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
White House Releases Pollinator Strategy
Last June, President Obama called for an interagency Task Force to create a Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Today, the Task Force released its strategy, under the joint leadership of EPA and USDA. The strategy has outlined three primary goals: reduce honey bee colony losses to economically sustainable levels; increase monarch butterfly numbers to … Read More
Lawmakers Urge Coordination in Pollinator Health
The Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing last week to review the federal coordination and response regarding pollinator health, and what role, if any, neonicotinoid insecticides may be playing. “Federal coordination and communication is vital in establishing rules and regulations impacting pollinator health and farmers’ abilities to produce food,” said Subcommittee Chairman Rodney … Read More
USDA Invests in Ogallala Aquifer
Farmers and Ranchers in the Ogallala Aquifer can expect improved water quality and the conservation of billions of gallons with the assistance of the USDA‘s $6.5 million dollar investment. Secretary Vilsack announced that funding will be directed towards seven target areas to support primary water sources and encourage rural economies. “This funding assists conservationists and agricultural producers in planning and implementing … Read More
Corn Growers Support WOTUS Re-do
The National Corn Growers Association is urging Congress to support a bill to require the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the proposed Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. They are further requesting that the groups collaborate closely with states and other stakeholders in the process of developing a new rule. In a letter to Congress, NCGA President Chip Bowling noted … Read More
MSU Selected by FAA for National Center
Mississippi State University has been selected by the FAA to lead the team operating the new National Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The flagship university will bring together partners in academics and industry for the purpose or research and development of UAS, as well has integration into national airspace. Congress has charged the FAA with developing rules regulating … Read More
FAA Announces UAS Development Program
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced new partnerships with industries, including agriculture, to explore the next steps in unmanned aircraft operations beyond the type of operations the agency proposed in the draft small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) rule it published in February. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced the initiative today at the Association for Unmanned … Read More
Hearing on Grain Standards Act
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry held a hearing Tuesday to review the U.S. Grain Standards Act, which has provisions that expire this year. The act authorizes USDA’s Federal Grain Inspection Service to establish marketing standards for a variety of grains and oilseeds and was last reauthorized in 2005. “Predictability and transparency are key to maintaining a global … Read More
Soybeans Key Part of NASA’s Earth Day
Soybeans were a prominent part of NASA’s recent Earth Day celebration at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The United Soybean Board (USB) shared how U.S. farmers use science and satellites to grow a sustainable crop that is a rapidly renewable source for food, feed, biodiesel and diverse biobased products. USB partnered with NASA/KSC to add soy and biobased. For the … Read More
Upland Cotton Genome Sequenced
A joint effort by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their international partners have sequenced the genome of the world’s most widely cultivated and genetically complex species of cotton. This USDA news release says the discovery will make it easier to address increasing threats to cotton by tapping into its natural defenses. Sequencing the genome of Upland cotton (Gossypium … Read More