Philip Brasher

More than half of the nation's dairy farms have signed up for the Margin Protection Program, created by the new farm bill to protect farmer incomes from spikes in feed costs and collapses in milk prices. The more than 23,000 enrolled farms have about 59 percent of total U.S.

House Democrats denied Republicans a veto-proof margin on the Keystone XL pipeline, ensuring that the standoff with the White House with the project is likely to continue.

Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, who has clashed with the agricultural biotech industry, has been named the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations panel that writes budgets for the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration.

A top lobbyist for food and beverage giant PepsiCo Inc. who was formerly a top aide to Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts is taking over as the panel?s chief of staff as it prepares to rewrite federal child nutrition policy. Joel Leftwich served Roberts as deputy staff director f

Pat Roberts officially became chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, making him the first lawmaker to chair both that panel and its House counterpart. The Kansas Republican said he will use the position to attack EPA regulations while also working on reauthorizing child nutrition programs a

bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline is headed to the Senate floor next week after the Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the measure on a near party-line vote, 13-9.

Senate Republicans are promising to move quickly on a bill to give President Obama fast-track trade negotiating authority without protections leading Democrats want.

The new chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is pledging to take on the Obama administration over the proposed Clean Water Act rule and its enforcement of the Endangered Species Act

Senate Republicans scrambled to secure a veto-proof margin for legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline but said they may have to attach the measure to a must-pass bill later.

The 114th Congress convenes at noon on Tuesday, putting both houses in Republican hands for the first time in eight years