A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introduced a bill Thursday that calls on EPA to develop a new “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) proposal. The senators, including John Barrasso (R-WY), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), jointly introduced the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, directing EPA and the U.S. … Read More
Land, Regulations Top Young Farmer Concerns Again
A new survey shows that young farmers are still worried about getting adequate land to grow crops and raise animals. This news release from the American Farm Bureau Federation says the group’s annual outlook survey of participants in the Young Farmers & Ranchers program found that 29 percent of respondents were concerned about that issue, followed by government regulations, which … Read More
FAA Posts Proposed Drone Rules
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released proposed regulations for the commercial use of small, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones by industries including agriculture. Technically called “unmanned aircraft systems” (UAS), the rules apply to small aircraft under 55 pounds and would limit their use to daylight and to visual line-of-sight operations, which could be a problem for agricultural operations. … Read More
Future of Ag Joins in Chorus of ‘Ditch the Rule!’
Producers who will be the future of agriculture are telling the federal government to keep an unpopular water rule from having a future of its own. This news release from Farm Bureau says the group’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee wants the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to ditch the proposed Waters of the U.S. … Read More
Corn Grower President Hosts EPA Staff
The president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) took the Environmental Protection Agency on an educational tour of his farm in southern Maryland on Friday. Chip Bowling hosted nearly a dozen staffers from the EPA as part of a series of meetings between NCGA and the EPA connected to the proposed Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. Bowling was … Read More
Voluntary Conservation Efforts Above Regulations
Getting caught up in government regulations and red tape is something any farmer wants to avoid, and attendees of the recent Conservation Technology Information Center tour in Livingston County, Ill., heard how they can avoid more of that with voluntary programs, such as the one on display on the tour. Marcia Willhite, the Chief of the Bureau of Water with … Read More
Administration Backtracks on Child Labor Rules
The administration is rethinking plans to prevent children from doing many types of farm work. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) this week announced that a proposal which would have barred children from many on-farm tasks will be revised to allow broader exemptions for parents who own or run agricultural operations. The proposed rules would have prevent children younger than … Read More
Ag Aviators Facing Unnecessary Regulations
Like all of agriculture, aerial applicators are facing potentially onerous regulations that could ground them if they are allowed to continue. The biggest issue they are dealing with right now is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, which National Agricultural Aviation Association executive director Andrew Moore told me just went into effect on Halloween. “It’s kind of … Read More
Precision Agriculture Applications for California Growers
Pitney Bowes Business Insight announced that Britz-Simplot LLC, the largest, full-service agricultural retailer and wholesaler of fertilizers, seed and other applications in California, is leveraging Pitney Bowes Business Insight’s mapping and location intelligence technology to strengthen its precision agriculture business. As growers face increasing industry challenges, such as budget constraints, environmental concerns and compliance regulations, Britz-Simplot turned to Pitney Bowes … Read More
Ag Lawyer Warns “Don’t Think EPA Can’t Shut You Down”
The challenge to American agriculture to produce more food, fuel, and fiber on decreasing acreage continues to be challenged by governmental regulation, according to Gary Baise, agricultural lawyer with Olsson, Frank, Weeda, Terman, Bode, and Matz law firm in Washington, D.C. “Don’t think they (the EPA) can’t shut you down,” he said at the recent GROWMARK FS Green Plan Solutions … Read More
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