A news release yesterday from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that, “At an event in Washington, D.C., [EPA] Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Department of the Army Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. Jamesannounced that the agencies are repealing a 2015 rule that impermissibly expanded the definition of ‘waters of the United States’ (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act. The agencies are also recodifying the longstanding and familiar regulatory text that existed prior to the 2015 Rule—ending a regulatory patchwork that required implementing two competing Clean Water Act regulations, which has created regulatory uncertainty across the United States.

“‘Today, EPA and the Department of the Army finalized a rule to repeal the previous administration’s overreach in the federal regulation of U.S. waters and recodify the longstanding and familiar regulatory text that previously existed,’ said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. ‘Today’s Step 1 action fulfills a key promise of President Trump and sets the stage for Step 2 – a new WOTUS definition that will provide greater regulatory certainty for farmers, landowners, home builders, and developers nationwide.'”

Yesterday’s release added that, “With this final repeal, the agencies will implement the pre-2015 regulations, which are currently in place in more than half of the states, informed by applicable agency guidance documents and consistent with Supreme Court decisions and longstanding agency practice. The final rule takes effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.”

Matt Olberding reported this week at the Lincoln (Nebraska) Star Journal Online that, “A coalition of citizen and environmental groups is calling for a moratorium on large livestock operations in the state.

A news release yesterday from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) stated that, “U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that agricultural producers affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, including Hurricane Dorian, can apply for assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Signup for this U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will begin Sept. 11, 2019.

“‘U.S. agriculture has been dealt a hefty blow by extreme weather over the last several years, and 2019 is no exception,’ said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. ‘The scope of this year’s prevented planting alone is devastating, and although these disaster program benefits will not make producers whole, we hope the assistance will ease some of the financial strain farmers, ranchers and their families are experiencing. President Trump has the backs of our farmers, and we are working to support America’s great patriot farmers.’

“More than $3 billion is available through the disaster relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in early June. WHIP+ builds on the successes of its predecessor program the 2017 Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) that was authorized by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. In addition, the relief package included new programs to cover losses for milk dumped or removed from the commercial market and losses of eligible farm stored commodities due to eligible disaster events in 2018 and 2019. Also, prevented planting supplemental disaster payments will provide support to producers who were prevented from planting eligible crops for the 2019 crop year.”

Yesterday’s FSA update added that, “Agricultural producers faced significant challenges planting crops in 2019 in many parts of the country. All producers with flooding or excess moisture-related prevented planting insurance claims in calendar year 2019 will receive a prevented planting supplemental disaster (‘bonus’) payment equal to 10 percent of their prevented planting indemnity, plus an additional 5 percent will be provided to those who purchased harvest price option coverage.”

“For more information on FSA disaster assistance programs, please contact your local USDA service center or visit farmers.gov/recover. For all available USDA disaster assistance programs, go to USDA’s disaster resources website.”

Associated Press writer Emily Wagster Pettus reported last week that, “Mississippi is considering new rules that let companies continue to use food-labeling terms such as ‘veggie burger’ and ‘vegan bacon,’ as long as the terms are prominently displayed so consumers understand the products are not meat.

“The state agriculture department on Thursday proposed new regulations for plant-based products that are sold as alternatives to meat.

“The regulations were published weeks after a nonprofit organization that advocates plant-based foods and an Illinois food company sued Mississippi over a labeling law. The suit was filed on July 1, the same day the state enacted the law saying that ‘a plant-based or insect-based food product shall not be labeled as meat or a meat food product.'”

The AP article noted that, “Makers of plant-based foods have also sued Missouri and Arkansas over labeling laws.

“The proposed Mississippi regulations say terms such as ‘plant-based’ must be clearly displayed on packaging of products such as vegetarian hot dogs. The rules will be open for public comment for nearly a month. Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson told The Associated Press on Friday that if there are no changes needed after the comment period, he will issue an order for the regulations to take effect.”

Reuters writer Mark Weinraub reported yesterday that, “Global grain trader and food processor Archer Daniels Midland Co allegedly manipulated the price of ethanol to profit from a short position it was holding in the derivatives market, according to a lawsuit by a rival firm.

“AOT Holdings, a Swiss company that owns an energy trading subsidiary, filed the class action complaint late on Wednesday in U.S. District Court’s Central District of Illinois Urbana Division, claiming damages from  ADM’s actions of up to $6.33 million.

“The lawsuit follows reporting by Reuters last year that ADM’s ethanol selling had led traders to complain to S&P Global Platts, which provides benchmark pricing for the physical ethanol contract at different U.S. delivery points including Chicago.”

The Reuters article noted that, “Illinois-based ADM, a major ethanol producer, said in an email that it did not comment on pending litigation.”