FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 16, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump directly authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) issuance of 31 small refinery exemptions (SREs) last Friday, per a Reuters report. The action will eliminate demand for biofuels by an estimated 1.43 billion gallons, bringing the total losses due to … Read More
Coalition Pushes EPA to Reconsider Limits on Higher Ethanol Blends
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 12, 2019 WASHINGTON –In a joint petition filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals, a broad alliance of ethanol, agriculture, and clean fuel organizations requested judicial review of a recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rulemaking that would limit ethanol blending and restrict the use of blender pumps. The Urban Air … Read More
EPA Grants 31 Hardship Waivers, Undermining the Renewable Fuel Standard
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 9, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– According to a recent Reuters report, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved 31 of its 38 pending small refinery exemptions (SREs) for 2018. Recipients of the exemptions are not required to comply with renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). … Read More
Farmers Market Week Brings Communities Together
By Allison Kaika, NFU Intern Fresh produce lining the street, neighbors mingling, the smell of baked goods wafting in the breeze. This is a scene many of us have come to know and love: a weekend morning at your local farmers market. In addition to the aesthetic appeal and community atmosphere, farmers markets stimulate the … Read More
Kentucky Horticulture Council “Tests the Waters” of Food Safety
By Cindy Finneseth, PhD, with support from Allison Kaika, National Farmers Union Intern As a part of the Local Food Safety Collaborative (LFSC)’s work on produce safety outreach to farmers, education and training, Kentucky Horticulture Council (KHC) and its partners have put together a project to teach Kentucky’s produce farmers about requirements for testing agricultural … Read More
Bankruptcy Bill Will Help More Family Farmers Access Relief
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 2, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, a bill that will expand family farmers’ access to relief under Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy rules by increasing the debt limit from $4.2 million to $10 million. The bill, which was … Read More
RFS Obligations Must Account for Hardship Waivers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org YPSILANTI– Following the release of its disappointing 2020 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today hosted a public hearing to gather feedback from farmers and other stakeholders on the proposed rule. The proposal would maintain … Read More
Currency Realignment Would Boost Economic Outlook for Family Farmers and Ranchers, NFU Says
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– With little relief in sight for persistently low commodity prices, U.S. family farmers and ranchers are facing a bleak economic future. But a bipartisan bill introduced today by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) would help restore prosperity to rural America … Read More
USDA Releases Details for Market Facilitation Program; NFU Urges Long-Term Solutions for Oversupply and Low Prices
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 25, 2019 Contact: Hannah Packman, 202.554.1600 hpackman@nfudc.org WASHINGTON– Two months after announcing its intentions to provide a new package to assist family farmers and ranchers coping with trade damages, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today released finalized details about the timing and calculation of direct payments to producers through the … Read More
State Agencies Offer Readiness Reviews for FSMA Inspections
This article was written by Kate Prengaman and originally posted on the Good Fruit Grower website. Prengaman is the editor for Good Fruit Grower, writing articles for the print magazine and website. Here, she covers an On-Farm Readiness Review in Grandview, Washington where growers gathered together to learn about compliance with the Food Safety Modernization … Read More