Offices to stay open: “I suspect we will do what needs to be done to keep offices open,” responded Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack when asked if service at USDA local offices would be affected by a requirement that federal employees be vaccinated against Covid-19. (FERN’s Ag Insider)
School food overseas: Ten projects to feed schoolchildren in countries from Guatemala to Senegal will receive $248 million through the McGovern-Dole program this fiscal year. (Foreign Agricultural Service)
Bears Ears restored: President Biden will sign proclamations restoring the boundaries of Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts national monuments, all cut back during the Trump years. (White House)
Stronger environmental rules: The Biden administration plans to reinstate three major provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of projects including mines, highways, and pipelines. (CNN)
Equity grants: The USDA announced three awards totaling $25 million to encourage historically underserved farmers and ranchers to take part in agricultural programs. (USDA)