By Sarah Fielder
Save the Date for the Ag Outlook and Policy Conference The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics annual Ag Outlook and Policy will be held on Dec. 12 at the Crowne Plaza in Annapolis. The conference will feature Kevin McNew, President, GeoGrain and Adjunct Professor in AREC, giving a 2018 commodity market outlook and Howard Leathers and Dale Johnson discussing the current dairy economy. Register at https://go.umd.edu/AREC17.
82 Farm Groups Urge Trump to Implement GIPSA Rules Late last month, USDA announced it was pulling the proposed GIPSA rules issued near the end of the Obama administration. Now a coalition of 82 farm groups has sent a letter to the Trump administration requesting that the rules be implemented. To read the letter and see the ag groups supporting implementation, click here http://bit.ly/2zmBpPy.
Finding Fault in the Farm Bill Bloomberg News this week highlight 3 possible conflicts with the upcoming farm bill debate. The issues focused on nutrition programs, environmental programs, and subsidy programs. To read more about the possible conflicts, click here https://bloom.bg/2Alx0JD.
Ag Groups Urge Supreme Court to Take Up Tax Case South Dakota Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau Federation have filed an amicus brief along with other groups requesting that the U.S. Supreme Court grant a petition to hear South Dakota v. Wayfair. Currently, based on a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, it is unconstitutional for a state to collect sales tax on an out-of-state retailer. The groups are requesting that the Supreme Court to reverse this ruling due to changes in consumer shopping habits. To read more about the case, click here http://bit.ly/2zpMVHw. To read more about AFBF and SDFB, click here http://bit.ly/2zsfwhB.
USDA Announces Withdrawal of Biotechnology Regulations This week, USDA announced they would be withdrawing Obama era attempts to change USDA’s biotechnology regulations. USDA is looking to re-engage the industry on how best to modernize the biotechnology regulations. To read more about this change, click here http://bit.ly/2hQ5KfB.
EPA and Corp of Engineers Looking at Delaying Effective Date of WOTUS Rule This week it was announced that EPA and the Corp of Engineers are working to delay the WOTUS rule finalized during the Obama administration. EPA and the Army Corps are currently looking at revising the current rule. EPA has stated that the delay is due to a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court that is determining who has jurisdiction (the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals or a federal district court). If the Court rules the federal district court has jurisdiction then it would call into question a nationwide stay issued by the 6th Circuit and allow the rule to go into effect in 37 states. The delay would allow the two agencies to delay enforcement in those 37 states. To read more about the delay, click here http://bit.ly/2m0PAEx.
Monsanto Claims Member of Arkansas State Plant Board is Impartial Monsanto filed a petition claiming that a member of the Arkansas State Plant Board is impartial in the recent debate on restricting Monsanto’s new dicamba in the state. Monsanto claims that emails sent by the board member have disqualified the board member under the Arkansas Administrative Procedures Act. The emails encourage those opposed to the new dicamba to submit form letters signed by residents to the plant board. To read more about this, click here http://bit.ly/2j6UGxX.
Arkansas Plant Board Bans In-Season Use of Dicambas in 2018 This week, the Arkansas State Plant Board voted 10 -3 to ban in-season applications of dicamba on soybeans and cotton from April 16 to October 31 starting in 2018. The vote came after 5 hours of hearing from both sides on the issue. The ban now goes to the Arkansas Executive Subcommittee for approval and then on to the Governor. To learn more about the hearing, click here http://bit.ly/2yj6dNn.
It’s The End Of ‘Organic’ As We Know It In a series of 8-7 votes, the National Organic Standards Board voted that hydroponic and aquaponic growers can continue to market certified organic products. To read the full story click here: https://www.morningagclips.com/its-the-end-of-organic-as-we-know-it/.
Registration Closes November 10th For the Agriculture and Environmental Law Conference! For more information and to register visit http://go.umd.edu/aleiconf. Some on-site registration will be available. Please email aleiconfreg@umd.edu or call 301-314-0324 for more details.
Need to Attend a FSMA Training? Don’t Miss These Two Upcoming FSMA Produce Safety Rule Trainings: November 27, Cecil County, 8-5, register here. November 30, Charles County, 8-5, register here.