November 18, 2025

EPA, Army Corps Unveil New Proposed WOTUS Rule Following Sackett Ruling

The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday released a new proposed definition of “waters of the United States,” marking the latest shift in federal water policy after the Supreme Court’s narrowing decision in Sackett v. EPA. The proposal would limit Clean Water Act jurisdiction to traditional navigable waters and wetlands that share a continuous surface connection with them. Tributaries would qualify only if they directly connect to those waters or flow through other jurisdictional features. The rule also maintains long-standing exclusions, including prior-converted cropland, waste treatment systems and a newly clarified exemption for groundwater. Federal officials said the updated definition aims to align the rule with the Supreme Court’s guidance while providing clarity to landowners. A 45-day public comment period will begin once the proposal is published in the Federal Register.

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FSA Reopens 2,100 Offices

In a move that sought to ease frustration among producers, the USDA reopened approximately 2,100 Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. Each reopened office is staffed with two employees, operating five days a week, to provide limited but essential services such as disaster aid, crop-insurance sign-up, farm loans and safety-net program assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized that reopening these offices is a critical step toward delivering on earlier commitments to farmers, including billions in disaster relief. The limited staffing underscores the tension between disrupted government operations and the urgent needs of rural America during a challenging harvest season. Farmers and ranchers have welcomed the reopening, but advocacy groups warn that the constrained capacity and lack of full funding could slow long-term recovery efforts. Still, for many producers, the resumption of in-person services offers much-needed hope and a path forward to access economic support during a deeply uncertain period.

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USDA Rolls Out $21 Billion in Disaster Relief Under Supplemental Disaster Relief Program

The USDA is launching a major disaster-relief effort under its Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP), deploying approximately $21 billion in aid to farmers affected by adverse weather events in 2023 and 2024. This funding addresses a variety of losses in multiple commodity sectors. Stage 1 of the program prioritizes producers with previously indemnified losses through crop insurance or NAP (Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance), streamlining their application process by pre-filling data where possible. A future Stage 2 rollout is expected to cover shallower or uninsured losses, broadening access to those who did not receive full compensation previously. USDA officials say the program is designed to minimize overlap with other disaster assistance payments and to deliver funds efficiently. Despite the massive size of the relief effort, farmers have voiced concerns about how quickly the money will reach their accounts, particularly given lingering operational disruptions from the shutdown. 

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PepsiCo Expands Global Regenerative Farming Efforts Toward 10 Million-Acre Goal

PepsiCo is ramping up its global push into regenerative agriculture, reaffirming its target to implement regenerative or restorative farming practices across 10 million acres by 2030. Company officials say the effort is central to PepsiCo’s Positive Agriculture strategy, which focuses on improving soil health, boosting biodiversity, reducing emissions and strengthening long-term food system resilience. The company is relying on regional partnerships to scale adoption. In Iowa, PepsiCo is working with Cargill and Practical Farmers of Iowa to expand cover cropping, reduced tillage and other regenerative practices across roughly 240,000 acres by 2030. In Canada, the company plans to nearly double its regenerative footprint, adding 240,000 acres in Saskatchewan and Manitoba and bringing its total regenerative acreage there to more than 500,000 by year’s end. PepsiCo says financial incentives, agronomic training and peer networks are helping farmers adopt practices that support productivity, profitability and climate goals through carbon sequestration and lower-input systems.

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Federal Agencies Weigh Updates to Hemp Regulations as Ban Looms

Federal regulators are poised to overhaul hemp rules with a sweeping ban on most hemp-derived THC products slated to take effect Nov. 12, 2026. The change comes after Congress approved a funding bill in November 2025 that redefines “hemp,” restricting allowable total THC per retail container to just 0.4 milligrams — a move that could render more than 95% of today’s edibles, vapes and other hemp-derived cannabinoid products federally illegal. Under the new rules, even naturally occurring cannabinoids like delta-8 and THCA may fall outside the legal hemp definition. The FDA has been tasked with issuing guidance by early 2026 to clarify which cannabinoids and product formats will be restricted. Industry leaders warn the ban could devastate a $28 billion hemp marketplace, put hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk, and force companies to reformulate or exit. 

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USDA Extends Livestock Relief Deadline 

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency has extended the sign-up deadline for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program to Nov. 21, 2025, after many ranchers were unable to apply during county office closures tied to the federal shutdown. The program provides payments to producers facing added feed costs or grazing losses from 2023–24 floods and wildfires. FSA Administrator Bill Beam said offices are now open five days a week under Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ directive to restore full access to core services. To simplify enrollment, FSA pre-qualified counties where disasters were already verified, allowing eligible producers to apply without submitting additional documentation. Covered livestock include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, llamas and other grazing animals. Payments are based on supplemental feed costs, offering up to 60% of one month’s feed cost for wildfire losses or three months for flood impacts. Annual payments are capped at $125,000, with limited exceptions up to $250,000.

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