Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released the revised (“Supplemental”) language on the Produce Safety and Preventive Controls Rules in September 2014. Click HERE to view a summary of the most significant changes and what they mean for growers.

 

EPA – Waters of the U.S. – under the Clean Water Act

It’s time to Ditch the Rule

Puddles, ponds, ditches, ephemerals (land that looks like a small stream during heavy rain but isn’t wet most of the time) and isolated wetlands dot the nation’s farmland. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) on March 25, 2014 issued a proposed rule that would expand its regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to these types of land features and waters, giving the agencies the power to dictate land-use decisions and farming practices in or near them. The rule will make it more difficult to farm or change a farming operation to remain competitive and profitable.  Visit Ditchtherule.fb.org for more information.

 

Biotechnology

Biotechnology has proven to be an important tool for better sustainability and food security. It helps farmers grow more food while improving the environment. For example, biotechnology reduces the use of costly inputs and improves weed management, allowing farmers to reduce tillage for better soil, water and air quality. Today, roughly 90 percent of corn, cotton and soybeans grown in the U.S. have been improved through biotechnology, and farmers are choosing biotech traits when growing other crops such as alfalfa, sugarbeets and canola. Visit the Biotech Grassroots Toolkit for more information.

 

The Farm Bill: How it Works

The American Farm Bureau Federation has produced a new series of videos that are available online, to help farmers, landowners and other stakeholders better understand the provisions of the 2014 farm bill. Featured content includes videos on key commodity program and crop insurance provisions of the farm bill. Visit the website to learn more.