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Agriculture Secretary-designate Tom Vilsack commits to Black farmer advocates that he will ensure “fairness and equity” for African-American producers who are dealing with the impact of systemic discrimination and recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farmers who were facing a steep drop in government payments in 2021 will instead see a third round of coronavirus relief payments and other producers and ag processors left out of previous aid programs this year will get help this time, under a massive stimulus package and government funding bill.

Congressional leaders reach agreement with the White House on a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package that will include a new round of aid to various agriculture sectors while also ensuring the deductibility of expenses used to get forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans.

President-elect Joe Biden on Saturday introduced members of his “climate team,” six key Cabinet and White House positions that he’s charged with coordinating his administration’s plan to lower greenhouse gas emissions and address environmental justice issues.

Lawyers for environmental groups and the state of Iowa tangled before the state’s Supreme Court Wednesday over whether environmental groups should be allowed to proceed with their case challenging Iowa’s voluntary Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

A water resources reauthorization bill nearing final congressional approval could accelerate the reconstruction of locks and dams and other waterway projects. 

A first-of-its kind study will pull together massive amounts of USDA farm data to assess the impact of conservation practices, and the department is separately considering a new crop insurance product designed to encourage growers to limit nitrogen usage.

Despite steep declines in its numbers, the Fish and Wildlife Service has decided not to list the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act, concluding it must first work on other, higher priority species.

Beef producers have a new template to secure sound biosecurity practices on their operations.