With just days until the U.S. runs out of borrowing capacity to pay its bills, Congressional leaders appear unable to reach a compromise that could prevent default, and at least one serious proposal is taking aim at direct payments to agricultural producers.

In a few short weeks, the United States will be the only major wheat provider for Colombian buyers not benefiting from permanent zero duty access, which will cut significantly into wheat growers’ share of that large and growing market – hurting both U.S. producers and Colombian buyers of their products.

A newly issued guidance document has the potential to dramatically expand regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA), going against the express wishes of Congress and the Supreme Court in the process, NAWG said in comments this week to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

A deal to rein in the federal debt and raise the government’s borrowing limit just days before a projected default was elusive this week, with more proposals floated but no end in sight.

Michigan wheat producers have approved a referendum to establish a checkoff, known as the Michigan Wheat Program, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced this week.

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is beginning its public work by reaching out to farmers and ranchers to gain insight into what they want the new and one-of-a-kind coalition to tell the American public.

Discussions among Congressional leaders and President Barack Obama aiming at a deal to significantly cut the federal deficit and raise the nation’s debt ceiling did not produce fruit this week, with more talks expected this weekend.

NAWG Second Vice President Bing Von Bergen traveled to Washington, D.C., this week for a meeting of commodity organization leaders to continue discussions about 2012 Farm Bill priorities.

Congressional leaders seeking to advance a bill that would allow the creation of tax-exempt charitable organizations focusing on agricultural research are looking for original cosponsors for the legislation.

Both the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee approved in mock mark-ups this week language to implement three pending free trade agreements, just days after a purported deal to move the FTAs toward final passage fell apart.

The Obama Administration announced this week a resolution to the long-running dispute over Mexican trucks on American roads that has cost the U.S. agriculture industry more than $2 billion in recent years from retaliatory duties.

The National Wheat Improvement Committee (NWIC) has recently completed elections, selecting Dr. Brett Carver, wheat breeder from Oklahoma State University, as its new chair and Dr. Paul Murphy, small grains breeder at North Carolina State University, as vice chair.

The fates of three pending FTAs appeared to swing wildly this week, with an announcement of a deal to move them forward, a mock-mark up scheduled and then cancellation of the meeting because of stark political division, all in fewer than three days.

A planned Senate recess for the Fourth of July holiday has been cancelled so Senators can focus on ongoing budget talks, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Thursday.

Biotechnology in wheat would reduce farmer input costs and help make the crop more competitive with corn and soybeans in areas where they can all be grown, said Scott Swenson, a wheat leader from Minnesota, at this week’s BIO International Convention.