The haze from the Canadian wildfires is clearing out here in the U.S., but not before helping the Public Lands Council better advocate for farmers and ranchers in D.C.
“Even though they weren’t American wildfires, it gave us a really good opportunity to talk about why this sort of ongoing discussion about whether it’s forest management or whether it’s climate change or whether it’s something else,” says Kaitlynn Glover, the Executive Director for PLC and NCBA. “The bottom line is that something needs to be done and there’s a lot of bipartisan agreement on certain pieces. It gave us a really great opportunity to talk about reduced forage or reduced fuel, right? The role that grazing can play in reducing that wildfire risk and even making sure that good fire doesn’t become bad fire across those millions of acres across the West.”
Glover said sadly wildfires are always going to be a harsh reality our producers have to face, especially until we have more durable fixes.
Ag Committee Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson has referred to the proposal as “Farm Bill 2.0.”
February 13, 2026 10:25 AM
·
In the U.S. and Canada, reduced planted acres—not yield losses—led to a decline in potato production, while Mexico saw modest gains due to increased yields and harvested areas.
February 12, 2026 05:11 PM
·
Alaska Congressman discusses his new role as Executive Vice Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus and his priorities for the West in the 119th Congress.
February 12, 2026 04:45 PM
·
Farm legal expert Roger McEowen discusses the EPA’s rescission of the 2009 endangerment finding on greenhouse gases and what it could mean for agriculture and rural America.
February 12, 2026 02:48 PM
·
The USDA says the framework is about “ending abusive government overreach” and “protecting farmers, families, and private property.”
February 12, 2026 02:05 PM
·
Farm numbers still favor small operations, but production, resilience, and risk management are increasingly concentrated among fewer, larger farms.
February 12, 2026 12:16 PM
·
