Donald Trump
USDA will help farmers adapt to climate change, says Perdue
Democratic lawmakers and farm activists criticized President Trump for his decision to withdraw from the Paris climate treaty, saying it would result in harsher conditions for agriculture in coming years. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue shrugged off climate change as inevitable and said USDA was "committed to digging ever deeper into research to develop better methods of agricultural production in that changing climate."
Private firm infiltrated and tracked Standing Rock protestors
A private security firm used to hunting militants in Afghanistan and Iraq was hired by the Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners to track protestors at Standing Rock, South Dakota.
Trump says a decision ‘very soon’ on Paris climate treaty
During brief exchanges with reporters, President Trump said he would announce "very soon" whether he would withdraw the United States from the Paris climate treaty, adding, "I’m hearing from a lot of people, both ways." There were widespread reports that the White House has decided on withdrawal.
Trump promises Paris climate decision this week
During the last day of the G-7 summit in Italy, President Trump tweeted that he’ll decide later this week whether the U.S. will stay in the Paris Agreement, says the Los Angeles Times. The agreement, signed by almost 200 countries, including the U.S. under President Obama, calls for lowering greenhouse-gas emissions. It's widely supported by the other G-7 countries: Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Japan.
Perdue says he wants more money to control wildfires
The Trump administration proposed a $700-million reduction in funding to fight wildfires, but Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told a House panel that he will press the White House for more money, said Roll Call. At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Perdue said he would "advocate very strongly" for additional funding to prevent and manage fires.
Crop insurance cut 36 percent in Trump budget
As Congress prepares to write a new farm bill, President Trump proposed a 36-percent cut in the federally subsidized crop insurance program over the coming decade, a far more sweeping set of reforms than what was proposed during the Obama era and rejected by farm-state lawmakers. Crop insurance is the largest of USDA's farm support programs at nearly $8 billion a year.
Co-chair of Trump campaign in Michigan will challenge Stabenow
Lena Epstein, co-chair of the Trump presidential campaign in Michigan last fall, says she will run against third-term Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the senior Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee. The 2018 race is rated as "likely Democratic" at present by political tipsheet Sabato's Crystal Ball.
Trump selects Callista Gingrich, former House ag staffer, as Vatican ambassador
Callista Gingrich, wife of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and a former House Agriculture Committee staffer, is President Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, said the White House.
Perdue says he’ll put a ‘go-to person’ in charge of rural development
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told lawmakers he wants an active hand in rural economic development — an element of his reorganization of USDA — but he'll put "a go-to person" in charge of running the programs. "That person will be Senate confirmed in that area," as an assistant secretary, said Perdue; a post that small-farm advocates say will be inferior to the undersecretary now in charge.
A meatpacking town steps up in wake of foiled terror attack
Last fall, the FBI derailed a plot by homegrown extremists to blow up an apartment complex in Garden City, Kan., that housed Somali refugees who had come there to work in the town’s meatpacking plants. In the latest story from FERN, produced in partnership with The New Republic, Ted Genoways tells how the town rallied around its newest residents.
Commerce Secretary says EPA permit regulations are a top target
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says that removing burdensome environmental permit regulations is high on his list of ways to improve the U.S. manufacturing climate. Ross plans to present the list to President Trump in May.
Trump urges challenge to Senate Ag panelist Bob Casey
Fourth-term Rep. Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania says President Trump has encouraged him to run against incumbent Sen. Bob Casey, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, in 2018.
Perdue meets dairy farmers to discuss options on Canada milk trade
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, who applauded tariffs on Canadian timber as U.S. payback in a milk-trade dispute with its northern neighbor, discussed possible solutions with dairy leaders during a session at USDA headquarters. President Trump has twice raised the issue of U.S. ultra-filtered milk exports to the highest level of binational attention, at one point saying "we don't want to be taken advantage of by other countries — and that's stopping and stopping fast."
Administration is on farmers’ side on exports, says Perdue
From President Trump down, the administration recognizes the importance of farm exports, said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, adding that he expects to make frequent trips overseas to promote sales. Farmers voted by wide margins for Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton last November, although his plans to renegotiate NAFTA and overhaul trade pacts in general has stirred concern in rural areas.
Trump gives EPA website a new look
The EPA is changing language on its webpage to match the values of the new administration, and the fact that both President Trump and EPA head Scott Pruitt have publicly denied that climate change is manmade.
Now Trump says he’ll renegotiate NAFTA. Or maybe not.
After rattling the nerves of the farm sector, President Trump said "we're going to give re-negotiation a good strong shot," rather than abandoning the North American Free Trade Agreement. "I decided rather than terminating NAFTA, which would be a pretty big, you know, shock to the system, we will re-negotiate," Trump told reporters while meeting Argentine President Mauricio Macri.
Trump orders review of national monuments, Bears Ears in particular
Trump to assess national monuments, including Bears Ears
On Wednesday, President Trump is expected to order a review of national monuments designated under the controversial 1906 Antiquities Act. Many state politicians, especially in the West where the federal government already owns large tracts of land, have complained that national monuments hurt development opportunities and wrest control away from local decision-makers.
Trump and Vance oppose funding bill that includes farm aid
President-elect Donald Trump called for a “streamlined spending bill” that also increases the federal debt ceiling on Wednesday as a replacement for the three-month government funding bill that congressional leaders produced the preceding day. That bill included $10 billion to offset a decline in farm income and $21 billion in disaster relief for agriculture.