Articles by Philip Brasher

Janie Simms Hipp, President Joe Biden’s nominee to be USDA’s general counsel, assured senators that she will work closely with the Justice Department to address concerns meatpackers are using their market power to depress prices paid to producers.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow is working to secure a historic increase in conservation spending as part of a climate and infrastructure package, creating a rift with the panel’s top Republican, who says she is prematurely trying to reshape farm bill programs without GOP input.

Senate Democrats are proposing to create a new tax credit for clean fuels as part of a package of tax incentives intended to address climate change.

We’re headed toward the congressional Memorial Day break with little sign of progress in negotiations over a massive infrastructure package.

President Joe Biden this week releases his first full budget, detailing both his short-term and long-term spending priorities, while he remains far apart from Senate Republicans on a deal around infrastructure spending.

Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow says she’s continuing to work on getting increased funding for conservation programs included in an upcoming climate infrastructure package. But the committee’s top Republican, John Boozman of Arkansas, is pushing back against including the funding in a reconciliation bill without GOP input.

The Agriculture Department this morning is releasing the strategy it will follow in re-shaping programs and policies to help more farmers shift into “climate-smart” practices and to make money from doing so.

The Agriculture Department issued a climate strategy Thursday that heavily focuses on measuring the impact of climate-friendly practices, taking steps to facilitate private carbon markets and ensuring all farmers can benefit financially from addressing climate change.

President Joe Biden's goal of making U.S. electric power carbon-free by 2035 looks very doable or quite challenging and expensive to meet depending on where you live, work or farm in rural America.

The Senate Finance Committee is focusing today on how to fund a massive infrastructure package. The witnesses at today's hearing will include Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, who will be offering some options for structuring funding mechanisms.