Environment

States would gain more control over grizzly management under FWS plan

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:09:00 -0500

The Fish and Wildlife Service is considering giving states more control over grizzly bear management under a proposed rule, though it plans to maintain the species' "threatened" status under the Endangered Species Act.

Ethanol producer Green Plains strikes 45Z deal worth up to $325M

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 16:04:03 -0400

As the biofuels industry awaits final 45Z rules, ethanol producer Green Plains says it forged a deal to sell as much as $325 million worth of the tax credits to an undisclosed buyer.

USDA invests $325 million in conservation projects

hguthoerl@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 06:08:00 -0400

USDA will invest more than $325 million in 42 projects aimed at improving agricultural operations and conserving natural resources across the country.

EPA releases PFAS strategy

steve@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 06:07:00 -0400

EPA has unveiled a new strategy to tackle the problem of high levels of so-called forever chemicals in water and soil.

Ethanol a 'promising' option for methanol-powered vessels, study says

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:49:21 -0400

A new study finds ethanol is a "promising drop-in option for methanol-fueled vessels."

No rain yet, but strengthening El Niño already affecting West’s weather

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 06:03:00 -0400

El Niño, the oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon marked by higher-than-normal equatorial sea surface temperatures, is already having a profound impact on weather throughout the western U.S. as autumn begins.

Wetland easement drain tile setback rules stir fight over drainage in Prairie Pothole Region

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:10:00 -0400

Farmers in the Prairie Pothole region are calling for the Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind a 2024 rule requiring they keep from installing drain tile within a certain distance from wetlands protected under easement contracts, setting up a clash with sportsmen and wildlife advocates who see weaker protections as a threat to waterfowl habitat in one of North America's most important breeding areas.

Groups say new dairy order could undermine collaboration

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:05:00 -0400

California’s State Water Resources Control Board voted last week to impose new waste discharge monitoring and mitigation requirements on Central Valley dairies. Farm groups say the decision could undermine a collaborative project that launched in 2006.

Rollins tells dairy, other checkoffs to halt ESG initiatives

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:28:49 -0400

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Thursday told the chair of the National Dairy Board and other checkoff organizations to stop several of what she labeled as its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, saying they were not aligned with Trump Administration policy.

Latest 45Z move helps farmers but 'book and claim' needed, groups say

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:59:59 -0400

The latest guidance on 45Z is spurring enthusiasm among ag groups seeking to fully monetize the credit through regenerative farming practices, though there's still a strong push for a "book-and-claim" system to track biofuel feedstocks.

Congress must 'wake up' and follow California's lead on E15, group says

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:13:00 -0400

California's efforts to get E15 flowing in the state is underscoring ethanol-expansion attempts in Congress and the thorny fuel policy debate that's so far prevented year-round E15 nationwide.

EPA grants RVO exemptions while seeking to cushion impact on ag

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:38:38 -0400

The Trump administration is granting more small refinery exemptions that expected while also taking steps to cushion the potential blow to biofuel demand.

New USDA initiative aims to spur cattle herd rebuilding with insurance, conservation program grazing changes

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:41:17 -0400

New insurance options, emergency grazing authorities on Grassland Conservation Reserve Program acres, and guaranteed loans for regional meat processors are among the elements of a packaged unveiled by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday to encourage producers to rebuild the U.S. cattle herd.

Nevada sues Interior Department over Colorado River framework

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:07:38 -0400

The state of Nevada is suing the Interior Department over the Bureau of Reclamation's recently finalized framework that will govern Colorado River operations through 2036, alleging that it fails to consider the Law of the River, a legal framework states follow when dividing up the river’s flows.

U.S. beef cattle woes put spotlight on water management push

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:12:00 -0400

Ranchbot aims to expand "materially" in the U.S. with its remote water sensing and tracking technology as the ag industry turns to bigger investments in water management.

