Kansas, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. The … Read More