FFT Hosts USMCA Roundtable with Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04)
On Monday, July 22, 2019, Farmers for Free Trade (FFT) is holding a roundtable with Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04) in Pasco, Washington. The event is being hosted by Tri-Cities Grain and co-hosted by the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG). This farm roundtable is part of FFT’s Motorcade for Trade tour which is going around the country and holding similar events in order to rally support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Soil Health Partnership First Wheat Field Day – July 30
On July 30, 2019, the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) will host its first wheat focused field day in Red Lake Falls, MN from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Trinity Creek Ranch Wheat Field. NAWG’s Environmental Policy Advisor and SHP Steering Commitee Member Keira Franz will be attending the field day. For more details and to register, visit here: https://www.soilhealthpartnership.org/field-days-events/.
NWF Series Blog #3: Wheat Could Soon Be Gluten Free (Through Gene Editing)
Wheat is essential to the human diet. Unfortunately, about 1 in 100 people worldwide has celiac disease. U.S. population suffers from Celiac disease. Read the Foundation’s latest blog highlighting how gene editing could lead to wheat with lower amount of gluten: http://bit.ly/2NXIlv9!
Agri-Pulse: WOTUS Repeal Advances
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent the White House the final version of a measure to repeal the 2015 rule that expanded the range of wetlands, ditches and other features regulated by the Clean Water Act. Once the White House review is complete, EPA can formally kill the old rule and move forward with finalizing its replacement by the end of the year….Because of conflicting court rulings, the Obama-era WOTUS rule is the law of the land in 22 states, while pre-2015 regs and guidance are in place in the other 28…Litigation over both the repeal and replacement rules is a virtual certainty, which means the regulated community likely will be dealing with a confused regulatory landscape well into 2020.
New Farmers.gov Feature Helps Producers Find Farm Loans that Fit Their Operation
On July 17, 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new online tool that can help farmers and ranchers find information on farm loans that may best fit their operations. USDA has launched the new Farm Loan Discovery Tool as the newest feature on farmers.gov, the Department’s self-service website for farmers. Farmers who are looking for financing options to operate a farm or buy land can answer a few simple questions about what they are looking to fund and how much money they need to borrow. After submitting their answers, farmers will be provided information on farm loans that best fit their specific needs. The loan application and additional resources also will be provided. For more details, read USDA’s release here.
Senate Ag Committee to Hold Hearing on Ag Research
On Thursday, July 18, 2019, the Senate Committee on Agriculture will hold a hearing on USDA’s agricultural research programs focusing on recent concerns around the relocation of two research agencies and the department’s handling of climate change research. Scott Hutchins, USDA’s deputy undersecretary for research, education and economics, will be the lone witness.
NWF Accepting Entries for 2019 National Wheat Yield Contest – Spring Wheat Category
The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) is currently accepting grower enrollment for the 2019 National Wheat Yield Contest! The Contest is divided into two primary competition categories: winter wheat and spring wheat, and two subcategories: dryland and irrigated. The Foundation is currently accepting entries for Spring Wheat. The Spring Wheat entry deadline is August 1st.
Source: National Association of Wheat Growers