EPA seeks durable WOTUS rule, Zeldin says 

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says he could rush out a final Waters of the U.S. rule — but it’s more important to get it right.

“We want it as legally durable as possible, and honestly, my goal is perfection on this,” Zeldin tells Agri-Pulse Newsmakers.

The Environmental Protection Agency chief says the agency aims to finalize the rule as soon as possible, but he doesn’t have a timeline to share. The regulation defines which bodies of water fall under federal jurisdiction and are protected under the Clean Water Act.  

“This is our one shot to have that one definition that hopefully withstands the test of time … that can actually survive upcoming presidential elections, where pendulums might swing,” Zeldin said.

Separately, Zeldin stressed the need for EPA’s safety review of glyphosate, which the agency aims to complete this year, to follow the science, wherever it leads.

U.S., Indian officials to discuss finalizing interim agreement 

U.S. and Indian officials will meet next week with the aim of finalizing details of an interim agreement and continue broader negotiations, the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry says.

The two countries agreed on a trade framework in February that “reaffirmed the countries” commitment to the broader India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations,” a ministry press statement said.

U.S. Chief Negotiator Brendan Lynch will lead negotiations with his Indian counterpart June 1-4. Secretary of State Marco Rubio just wrapped up a visit to the country, where he said India has agreed to buy $500 billion in U.S. goods over five years, focusing on energy, technology and agriculture.

At the meeting, negotiators will try to advance discussions “under the broader BTA on multiple areas such as market access, non-tariff measures, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion [and] economic security alignment,” the ministry said. 

Environmental groups ready lawsuit against EPA over atrazine criteria

Environmental groups are planning to sue the EPA for not setting water quality standards for atrazine.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Environmental Health, and the Pesticide Action and Agroecology Network on Thursday sent EPA a notice of intent to sue, alleging the agency is not complying with the Clean Water Act by issuing aquatic life criteria.

The groups argue in their notice that while EPA has leeway on what form the criteria can take and when they should be revised, “it must promulgate them in the first place.” 

Rollins to appear at House Ag next week

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins will testify before the House Agriculture Committee on Thursday. The announcement from the committee didn’t specify a subject, but it’s likely that members will want to know what the administration is doing to address high fertilizer prices and otherwise difficult times in farm country.

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The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 4.

Milk producers urge focus on Canadian nonfat milk solids in USMCA review

The National Milk Producers Federation is pointing to findings of a new U.S. International Trade Commission report calling on the U.S. Trade Representative to focus on Canadian nonfat milk solids export practices in the ongoing U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement joint review process.

The ITC’s report, which came out earlier this week, found that the U.S. and Canada both use milk class pricing systems to influence raw milk and milk component prices. 

However, “Canada’s system unlinks its relatively high farm gate price of milk from the price” paid in Canada for nonfat milk solid processors, according to a part of the ITC report cited by NMPF.

The federation also points to the ITC’s finding that Canadian milk production quotas that “aim to match domestic supply and demand for butterfat lead to a level of raw milk production that results in a domestic structural surplus” of nonfat milk solid components.

During a hearing on the subject last year, NMPF Vice President Jaime Castenada said it was “absurd that Canadian dairy producers receive one of the highest farm gate milk prices in the world by a wide margin, yet their nonfat milk solids end up on the global market at prices below our cost of production.”

USDA unveils Great American Cotton Plan

USDA announced a plan Thursday intended to improve the U.S. cotton farm economy through increased trade opportunities and improved infrastructure for domestic textile manufacturing. The department also says it will work to boost domestic demand.

The Great American Cotton Plan received praise from the National Cotton Council and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, who also voiced their support for the bipartisan Buying American Cotton Act; the bill has been introduced in both the House and the Senate, and, if passed, would amend the IRS code to create a domestic cotton consumption credit.

“Plant Not Plastic” is a key pillar of the plan, which encourages consumers to support cotton fiber over synthetic fiber. USDA’s press release says the plan aligns with the Make America Healthy Again movement because cotton clothing can keep people cooler than synthetic.

Brazil overtook the United States as the top cotton exporter in the world during the 2023-24 harvest season. The U.S. cotton industry is “facing severe economic pressure,” USDA says. The department forecasts producers “could lose approximately $2.6 billion across 9 million planted acres during the upcoming crop year,” the press release says.

According to the plan, “USDA is prioritizing cotton processors and manufacturers within Rural Development’s Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program to increase domestic production capacity.”

Farmers cheer FTC fertilizer probe launch

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson confirmed to a gathering of corn farmers Thursday that his agency has launched a “major industry-wide investigation” into high U.S. fertilizer prices.

The probe is the latest in a long string of government actions and calls from farmers and lawmakers for greater scrutiny of the crop nutrient industry.

Along with price changes, it’s possible FTC might focus on potential conduct that restricts competition, Peter Carstensen, professor emeritus at University of Wisconsin Law School, tells Agri-Pulse.

There’s been concern about “access to supplies for independent dealers as the major fertilizer companies vertically integrated,” he said.

Final word

"Losses in staff and institutional expertise as a result of this relocation could delay the identification and containment of outbreaks involving pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria, allowing contaminated products to remain in commerce longer and increasing illnesses nationwide. Reduced coordination amongst FSIS and other food safety and public health agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, and state partners could also slow traceback investigations and public communication during multistate outbreaks, when rapid response is critical to prevent additional illnesses." – Twenty Democratic senators in a letter to Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden Thursday seeking “a detailed description of how you will ensure that [the Food Safety and Inspection Service] will maintain full operational capacity during and after” USDA’s proposed reorganization of the agency.