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Farm Bill On the Move: Groups Meet; Senate Hearings Set February 2, 2012 The agriculture community took a number of important steps toward a 2012 Farm Bill this week, with commodity groups meeting in Washington to discuss the issues and the Senate Agriculture Committee announcing a hearing schedule. Read Full Article

Department of Labor Says It Will Re-Propose Farm Kid Regulation February 2, 2012 The Department of Labor said Wednesday it will re-propose part of a draft regulation related to minors working on the farm, seeking additional comments and modifications to “ensure protection of both children and rural values.” Read Full Article

Gates Speaks Out on Need for Money, Innovation in Ag Research February 2, 2012 Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and one of the richest men in the world, highlighted the relative lack of money devoted to agricultural innovation and research in his annual letter outlining the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s 2012 priorities. Read Full Article

Commodity Group Release: Statement Following Joint Meeting February 2, 2012 The following statement is sent on behalf of these organizations in reference to joint meetings held Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington, D.C. Read Full Article

NAWG/USW Want an Open Border for U.S. and Canadian Farmers January 31, 2012 Signaling a desire for more market efficiency, the boards of directors of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) each passed a resolution on Jan. 29 calling for an open border with Canada that provides reciprocal bilateral wheat trade. Read Full Article

Baucus Named NAWG’s 2011 Wheat Leader of the Year January 26, 2012 Senate Finance Committee Chairman and longtime agricultural advocate Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) was named this week as the National Association of Wheat Growers’ 2011 Wheat Leader of the Year. Read Full Article

State of the Union Focuses on Economics, Trade, Energy January 26, 2012 President Barack Obama kicked off the legislative year on Tuesday with a State of the Union address largely focusing on the economy, taxes and foreign affairs, but also incorporating key ag policy priorities including trade and renewable energy. Read Full Article

USDA’s New School Meal Regs Call for All Whole Grains By 2014 January 26, 2012 New federal school meal standards ramp up the grain servings students eating breakfast and lunch will receive and, for the first time, will require they all be from whole grain-rich sources. Read Full Article

Community Mobilizes After Yahoo Declares Ag Degrees Useless January 26, 2012 Those who believe agriculture isn’t a serious academic subject and farmers are an uneducated lot may be enticed to expand their views based on the farm community’s reaction to a Jan. 19 article declaring agriculture degrees “useless.” Read Full Article

Federal Panel: More Testing Finds GPS/LightSquared Interference January 19, 2012 A year of testing by a federal interagency committee has unanimously determined there “appear to be no practical solutions or mitigations” to GPS interference caused by LightSquared’s broadband technology. Read Full Article