The EPA is looking to end plans for reducing wastewater at meat and poultry processing plants, citing concerns that many operations could not afford to make the necessary upgrades.
The effort to reduce wastewater discharges came from the Biden administration, but a study by the EPA shows that as many as sixteen meat plants would be forced to close if the rules went into effect.
A summary of the decision says that the plan would have had significant impacts on the nation’s food supply and pricing.
Jobs would also be on the line too.
The EPA warns that upward of 25,000 Americans would be forced out of work if the agency went forward on the proposal.
Meat groups are backing the EPA’s move.
The National Pork Producers Council says that it applauds the administration’s decision, saying that rules in the Clean Water Act are effective enough and that any other changes would be harmful to processors.
Leaders of that group say that the decision now closes nearly two years of waiting for an answer.
Secretary Rollins also met with specialty crop producers at a local strawberry farm to discuss workforce needs and the Trump Administration’s recent wins related to significantly cutting the cost of H-2A labor for California farmers.
January 13, 2026 03:25 PM
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China’s beef policy risk stems from domestic volatility, making export demand inherently unstable. Jake Charleston with Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on cattle markets, risk management, and producer sentiment.
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said permanent access to the higher ethanol blend would provide farmers with much-needed certainty while supporting domestic crop demand.
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Record corn and sorghum crops boost feed grain supplies, while reduced soybean and cotton production tighten outlooks for oilseeds and fiber markets.
January 13, 2026 12:53 PM
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Food prices increased in December, but not as much as expected, according to the latest Consumer Price Index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
January 13, 2026 12:46 PM
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Structural efficiency supports cattle prices and resilience — breaking it risks higher costs and greater volatility.
January 13, 2026 08:00 AM
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