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.
The USDA’s upcoming reports will drop on Tuesday afternoon, giving the trade real results on acreage shifts, drought concerns, and ongoing trade tensions, adding uncertainty for U.S. farmers.
March 30, 2026 01:59 PM
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Firefighters are making good progress on two major wildfires burning across parts of Nebraska.
March 30, 2026 01:16 PM
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At the White House’s “Celebration of Agriculture,” the Trump Administration announced a slate of policies to support farmers and ranchers, including biofuel mandates, SBA loan programs, and new labeling policies to boost domestic markets for ag products.
March 30, 2026 01:01 PM
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South Texas farmers face worsening drought as Mexico falls short on water payments, leaving producers struggling for irrigation under the 1944 treaty.
March 30, 2026 11:42 AM
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Exports depend more on demand than currency shifts.
March 30, 2026 10:59 AM
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RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses Canada’s new soil health strategy, its implications for producers, and its potential to support sustainable agriculture in Canada compared to USDA funding for conservation.
March 27, 2026 03:15 PM
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