On July 28 the House Agriculture Committee passed legislation, HR 5509 The Chesapeake Bay Program Reauthorization and Improvement Act, introduced by Congressman Tim Holden (D-PA) and Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).

On July 15, the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved an agriculture budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 with an overall decrease of $20 million for agriculture research below the FY2010 level but an increase to $310 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

North Dakota hosted NAWG CEO Dana Peterson and Mary Waters, President of the North American Miller’s Association, who joined nearly sixty others on the Wheat Quality Council’s 2010 Hard Spring and Durum Wheat Tour this week.

A bill establishing flexible, cooperative management of Chesapeake Bay environmental monitoring is scheduled for mark up next Wednesday, June 28th in the House Committee on Agriculture.

NAWG First Vice President Wayne Hurst provided the producer perspective to White House, USDA and other government officials this week at an interagency meeting on climate change held in Denver.

NAWG and agricultural organizations from around the country are asking their governors to mobilize against proposals the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has under consideration that may impose strict standards on rural dust with dire economic consequences.

Jane DeMarchi joined the NAWG staff this week as director of government affairs for research and technology.

The Obama Administration scored a victory this week on regulatory reform even as conversations continue concerning energy legislation, another key priority, and the appropriations process.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) introduced this week a proposal that would permanently reform the estate tax, a vexing issue for farm families trying to plan for the future.

BASF and Monsanto announced last week they are expanding an existing biotechnology research collaboration, including to work on biotech wheat.

NAWG grower-leaders traveled to Bozeman, Mont., last weekend for U.S. Wheat Associates’ (USW’s) annual summer meeting.

NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) put a spotlight this week on the loss of market share U.S. producers are facing in Colombia due to a nearly-finalized bilateral free trade agreement between that country and Canada.

NAWG, U.S. Wheat Associates and more than 25 other agriculture organizations wrote Members of Congress this week urging them to work with the Obama Administration to pass pending free trade agreements and stem the tide of lost U.S. market share around the world.

NAWG and a coalition of agriculture organizations wrote Reps. Tim Holden (D-Penn.) and Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) last week to express support for their efforts related to Chesapeake Bay regulation.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry held its first 2012 Farm Bill hearing on Wednesday.

The House Appropriations Committee’s subcommittee focusing on agriculture programs approved its FY2011 allocations this week despite there not being a budget resolution to guide the appropriations process in either chamber.

The continued need for the U.S. to lessen its dependence on oil was the focus of the 25x’25 Renewable Energy Summit held this week in Washington, D.C.