Steve Davies

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to publish a new proposal to define "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act in April or May, with a final rule to follow by the end of the year, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said Tuesday.

School nutrition advocates are offering differing views of a USDA proposal to relax sodium, milk and whole grain requirements for students' meals, in comments submitted to the department on Monday.

A possible merger between grain giants Archer Daniels Midland and Bunge would allow the companies to lower their costs by consolidating operations, but also would reduce competition in the ag marketplace, potentially hurting farmers already suffering from low commodity prices.

Jeff Sands, the agricultural adviser to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, has not lacked for things to do since joining the agency in November.

The importance of pollinators was a hot topic in agriculture and beyond in 2017, as initiatives to protect bees and butterflies continued to emerge.