January 21, 2022
Newsletter for January 21, 2022
This Issue:
  • American Farm Bureau Federation Identifies Issue Priorities
  • Your Comments Important On EPA Plans For Water Regulations
  • Sage Grouse Scoping Comments Also On The Radar
  • Fallon Area Teff Operation Earns Prestigious Award
  • Regulation Changes Considered On Beekeeping – Workshop Feb. 16
American Farm Bureau Federation Identifies Issue Priorities
Coming out of the 2022 American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting where the organization’s policy development process concluded with the adoption of 2022 Farm Bureau Policy the AFBF Board of Directors gave their approval to this year’s Strategic Issues Action Plan.

Within the general issue areas of Agricultural Labor, Farm Policy, Infrastructure, Regulations, Rural Health, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Taxes and Trade subtopics of more specific objectives are identified for attention.  We’d be interested in learning from you the ranking you believe best fits Nevada agricultural producers as well as the priorities for details that are within the broader general subjects.  Please click on this survey ”) and share your ranking of what needs the highest degree of attention to best serve the needs of Nevada farmers and ranchers.
Your Comments Important On EPA Plans For Water Regulations
Over the past several weeks we have been drawing attention to the need for Farm Bureau members to give their input on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plans to rewrite regulations on the Waters of the United States.  As Nevada Farm Bureau has been doing more research on the proposed rule, we have become even more concerned over the expansion of what water the feds will regulate.
The gobbledygook language which the agencies (EPA’s and the Army Corp of Engineers are using to justify their political agenda of reversing course on the Navigable Waters Protection Rule demonstrates a need for us to push back.  Their intentions of going back to significant federal command and control approaches deserves as much emphasis as went into the “Ditch The Rule” that played out under the Obama Administration. 

The negative elements of the rule being proposed:

  • Greatly expands the scope of federal jurisdiction
  •  Brings back the troubling “significant nexus” test (which seems to indicate that the “science” that the agencies will use in determining their jurisdiction will be on a case-by-case basis and be very similar to them deciding whatever they want to decide)
  • Attacks and discredits virtually every aspect of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule
  • Does not appear to recognize the costs and burdens of having a broader scope of federal jurisdiction
  • Agencies involved in this have taken the position – “Primary estimate is that the proposed  rule would have zero impact”

It is critical that Farm Bureau members flood the public comment system with input on what should be foundational concepts in whatever the federal government is going to try to do this time around.  AFBF’s website offers a great tool to use in submitting comments for input on the rewrite of WOTUS. Please click here and send your email to EPA!  The deadline for submitting comments on the proposed WOTUS rule is February 7, 2022.
Sage Grouse Scoping Comments Also On The Radar
Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 19th) Western State Farm Bureaus participated in a Zoom meeting discussion with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) representatives who are in charge of the current open docket for potentially rewriting the Sage Grouse Land Use Management Plans that are in place.  The present process is the scoping process, where the agency is seeking public input of ideas on what they might consider.  During the meeting there were repeated assertions that nothing is on the drawing board and the public input can focus on just about anything related to how the BLM is managing the land with regard to Sage Grouse.  The deadline for submitting scoping comments is February 7th, 2022 (which seems to a very popular deadline for federal agencies…).

A final virtual scoping meeting is set for Monday, January 24 and will take place 6:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) to 8 p.m. – This timeframe, based on our time zone is 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

To connect to this virtual scoping meeting you need to register. This link will get you to the webpage you need to use in order to get registered and capable of connecting with the scoping meeting on Jan. 24th.
Fallon Area Teff Operation Earns Prestigious Award
Congratulations to Desert Oasis Teff & Grain ”), a Nevada food and agriculture business, who were selected as a 2022 Good Food Award winner. The Good Food Awards are presented annually by the Good Food Foundation to highlight those that make quality food with social and environmental excellence in mind. 

“Being a life-long Nevada resident, this award is both humbling and validating,” said Desert Oasis Teff & Grain owner John Getto. “It validates farmers like myself trying new crops and using new farming practices to produce the best quality brown teff available. Teff is not known as a U.S. grown crop and this puts the U.S. and Nevada on the map as a top teff producer. I am beyond proud to be a 2022 Good Food Award winner.”

Desert Oasis Teff & Grain has been working with the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) to expand their business and economic impact. They were nominated for their innovative agricultural practices, dedication to a unique product and community engagement. 

“We are so proud to see Desert Oasis recognized with a Good Food Award,” said NDA Director Jennifer Ott. “The diversity of food and beverage products produced and manufactured in Nevada are being recognized among the top products in the nation, which continues to expand the economic impact and bring awareness to Nevada’s food, agriculture and beverage industries.”

The 2022 winners will be honored at the Good Food Awards Ceremony on Friday, March 4, 2022 in San Francisco, Calif. This year’s Good Food Award Winners hail from 39 states and Washington, D.C., and were chosen in a blind tasting from thousands of entries before passing a further sustainability and social responsibility vetting process. Nearly half of the winners are first-time awardees, and the majority are small companies, with more than 80 percent having an annual budget of $250,000. Previous Nevada recipients have included Hall’s Honey from Yerington and Magpie Coffee Roasters from Reno. 
Regulation Changes Considered On Beekeeping – Workshop Feb. 16
The Nevada Department of Agriculture is planning to hold a virtual workshop for proposed changes to beekeeper regulations on Wednesday, February 16, starting at 10 a.m..  While this is still a bit off, if you are interested in the topic, you might want to print out this agenda and pin it to your “Upcoming Things To Do” bulletin board.  The agenda also provides the link to use in order to get connected to the virtual workshop when you attend.

The regulation changes that are being proposed for Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 552 are spelled out here ”) and include requirements of identification that a beekeeper must provide with their hives.
Have a great weekend!