NAWG and seven other agricultural groups wrote Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Wednesday, asking them to ensure that their departments’ future analysis of proposals to limit greenhouse gas emissions accurately reflects the provisions of bills Congress is considering.

NAWG and 15 other agricultural organizations voiced support this week for including more than half a billion dollars in emergency food aid spending in a supplemental bill being processed by Congress.

The results of an independent study released last week confirm that USDA’s overall market development partnership with industry has added billions of dollars in returns to U.S. farmers and ranchers.

The All Aboard Wheat Harvest blog is once again bringing the thrills and defeats of the busiest farm season online.

The Senate on Thursday passed legislation reforming the financial regulatory system after significant, heated debate about how much change is needed to avoid systemic problems the country has experienced in the past two years. The bill now heads to conference between the House and Senate, where leaders hope to wrap up discussions “in short order.”

Members of the House Agriculture Committee continued their travels around the country this last week to wrap up what are expected to be the final farm bill field hearings until after the mid-term elections in November.

NAWG is seeking candidates for a new director of research and technology programs in its Washington, D.C. office.

This week Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) released a discussion draft of their “American Power Act” legislation, proposing a cap-and-trade system for reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The 987 page bill aims to reduce emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.

The House Committee on Agriculture continued discussions related to the future of U.S. agriculture policy this week by hearing from a variety of agriculture economists and academics. The Committee heard from two panels of witnesses at a hearing on Capitol Hill Thursday, discussing a variety of topics including possible commodity program reforms, beginning farmer programs, trade considerations and health and obesity issues, to name only a few.

The Senate continued its work on a financial regulatory overhaul package this week, with work likely to continue through to the end of next week as a number of amendments remain pending. A number of primary races will take place on May 18, including that of Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln, which will likely prevent any additional major votes on the legislation prior to May 19.

Pending free trade agreements that are the key to maintaining producers’ market opportunities in Colombia, Panama and South Korea were the top priority at a number of press events held in Washington on Monday.

Two wheat producers from NAWG-affiliated state associations were among those testifying before the House Agriculture Committee this week at the first round of field hearings of the 2012 Farm Bill debate.

Expanded technology investments in wheat were the focus of the “Wheat Don’t Pass Me By – Opportunities for Biotech Solutions for Wheat” at the 2010 BIO International Convention this week in Chicago, IL. Wheat farmer Mark Darrington joined a miller, baker and researcher on the panel discussion.