Biden administration defines upstream reach of clean water laws
Stepping ahead of a pending Supreme Court ruling, the Biden administration spelled out through a new regulation the upstream reach of water pollution laws, saying it would assure safe drinking water for Americans “while supporting agriculture, local economies and downstream communities.” Farm and home-builder groups, who helped stall an Obama-era definition of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), said the Biden rule is also a regulatory nightmare built on murky interpretations of the law.
Rural businesses fret about economy’s direction
Three out of four small-business owners in rural America say revenue is back to pre-pandemic levels or stronger than it was before the coronavirus hit, according to a newly released survey. Yet slightly more than half of these entrepreneurs said they felt somewhat or extremely negative about the economy, said the “Megaphone of Main Street” report.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
‘Low-hanging fruit’ is taken: Wind farms are increasingly contentious in rural America as pressure mounts to reduce emissions from power plants; one scholar says “the low-hanging fruit places” are already taken. (New York Times)
Fast-food wage lawsuit: A Sacramento County Superior Court judge temporarily blocked implementation of a new California law that would regulate wages and working conditions for fast-food workers. (Associated Press)
‘Green rush’ dries up: The legal cannabis industry is floundering in many parts of the country due to oversupply and the tapering off of a pandemic sales boom; some growers predict a shakeout as larger farms expand. (Washington Post)
Atmospheric rivers soak California: At the end of a dry year, a parade of atmospheric rivers doused California with rain and snow, raising water levels in reservoirs and topping off above-average snowpack in the Sierras. (Los Angeles Times)
Less pork, robust demand: Domestic demand for pork should remain robust in 2023 at pre-pandemic levels of 52.1 pounds per person; meanwhile, the U.S. hog inventory is down by 2 percent, keeping supplies tight. (farmdoc daily)
ON THE CALENDAR
Tuesday
Senate and House convene for 118th session of Congress, noon ET.
Purdue releases the Ag Economy Barometer, a monthly gauge of the agricultural economy’s health.
Wednesday
USDA releases State Stories, noon ET. Issued on or near the first Tuesday of each winter month, the bulletin provides “an assessment of winter weather on crops, livestock, fruit trees; consideration for moisture, snow cover, temperatures, and crop condition; and the effect of weather, insects, diseases, etc., on crops and livestock.”
Thursday
Consumer Technology Association holds CES 2023, through Sunday, Las Vegas. Deere chief executive John May told GadgetMatch the show “gives us a chance to show how our purpose-driven technology has a huge impact on our customers.” At the 2022 show, Deere unveiled a fully autonomous tractor.
Friday
American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest U.S. farm group, holds annual convention, through Jan. 11, San Juan, Puerto Rico. President Zippy Duvall will speak at a general session on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
Purdue holds the 2023 Purdue Top Farmer Conference, West Lafayette, Indiana. The conference will feature sessions focused on the outlook for interest rates and the implications for land values.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization releases monthly Food Price Index, Rome.
Saturday
Pennsylvania State Agriculture Department holds Pennsylvania Farm Show, “the nation’s largest indoor agricultural exposition,” through Jan. 14, Harrisburg. House Agriculture chairman Glenn Thompson, of Pennsylvania, scheduled a congressional listening session at the show for Saturday at 1 p.m. ET to hear from “farmers, producers, agriculture educators and more.”
