By Sarah Fielder
Syngenta Settles MIR162 Case for $1.5 Billion It is official, Syngenta has settled claims in the MIR162 class action litigation for $1.5 billion. This settlement includes all U.S. farmers (even if they opted out originally) who marketed corn after Sept. 15, 2013. The settlement also includes grain handling facilities and ethanol plants. The settlement must still be approved by Judge Lungstrum and if approved, farmers could expect to see payouts in early 2019. To learn more about the settlement, click here http://bit.ly/2FTv2qj.
USDA Withdraws Organic Livestock Rule USDA officially withdrew final rules finalized near the end of the Obama administration for organic livestock production due to the rules exceeding USDA’s authority under federal law. The Organic Trade Association had already sued the Trump administration in September over the administration delaying the implementation of the final rule. The group plans to continue the lawsuit. To see more on this, click here http://bit.ly/2FOgZCj.
Agriculture Gets 90-Day Waiver from Electronic Logging Device Rule This week the Department of Transportation gave agriculture a 90-day waiver from the electronic logging device rule for ag-related transportation. The rule is designed to make it easier to monitor and accurately track, manage, and share duty of entry records. During this time, the agency will finalize an exemption for agricutlure when 150-air-mile hours of service exemption and personal conveyance. To learn more about the exemption, http://bit.ly/2Iqwuib. To learn more about the rules, click here http://bit.ly/2o7c45y.
Lawmakers Reach Deal on 199A Changes Last year’s tax bill gave farmers a large financial incentive to sell grain through a cooperative. This incentive has not set well with non-cooperative grain handlers who have been pushing for the law to be changed. This week lawmakers announced a deal that would restore 199A to its former status prior to the tax bill’s passage. Lawmakers hope to include the deal in the upcoming spending bill, but this is facing opposition in the Senate who want to see other tax changes made in the spending bill. To learn more about the changes to 199A, click here http://bit.ly/2DqPdql.
ACRE Act Introduced to Stop Air Emission Regulation of Farms The EPA under both the Bush and Obama administrations supported exempting these agricultural producers, but a federal court found the law did not clearly exclude farms and ranches. The ACRE Act would clarify that such producers are not required to report these emissions. To read more about the ACRE Act, click here http://bit.ly/2pgV5hF