Current Issues
Bees-Insects/Pesticides
EU Court Rejection of Bee Protection Exemptions
A European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided (January 19) that EU countries can no longer grant ...
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Water Supply and Safety
Colorado River Allocation Reductions
The Department of the Interior announced (May 22) an agreement among Lower Colorado River Basin states to implement further water use reductions that totals 3 million acre-feet through the end of 2026. Half of the water savings ...
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Food Safety
Made-In-The-USA Food Labeling
The USDA/Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing a rule (March 7) intended to improve consumer understanding about ‘what is’ US-produced food ...
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Food Security / Hunger
End of Expanded SNAP Benefits
Expanded SNAP (i.e., food stamps) benefits provided during the COVID-19 pandemic will end after February, 2023 ...
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International Trade/Unfair Trade
Solar Tariffs & Asia
The Senate passed a resolution (May 3) to nullify the Biden Administration’s two-year Asia solar tariff suspension put in place in June 2022. While the measure ...
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Research & Analysis
Mature & Old Growth Forest
Forest Service & BLM
This report (April 21) provides the first estimates of old-growth and mature forests across all US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands.
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Recent Developments in Everglades Restoration
Congressional Research Service
This report (August 2022) provides a summary of the latest status information on Florida Everglades restoration projects, including progress on past, current, and future major projects, as well as levels of Federal funding support.
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PFAS Contamination in U.S. Waterways
Waterkeeper Alliance
This announcement (October 2022) presents the results of U.S. waterways testing which found levels of one or more PFAS–a.k.a. "forever chemicals"–present in 93% of tested waters. Most samples had more than one chemical. One type of PFAS chemical (PFOS) was detected above the EPA’s interim health advisory level of 0.02 parts per trillion at 159 of the 228 sampling sites
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Worth More Standing
Climate Forests Coalition
This document identifies and describes 10 logging projects on Federal lands that that this group claims includes "mature and old-growth" trees that should be protected from logging. These represent both projects that are underway or are expected in the near future.
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The Clean Water Act at 50: Promises Half Kept at the Half Century Mark
Environmental Integrity Project
This report (March 2022) provides an analysis of existing data on the conditions of waterways in the United States as measured against the goals and objectives of the landmark Clean Water Act of 1972. The report says that about half of the river and stream miles and lake acres that have been studied across the U.S. are so polluted they are classified as “impaired;” meaning, they are too polluted to meet standards for swimming and recreation, aquatic life, fish consumption, or as drinking water sources.
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Climate Change: How Do We Know
NASA
Final Biological Evaluations of Three Neonicotinoids
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA released final biological evaluations (June 2022) of three insecticides -- clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, which are part of a group of insecticides known as the neonicotinoids, used for crops, turf, and ornamental plants, and for other residential and commercial indoor and outdoor uses. EPA made a “likely to adversely affect” (LAA) determination, where the agency reasonably expects that at least one individual animal or plant, among a variety of listed species, may be exposed to the pesticide at a sufficient level to have an adverse effect.
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Repurposing Agricultural Support to Transform Food Systems
United Nations
This report of the United Nations report estimates that 87% of agricultural support from countries is either price distorting or harmful to nature and health. The report calls for phasing out price incentives and fiscal subsidies for specific commodities in favor of agriculture R&D and infrastructure investments.
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Key Federal Programs
Food Safety and Inspection Service [Agriculture]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,075,703,000
$1,226,148,000
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---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$0
Natural Resources Conservation Service [Agriculture]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,017,727,000
$1,001,101,000
---
---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,193,000,000
Water and Related Resources [Interior - Reclamation]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,521,125,000
$1,270,376,000
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---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,870,000,000
National Forest System [Agriculture - Forest Service]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$1,866,545,000
$2,180,915,000
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---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$1,444,800,000
State and Private Forestry [Agriculture - Forest Service]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$315,198,000
$306,963,000
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---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$355,360,000
Forest & Rangeland Research [ Agriculture - Forest Service]
This Year (FY 22)
Budget Proposal (FY 23)
Enacted (FY 23)
% Change
$296,616,000
$317,773,000
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---
Supplementals (FY 21-22)
$27,000,000
