farm bill

The Nation’s First Hemp Seed Bank Will Be in New York

The Nation’s First Hemp Seed Bank Will Be in New York

By Dan Nosowitz With industrial hemp becoming federally legal thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, research has had to work hard to catch up after decades of prohibition. A vital part of creating a thorough picture of any crop is research institutions. Industrial hemp, not having been federally legal, had only scattered, minor ones — […]

Join our newsletter

The best of EcoWatch, right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    Farm Bill With Huge Giveaways to Pesticide Industry Passes House

    Farm Bill With Huge Giveaways to Pesticide Industry Passes House

    A farm bill that opponents say would harm endangered species, land conservation efforts, small-scale farmers and food-stamp recipients passed the U.S. House of Representatives 213 to 211, with every House Democrat and 20 Republicans voting against it, The Center for Biological Diversity reported. A similar farm bill failed to pass the House in May when […]

    Senate’s Farm Bill Moves Forward—But What Is It, Anyway?

    Senate’s Farm Bill Moves Forward—But What Is It, Anyway?

    By Shannan Lenke Stoll The Senate Agriculture Committee just passed its version of a farm bill in a 20-1 vote Thursday. It’s one more step in what has been a delayed journey to pass a 2018–2022 bill before the current one expires in September. The farm bill is a colossal piece of highly partisan legislation […]

    Farm Bill Harmful to Endangered Species and Conservation Fails in House

    Farm Bill Harmful to Endangered Species and Conservation Fails in House

    A farm bill with dangerous consequences for endangered species and conservation efforts failed to pass the House on Friday, The Guardian reported. The 2018 version of the major agricultural bill was criticized by environmental groups because it would have allowed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve new pesticides without assessing their impact on wildlife […]

    Opinion: The 2018 Farm Bill Battle Lines Have Been Drawn: Here’s What You Can Do

    Opinion: The 2018 Farm Bill Battle Lines Have Been Drawn: Here’s What You Can Do

    Last week, the Republican-drafted Farm Bill, called the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2), failed spectacularly on the House floor when Republicans tried to leverage the farm bill to placate conservatives’ agenda on immigration. Nevertheless, H.R. 2, which generally benefits large commodity producers while compromising long-term food security, provides a helpful view into […]

    Farm Bill Would Allow Mass Killing of Endangered Species With Pesticides

    Farm Bill Would Allow Mass Killing of Endangered Species With Pesticides

    The newest version of the 2018 Farm Bill, set for a vote on Friday, includes an unprecedented provision allowing the widespread killing of endangered plants and animals with pesticides. The bill launches the broadest attack on the Endangered Species Act in 45 years, eliminating the requirement that federal agencies analyze pesticides’ harm to the nation’s […]

    USDA Focus on Nutrition Program ‘Integrity’ Is a Smokescreen

    USDA Focus on Nutrition Program ‘Integrity’ Is a Smokescreen

    By Sarah Reinhardt The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced it will hire a new “chief integrity officer” to oversee federal nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps). The […]

    House Adds Honey Bee and Pollinator Protections to Farm Bill

    House Adds Honey Bee and Pollinator Protections to Farm Bill

    Center for Food Safety The Center for Food Safety applauds the passage of a pollinator protection amendment Wednesday that was offered by Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) to the Farm Bill currently being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives, a fitting and positive development during National Pollinator Week. Beekeepers worldwide have seen record losses of […]