Steve Davies

You won’t want to miss the 2021 Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit, which kicks off Monday with a keynote address from Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Michael Regan is officially in place as administrator of the EPA after being sworn in Wednesday by Vice President Kamala Harris. The ceremony took place shortly after another nominee who had strong backing from farm groups, Katharine Tai, was confirmed by the Senate 98-0 to be U.S. trade representative.

House Democrats are gearing up to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to reform the H-2A visa program and legalize undocumented workers. But the path ahead in the Senate for an ag labor bill is as difficult as ever, especially with the surge of migrants at the border.

The poultry industry is keeping a close eye on the future of litigation in Maryland that resulted last week in a court decision finding ammonia should be regulated as a water pollutant.

Janie Simms Hipp, a member of the Chickasaw Nation and head of the Native American Agriculture Fund, will be nominated as general counsel at the Agriculture Department, the White House has announced.

The Agriculture Department is looking for feedback on how to develop a climate-smart agriculture and forestry strategy as part of its implementation of an executive order on reducing carbon emissions.

Debra Haaland looks to have the votes to become the first Native American to hold a Cabinet post.

The Farmers to Families Food Box program has played a valuable role in addressing the hunger crisis caused by the COVID pandemic, but it needs to be improved so farms of all sizes can take advantage of it and hungry Americans can obtain needed sustenance, witnesses told the House Agriculture Committee Thursday.

The Senate voted 66-34 to confirm state regulator Michael Regan as the 16th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisers tell Agri-Pulse they’re optimistic that rural residents will get vaccinated in sufficient numbers to stop the virus from circulating. But these advisers say they know people who may be hesitant about getting a shot have to hear from their doctors and other local people they trust.