Forest Service proposes rescinding 'roadless rule'

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:09:00 -0400

The Trump Administration is proposing to rescind a 2001 rule limiting new road construction and commercial timber cutting on a large swath of U.S. Forest Service lands.

RFK’s STREAM program aims to tackle weed control, pesticide monitoring

sara@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:08:00 -0400

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says the Health and Human Services is launching a new era of agricultural innovation as part of his Make America Healthy Again agenda.

Low-water crops for SGMA meet high-cost reality

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:04:00 -0400

PPIC panelists warned that low-water crops may help growers adapt to SGMA, but they won’t erase the financial pressures reshaping San Joaquin Valley agriculture.

Reclamation lays out framework for managing Colorado River past 2026

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 18:38:04 -0400

The Bureau of Reclamation on Friday released its final plan for operating the shrinking Colorado River after 2026, clearing the way for Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico to see as much as 3.6 million acre-feet of drought-related cuts each year through 2036.

Daybreak July 29: USDA clarifies wetlands rule

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:24:07 -0400

Farmers can rely on wetland determinations issued as far back as 1990 under a USDA rule taking effect Wednesday, ending more than two years of legal uncertainty for producers planning drainage or land clearing. Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman, R-Ark., said on Tuesday the committee will “hopefully” hold a farm bill markup next Thursday.

EPA reduces regulation on islanded power facilities, paving path for data centers

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:13:00 -0400

The EPA announced on Monday that power generation facilities that are unconnected to the public electricity grid will be exempt from the Clean Air Act’s Acid Rain Program, paving the way for data center development off the grid.

Nature Conservancy awarded grant for grassland conservation project

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:12:00 -0400

The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research has given a $3.1 million grant to the Nature Conservancy for use in grassland conservation efforts across the U.S. and Canadian Great Plains, the organization announced Monday.

As golden mussels spread, California wrestles with who pays — and who gets to say no

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:01:00 -0400

As golden mussels spread through California’s water system, lawmakers are scrambling to contain the invasion — and battling over who should bear the cost of keeping the destructive species out.

Grizzly bill charges forward with ranchers caught in the path

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:04:00 -0400

California lawmakers are moving ahead with a plan to study restoring grizzly bears, despite ranchers’ warnings that the state is still struggling to manage wolves and compensate livestock losses.

Cap-and-invest report underscores ag’s stake in climate funding

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:03:00 -0400

California’s cap-and-invest program has steered hundreds of millions of dollars into farm equipment, dairy methane, water efficiency, healthy soils and rural resilience projects, underscoring agriculture’s stake in future climate funding.

Eastern broccoli could buffer California drought losses

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:01:00 -0400

A Cornell study finds that expanding East Coast broccoli production could help offset California drought losses while cutting freight costs and food miles.

Trump administration finalizes rule narrowing Endangered Species Act protection

noah@agri-pulse.com — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 16:38:23 -0400

The Trump Administration on Friday finalized a rule narrowing the prohibition against "taking" endangered species by removing regulatory language allowing federal wildlife agencies to consider how species are harmed by habitat destruction.

Proposed EPA rule seeks to end DEF deratements

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:23:50 -0400

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to stop requiring that diesel trucks automatically reduce power when their emissions exceed certain limits under a proposed rule that would also do away with a Biden-era plan to increase how long manufacturers must provide warranties for emissions equipment.

Daybreak July 8: CRP is 2.2 million acres in 2026

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:11:03 -0400

The Agriculture Department has agreed to enroll 2.2 million acres in the Conservation Reserve Program this year out of the 2.5 million acres offered by landowners under all three program signups. The National Corn Growers Association is calling for heightened transparency from agricultural input companies as it releases a new study that shows U.S. farmers paying substantially more for seeds and pesticides than their counterparts in Brazil.

High-stakes 45Z rules stoke hopes for farm economy revival

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 06:11:00 -0400

The stakes for farmers in the pending 45Z tax credit rules are high as financially struggling crop growers seek to tap expanding low-carbon fuel markets.