Regulatory

Bipartisan water resources bills advance, but floor path remains uncertain

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:14:00 -0400

Biennial bills to authorize construction and maintenance of key lock and dam projects across the U.S. have advanced out of House and Senate committee, but to actually pass this year, they may need to hitch a ride on other major legislative vehicles expected to move before the end of December, a lawmaker and shipping industry advocates tell Agri-Pulse.

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.

Farmers squeezed between pesticide limits and delayed alternatives

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:05:00 -0400

California lawmakers are pressing pesticide regulators over slow approvals, uneven enforcement and health risks, while farm groups warn growers cannot lose existing tools without faster access to safer alternatives.

Grain group joins other shipping interests in calling for rejection of UP-NS rail merger application

noah@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 18:04:16 -0400

The National Grain and Feed Association on Thursday became the latest major shipper group to urge federal rail regulators to reject Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s most recent merger application, adding to recent calls from chemical, fuel, fertilizer and industrial transportation interests advocating against the deal.

FDA proposes GRAS definition, advances 'white paper' on ultraprocessed foods

steve@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:14:15 -0400

FDA is proposing a rule that would require companies to notify the agency when they decide a food additive is “generally recognized as safe.” The agency has also sent OMB a white paper outlining a proposed definition for ultraprocessed food.

Senate passes bill to avert shutdown, delay hemp ban as midterms loom

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 15:50:01 -0400

The Senate has passed a stopgap measure to keep the government funded until Dec. 11, a move aimed at averting a government shutdown just weeks ahead of high-stake midterm elections. The spending bill also would delay a ban on certain hemp-related products by about a month.

Stalled farm bill spotlights ag woes and state budget strain

grace@agri-pulse.com — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 19:00:52 -0400

The Senate farm bill is stalled, putting a spotlight on both economically strained crop growers and states.

Senate Ag Committee to debate farm bill with over 200 amendments

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 21:40:22 -0400

More than 200 amendments were filed ahead of the Senate Ag Committee's markup of a proposed farm bill, signaling a potentially contentious markup as Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., seeks to advance the legislation.

Klobuchar says farm bill SNAP proposal falls short

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 17:25:02 -0400

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, top Democrat on the Senate Ag Committee who is also running for governor of Minnesota, says the GOP-led panel's SNAP measure in a draft farm bill falls short.

USDA to give producers 60-day extension on crop insurance premiums, Rollins says

noah@agri-pulse.com — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:45:48 -0400

USDA's Risk Management Agency plans to give producers 60 additional days to pay their crop insurance premiums, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday.

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.

New Senate farm bill text is said to include year-round E15

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 12:45:09 -0400

A revised farm bill proposal from the Senate Ag Committee will include a provision for year-round, voluntary sales of E15, a higher ethanol-fuel blend than standard mixes at U.S. gasoline pumps. Fresh legislative text is expected to be released as soon as Thursday, July 30.

California proposes E15 rules as groups press for state action

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:30:54 -0400

California has proposed regulations for sales of the higher ethanol-fuel blend. Regulators plan to consider the pending E15 rules at a Sept. 24 hearing in Sacramento.

Biogas outlook is bright with marine fuel, 45Z, Roeslein says

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:16:00 -0400

Biogas is having a moment, with potentially hundreds of millions of dollars set to be unleashed with finalization of 45Z. An even bigger opportunity though is marine fuel, Roeslein Renewables says.

Forage crunch fuels push to make CRP acres easier to graze

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:15:00 -0400

Scarcities in available forage land are pushing some cattle groups to look for ways to make existing Conservation Reserve Program acres easier for producers to graze, a shift that could give ranchers room to expand a historically small cattle herd.

Lawmakers seek solution to skyrocketing goat herder wages

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:05:00 -0400

A bipartisan group of California legislators is frantically working to save the state’s goat-grazing industry from sudden collapse because of a regulatory shift that quadrupled the minimum wage for goat herders on July 1.

CAFB secures win with PG&E transmission line construction

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:04:00 -0400

California farm advocates secured new communication requirements for growers affected by a major PG&E transmission project near Lodi, a framework they hope will become a model for future projects.

Ag order fight shifts to compost, reporting and conservation incentives

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:03:00 -0400

Central Coast growers, researchers and environmental advocates are pressing regulators to rethink how the revised Ag Order treats compost, cover crops and reporting as the nitrogen fight moves into a new phase.

California antitrust fight puts ag at the center of a debate over market power

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 06:02:00 -0400

California’s AB 1776 is putting agriculture at the center of a broader fight over market power, with farmers caught between concerns over dominant buyers and fears of new legal risks.

Thune says $95B reconciliation measure is 'best path' forward

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:14:03 -0400

Senate Majority John Thune says he's embracing a reconciliation plan passed by the House as the best path to pass the SAVE America Act and provide funds for the military and farmers.

Daybreak July 27: Cattle groups cheer border reopening

noah@agri-pulse.com — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:15:12 -0400

Several livestock groups are backing USDA’s decision, announced Friday, to reopen the U.S.-Mexico border, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Meat Institute, and the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. Democrats are asking Senate Agriculture Committee leaders to add additional protections for America’s specialty crop growers in a proposed farm bill.

House passes $95B measure with ag aid, Senate outlook is shaky

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:12:17 -0400

The House narrowly passed a $95 billion budget resolution that includes funds for the U.S. war with Iran as well as much as $12 billion in aid for farmers. The measure's fate in the Senate is unclear.

Boozman sees ag panel advancing farm bill before August break

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:32:32 -0400

Senate Ag Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., is confident on the prospects of his committee advancing a farm bill before August recess.

Thune outlines Senate CR goal as House weighs reconciliation 3.0

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:36:59 -0400

Senate Majority Leader John Thune outlines efforts in his chamber to avoid a government shutdown as the House focuses on its own stopgap-funding bill as well as a $95 billion 'reconciliation 3.0' package that includes farmer aid.

Daybreak July 22: House set for CR, reconciliation

noah@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:06:59 -0400

The House on Tuesday approved a resolution, 214-211, that would allow for floor consideration of a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through the midterm elections and reconciliation 3.0 under a closed rule. The House is expected to vote on the $95 billion reconciliation package Wednesday under a closed rule, meaning no amendments can be made to the measure on the floor.

US canola is poised for record growth as green diesel soars

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:12:00 -0400

The resumption of booming biomass-based diesel production is putting a spotlight on canola and other oilseeds.

States restricting animal transport from screwworm infested areas

grace@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:09:00 -0400

Individual states have been imposing restrictions on animal imports in New World screwworm infested zones, after its detection in the United States, with the most recent requirement in Wisconsin effective Tuesday.

Pesticide transparency push puts farm data in the spotlight

brad@agri-pulse.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:05:00 -0400

California farm groups are pushing back on broader pesticide reporting and disclosure as DPR weighs changes to SprayDays and crafts new rules for treated seeds.