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.
According to the National Council of Farmers Cooperatives (NCFC), President and CEO Chuck Conner says, there is only one other option besides addressing ag labor shortages.
September 18, 2025 01:10 PM
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Sen. Roger Marshall, a founding member and chairman of the Make America Healthy Again caucus, joined us with his thoughts on the commission’s latest report and the key ag-related issues.
September 17, 2025 04:36 PM
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It’s been a decade since Hurricane Rita ripped through southwest Louisiana, and recovery has been a long, difficult process for many who have lived in the coastal area. Today, oyster farming offers a pearl of hope.
September 17, 2025 03:05 PM
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California rancher and former NCBA President Kevin Kester joined House Republicans on Tuesday to tout provisions in the Big, Beautiful Bill that support family ranches.
September 17, 2025 01:40 PM
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The EPA proposal laid out two options: fully reallocate all exempted volumes to the 2026–2027 standards, or reallocate half.
September 17, 2025 12:04 PM
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The Fertilizer Research Act, reintroduced by Sens. Grassley, Ernst, and Baldwin, would direct the USDA to study and publish public reports on competition and pricing trends in the fertilizer market.
September 16, 2025 05:08 PM
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