Federal

From the Capital Press Last November, longtime USDA official Marcia Bunger became the first woman to hold the role of administrator at the Agriculture Department’s Risk Management Agency, which manages federal crop insurance. Before becoming RMA administrator, Bunger worked for decades in USDA’s Farm Service Agency. She is also an owner and operator of a 2,000-acre family farm. Dec. 16, ... Read More »

From DTN The massive spending bill negotiated for Congress to pass before adjourning includes language allowing USDA to establish rules and verification protocols for agricultural carbon market programs. The $1.7 trillion “omnibus” spending bill, however, does not include any immigration reform for agricultural workers under H-2A, despite an impassioned plea on the Senate floor Monday night by the lead champion ... Read More »

From U.S. Wheat Associates A coalition of U.S. farm and food industry groups recently expressed support for a bipartisan Congressional agreement that, in part, maintains navigational access to the Lower Snake River Dams. The Agricultural Transportation Working Group noted that the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022 helps protect U.S. agriculture’s dependence on comprehensive transportation system including inland waterways ... Read More »

Incoming House Ag Committee Chair Lays Out Farm Bill, Ag Supply Chain Priorities From DTNpf.com Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania got the call Wednesday afternoon from a Republican steering committee that he would officially chair the House Agriculture Committee in the next Congress. “We need to hear those voices from throughout rural America and make sure that we’re putting ... Read More »

From Bloomberg American farmers have a message for the Agriculture Department: Fill the empty chairs plaguing your local offices. A wave of retirements and an inability to keep pace with private-sector salaries have caused staffing to plunge at key offices. The Farm Service Agency, which provides front-line help to farmers nationwide, now has 2,000 fewer workers than it did in ... Read More »

In a letter to congressional leadership, more than 300 agriculture, environment, academic, infrastructure and other stakeholder groups asked Congress to reaffirm federal pesticide pre-emption on labeling and packaging. Failing to do so, the groups warn, could hold disastrous consequences for food security, the environment, public health, vital infrastructure and other uses where pesticides provide important societal benefits. The letter, which ... Read More »

From the High Plains Journal When my daughters were growing up, they were very active in 4-H and would show livestock we raised on our property in Benton County. To help develop their handling skills, the girls would put harnesses on the lambs and walk them on the sidewalks around town. This drew many curious looks, and with surprising frequency, ... Read More »

From CNN America faces a growing risk of a crippling national freight rail strike in two weeks. The rank-and-file members of the nation’s largest rail union, which represents the industry’s conductors, rejected a tentative labor deal with freight railroads, the union announced Monday. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »

Last month, Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), joined several other commodity representatives in a roundtable discussion in Wenatchee with U.S. secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg, during his swing through the Pacific Northwest. Also participating were Rep. Kim Schrier (D-Wash.) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).  The group discussed transportation, trade and the high cost ... Read More »

The National Wheat Foundation is now accepting applications for the Jerry Minore Scholarship, honoring students pursuing a career in agriculture. The scholarship is available to college students for the 2023 academic year, with an application deadline of Dec. 31, 2022. Interested students can apply under the Education and Scholarships tab on the National Wheat Foundation website. “The scholarship is meant ... Read More »