Written by Deanna Smith – Research Assistant
Industrial
Hemp/Cannabis: Pennsylvania Issues First Medical Marijuana Permits
On June 20, 2017, the PA Department of Health announced
the release of twelve medical marijuana permits for growers and processors
throughout Pennsylvania. Two permits per each of the six regions delineated by
the PA Department of Health. The recipients “now have six months to become
operational before they can begin growing medical marijuana.” John Collins,
Director of the Office of Medical Marijuana, said this development keeps them
“on track to fulfill the Wolf Administration’s commitment to deliver medical
marijuana to patients in 2018.” For more
information, PennLive.com published
an article with additional material on the permit recipients.
Antitrust: Dept. of Justice Approves Dow/DuPont Merger
DuPont and Dow Chemical Co. have reached an agreement with
the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the merger
of the two companies. A civil
antitrust lawsuit and settlement filed June 15,
2017, stipulates that the companies divest certain crop protection and
petrochemical products. DuPont’s Finesse herbicide and Rynaxypyr insecticides
as well as Dow’s businesses used in food packaging are the few key businesses
that must be sold in order to maintain market competition.
International
Trade: USDA Proposes to Loosen Restrictions on Chinese Chicken Imports
On June 16, 2017, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection
Service (FSIS) published a proposed
rule
that would amend their inspection regulations and enable China to export
poultry products from birds that have been slaughtered in China to the United
States. Currently, China is allowed to export to the U.S. only processed
poultry products that have been slaughtered in the U.S. or another eligible
country. FSIS has reviewed the poultry slaughter inspection system implemented
in China and determined it the equivalent of the U.S. standards in the Poultry
Products Inspection Act (PPIA).
GMO Regulation: Two New GMO Products Approved
for Shipment to China
On
June 14, 2017, Dow Chemical Co. and Monsanto Co. were given permission by
China’s Ministry of Agriculture to start shipping two new GMO products to
China. Dow AgroSciences’ Enlist corn variety and Monsanto’s Vistive Gold
soybean join the 14 other genetically modified crops allowed as U.S. imports
into China. Fox Business reported
that this decision “comes after Beijing agreed to speed up reviews of
biotechnology applications as part of a trade deal with the Trump
administration last month.”
Pesticides: Farmworkers and Health
Organizations Sue EPA
On June 14, 2017,
Earthjustice and Farmworker Justice filed a complaint against the EPA in response to the EPA’s one year delay in implementing
the Certification of Pesticide Applicators Rule. This final rule contains updated standards for the
protection of those using and handling pesticide applicators. It proposes
safety measures such as increased training requirements and a minimum age
requirement for applicators.
National
Ag Policy: Perdue Hosts First Meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture
and Rural Prosperity
On June 15, 2017, USDA announced
that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue hosted the first meeting of the
Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. At the meeting,
Sec. Perdue said “we are telling rural America that we’re here, we’re
listening, and we’re going to help provide you with the resources, tools, and
support to build robust, sustainable communities for generations to come.” The
task force is required to issue a report within 180 days of its formation containing
recommendations on legislative and administrative actions.
National
Ag Policy: Senate Ag Committee Holds Farm Bill Hearing Focusing on Agricultural
Research
On June 16, 2017, the Senate Agriculture Committee held
a Farm Bill hearing
focused on agricultural research. In the opening statements, U.S. Senator
Debbie Stabenow, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, & Forestry, said
“[n]ow, more than ever, it is critical to invest in public research and support
our world class agricultural research institutions that make our farms more
productive and sustainable.” The hearing went on to discuss the critical role
of agricultural research throughout the years, and the importance of its
progress.
Environmental Credit Trading: Rice
Farming Carbon Credits Sold to Microsoft
In June 2015, the California Air Resources Board
(ARB) approved a protocol that would allow farmers to offset carbon emissions
through their farming methods and get compensated for their efforts by selling
credits in the state’s cap-and-trade
market. Two years later, on June 14, 2017, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) reported
that the first voluntary carbon credits generated by U.S. rice farmers were
sold to Microsoft. To read more about California’s rice protocol and
conservation efforts, visit the EDF webpage, Greenhouse
gas markets for agriculture.
Pennsylvania
Legislation
Agriculture and Rural Affairs (House)
- HB1518: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, in organization of independent administrative boards and commissions, further providing for Agricultural Lands Condemnation Approval Board. (Reported out of Committee, June 20, 2017)
- HB1550: An Act amending the act of June 30, 1981 (P.L.128, No.43), known as the Agricultural Area Security Law, further providing for purchase of agricultural conservation easements. (Reported out of Committee, June 20, 2017)
- HB944: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in terms and courses of study, further providing for agricultural education and providing for Commission for Agricultural Education Excellence. (Third consideration and final passage, June 19, 2017)
- HB1494: An Act amending the act of June 28, 1995 (P.L.89, No.18), known as the Conservation and Natural Resources Act, in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, renaming the Department of Environmental Resources as the Department of Environmental Protection; defining the role of the Environmental Quality Board in the Department of Environmental Protection; making changes to responsibilities of the State Conservation Commission and the Department of Agriculture; transferring certain powers and duties to the Department of Health; and repealing inconsistent acts," in Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, further providing for contracts and agreements. (Third consideration and final passage, June 19, 2017)
Environmental Resources and Energy (House)
- HB1333: An Act amending the act of May 31, 1945 (P.L.1198, No.418), known as the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act, further providing for mining permit, reclamation plan and bond. (Reported out of Committee, June 19, 2017)
- HB1341: An Act amending the act of July 7, 2008 (P.L.654, No.55), known as the Bituminous Coal Mine Safety Act, in emergency medical personnel, further providing for definitions, for emergency medical personnel, for regulations, for continuing training, for certification and for liability. (Reported out of Committee, June 19, 2017)
- SB624: An Act amending the act of April 27, 1966 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.31, No.1), known as The Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act, providing for planned subsidence and for retroactivity. (Reported out of Committee, June 19, 2017)
Hotlinks:
"Amazon
acquisition of Whole Foods to bode well for dairy"
– Dairy Reporter
"Week
3: BPI continues case against ABC in defamation trial"
– Food Safety News
"House
appropriators assure Pruitt that EPA budget cuts are not going to fly"
– Washington Examiner
"WiFi
tractor cab ‘hedge funds’ give farmers an edge"
– Financial Times
"IDFA
members raise questions about new symbol"
– Food Chemical News
"Gov.
LePage signs Maine food sovereignty into first-of-its kind law"
– Food Safety News
"New
FMD Rapid Diagnostic Kit Earns License for U.S. Use"
– Delta Farm Press
"Pennsylvania
announces first round of medical marijuana permits"
– PennLive.com
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