Policy Articles
Thune Says Improvements Needed in New CFAP
Published September 5, 2020
South Dakota Senator John Thune says the USDA came up with a reasonably good formula for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, but improvements can be made. "In South Dakota alone, we've gotten more than $450 million for the program," said…Other Solutions Being Sought in Conservation Compliance
Published September 5, 2020
The USDA has finalized a rule defining highly erodible land and wetland conservation. NDFB President Daryl Lies says more needs to be done to help farmers. "I think everyone that deals with wetland compliance issues agrees we wanted them to…CFAP Details Coming This Week
Published September 5, 2020
USDA will announce details about the next round of coronavirus relief payments this week. During a stop in Iowa, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the rules will be announced before Friday’s deadline for enrolling in the current CFAP program. The…Perdue to Participate in MFBF Shop Talk
Published September 4, 2020
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue will participate in the next Minnesota Farm Bureau online ‘Shop Talk’ program. Farm Bureau President Kevin Paap said Perdue likes the town hall format. The program is scheduled for noon on September 24.Rural Areas Seek Broadband Access
Published September 4, 2020
COVID-19 has brought to light the problems with rural broadband. Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says the issue comes down to access. "For farms, it is tough. Just like when we put in electricity, the farm is often at the…Work Continues on Line 3 Pipeline Project
Published September 4, 2020
Earlier this summer, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the certificate of need for the Line 3 replacement project, the route permit and the adequacy of the environmental impact statement. Since that time, there have been appeals to that ruling…No Riders Will be Attached to Stopgap Spending Bill
Published September 4, 2020
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have a tentative agreement to avoid a government shutdown. A continuing resolution is needed to fund the government after September 30. Mnuchin and Pelosi agreed to a clean stopgap spending bill,…US-UK Trade Talks on the Schedule
Published September 4, 2020
The United States and United Kingdom will meet Tuesday for the next round of trade talks. England has been anxious to secure a trade deal with the U.S. after it left the European Union and all EU trade agreements.More COVID-19 Support Expected, But Details are Unclear
Published September 3, 2020
According to American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist John Newton, the USDA is trying to get farmers the support they need to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency is working on another round of assistance, but what that looks…