The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has posted their proposed definition for waters of the U.S. protected under the Clean Water Act (CWA) in the Federal Register on April 21st. That posting now triggers a 90 day public comment period.

Republican lawmakers and a few Senate Democrats criticized the proposal as another example of regulatory overreach when it was unveiled last month. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Bob Stallman said the proposal “poses a serious threat to farmers, ranchers and other landowners.” In a statement, he said the exemptions for agriculture included in the proposal “do not protect farmers from federal veto power over pest and weed control, fertilizer application, and other essential farming activities.”   Read More...

Anyone wondering why the U.S. economy can't seem to grow at its usual pace should examine one product category where production is booming: federal regulation.  Washington set a new record in 2013 by issuing final rules consuming 26,417 pages in the Federal Register.   Read More...

NAEDA members are invited to send their CFOs to a conference designed justs for the financial professionals of equipment distribution companies.  The AED Foundation Financial Symposium will be held on May 8-9 in Burr Ridge, Ill.  AED is pleased to offer you its reduced AED-member tuition of $895; a $400 discount.   Read More...

A top building trades union is launching a midterm-election assault on House Democrats who oppose construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.   Read More...

China's tougher stance on imports of genetically engineered corn is roiling U.S. agribusiness, largely halting trade in the biggest U.S. crop in its fastest growing market. By one industry estimate, exports are down by 85% compared with last year.   Read More...

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2014 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced significant progress on implementing the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill), which President Obama signed into law on February 7. The 2014 Farm Bill reforms agricultural policy, reduces the deficit, and helps grow the economy.   Read More...

Eighteen state and national trade associations joined in a Feb. 25 letter to leaders of the Senate Finance Committee objecting to the committee’s proposal to create a new asset pooling system to depreciate business property and repeal like-kind exchange.

The letter to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who recently took over the committee’s chairmanship, and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) expressed support for tax reform that improves the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) for both corporations and pass-through entities and creates a tax environment conducive to economic growth and investment. However, the letter said the pool scheme, proposed in November 2013 (before Wyden took over the Finance Committee) would create unrealistically lengthy asset recovery periods for business assets that will negatively impact business cash flow and reduce economic growth and job creation.   Read More...

A new study shows proposed changes to the tax code restricting the use of cash accounting by agricultural operations would reduce agriculture's access to capital by as much as $12.1 billion over the next four years.   Read More...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2014 –USDA today released the preliminary 2012 Census of Agriculture results.  Key findings include an increase in the value of agricultural products sold in the United States totaling $394.6 billion in 2012, up 33 percent ($97.4 billion) from 2007.  The number of farms and land in farms were down slightly, but held steady. Additionally, agriculture is becoming more diverse.   Read More...

Dozens of Republican senators on Tuesday called on the White House to approve the Keystone XL pipeline as foes vowed to risk arrest at protests against the controversial project.   Read More...