The Farm Post eNews

Friday eNews from the Pike and Scott County Farm Bureaus

AUGUST 28, 2015

WOTUS RULE IN EFFECT TODAY

Waters of the U.S. becomes law today, affecting most farming and ranching operations. While EPA is not expected to enforce WOTUS initially, it is likely that they will allow the rule to mature over time into the authority outlined in the rule.

While a Federal judge issued an injunction yesterday. There is concern that the rule will only apply to those states that were part of the suit. Illinois is not one of those states.

Newsline

Federal Judge Stops EPA Water Ruler

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction stopping the Obama administration's Clean Water Rule from going into effect on Friday, a sizable victory for agricultural interests who brought lawsuits to halt the rule.

In his opinion, Judge Ralph Erickson, a District Court judge for the District of North Dakota, said it appears the EPA "has violated its Congressional grant of authority in its promulgation of the Rule at issue." He went on to say that the states and other parties that brought the lawsuit - North Dakota, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming and two state agencies in New Mexico - "have demonstrated that they will face irreparable harm" if the rule were to go into effect Aug. 28.

Read more at AgriPulse

How Safe Is Our Hamburger?

Beef industry officials issued a press release yesterday countering Consumer Reports misleading study on the safety of ground beef. The release includes accurate information regarding the bacteria found in meat, proper cooking temperatures and clarified the report's confusion between USDA certified "organic" and "grass-fed" beef options.

Commodity Markets React to Sell-Off

As the global market roller coaster continues, Farm Bureau deputy chief economist John Anderson says commodity markets are performing as expected and highlights the importance of keeping an eye on China and the current crop ratings.

AFBF Newsline

On This Day

AUGUST 28, 1968

Democratic Convention Riot

On the evening of August 28, 1968, Chicago police and Vietnam War protestors clashed in front of the Hilton Hotel during the Democratic National Convention. Known as the Battle of Michigan Avenue, the melee lasted about twenty minutes. The brutal scene, captured by television cameras and broadcast nationwide, stunned viewers at home as well as delegates who watched on monitors installed around the International Ampitheater, site of the convention. The incident has gone down in history as one of Chicago's greatest crisis-one that left long-lasting scars on its reputation and psyche.