The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers are working to update the definition of Waters of the United States after a Supreme Court ruling. It signals a turning point in an issue that has caused uncertainty for farmers and ranchers for more than a decade.
According to Rep. Dan Newhouse, “We can finally put into place rules that will have some staying power, which will give certainty to landowners across the country. I’m glad that the current EPA leaders are opening this up so that we can achieve the certainty that property owners have so long been working for.”
Newhouse is hopeful the agencies will get it right, in light of the Supreme Court’s Sackett decision.
“This yo-yos back and forth depending on who’s in the White House or who’s controlling Congress,” he notes. “People need more certainty than that so that they can make long-term decisions on how to utilize their property.”
Last month, the EPA and Army Corps released new guidance. They removed the “discrete features” rule, which means wetlands separated by things like berms or dry land no longer count as waters of the United States.
Higher yields are cushioning lower acreage, but reduced production could support firmer potato prices into 2026.
December 23, 2025 11:22 AM
·
Canada’s new voluntary Grocery Sector Code of Conduct will take effect on Jan. 1, a goodwill effort to promote fairness and transparency between retailers and support farms that sell directly to stores.
December 22, 2025 02:54 PM
·
Small, locally focused wineries are finding resilience through direct sales and regional loyalty rather than scale alone.
December 22, 2025 02:05 PM
·
Pork producers warn that proposed definitions of “ultra-processed” food in guidelines from the “Make America Healthy Again” plan could negatively impact industry-standard bacon, sausage, and feed practices.
December 22, 2025 01:38 PM
·
Concerns over Chronic Wasting Disease are fueling a long-standing legal battle between Minnesota regulators and deer farmers. The case could soon reach the state’s Supreme Court with broader implications for agriculture.
December 22, 2025 01:31 PM
·
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) are praising the passage of a bill to delist gray wolves as an endangered species by the U.S. House last week.
December 22, 2025 01:23 PM
·
