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.
A late-season freeze in northeast Louisiana has forced farmers to replant thousands of corn acres, adding costs, straining seed supplies, and raising concerns about shifting to soybeans.
April 14, 2026 03:50 PM
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March 15 of each year is the application deadline for the Pima Cotton Trust, and March 1 of each year is the application deadline for the Wool Trust. The law mandates trust payments by April 15. More information about these programs is available at www.fas.usda.gov/programs.
April 14, 2026 03:45 PM
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Superior Livestock Auctions markets more than 1.7 million head of cattle nationwide while also building long-term relationships between both cattle raisers and beef producers.
April 14, 2026 03:12 PM
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The proposal would require farmers’ consent before companies can sell agricultural data
April 14, 2026 01:37 PM
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Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation discusses how stewardship is driving efficiency, profitability, and competitiveness in the dairy industry.
April 14, 2026 12:51 PM
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Texas continues to play a critical role in the U.S. beef supply chain, with both cow-calf operations and feedlots contributing significantly to national production.
April 14, 2026 11:40 AM
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