WORC's Gilles Stockton welcomes decision to drop the "intrusive, expensive, and un-workable" program to identify and track livestock. Read Billings Gazette article.
WORC members and allies are reaching out to Senators to fix the Federal Food Safety Bill by removing small, local food direct market facilities and farms from the reach of FDA regulations. To read about S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, click here.
In its draft Environmental Impact Statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture claims there is no evidence that consumers care about genetically modified alfalfa. Furthermore, USDA has completely dismissed the fact that GM contamination will threaten farmers' domestic and export markets and organic dairy and meat products. It is time to tell USDA that it is wrong.
Introduction of genetically modified (GM) wheat would drastically drop the price of wheat for farmers in the United States, according to a report released by WORC. A Review of the Potential Market Impacts of Commercializing GM Wheat in the U.S. concludes the price of U.S. hard red spring wheat would fall 40%, and the price of durum wheat would drop 57%. Read news release.
Modified wheat concerns group, Billings Gazette
See Billings Gazette article on alfalfa court case
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a proposed to classify coal ash as “hazardous” and set federal standards for the first time. But the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has delayed release of EPA’s proposed rules that would protect human health and water resources. Contact OMB today.
WORC finds proposed rules on state meat inspection programs are “too narrow and inflexible.”
WORC submitted comments for two federal agencies to consider in workshops on competition issues affecting livestock markets and the seed industry and genetically modified crops.
Read Antitrust ag concerns get noticed, Billings Gazette
Just hours after it was introduced, WORC threw its support behind new bi-partisan climate legislation by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). Read news release.
On September 30, Senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer introduced a bill dealing with global climate change, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. Although the bill makes a number of key improvements when compared to the bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives,WORC believes it does not do enough to transition to a clean and renewable energy economy, and would lock in use of coal and other dirty fossil fuels. Read WORC's statement.
Voters in Montana and Colorado 3rd Congressional District strongly support protecting water from pollution, according to a survey conducted for WORC. Read more.
Within the more than 1,200 pages of the climate bill, investments in energy efficiency measures and the cap on carbon dioxide stand out as highlights. The legislation, however, does not address the negative impacts of energy development in this country and relies too heavily on coal and nuclear energy, and untested carbon sequestration technology. Read more about the bill and see WORC's fact sheet.
Today, a coalition of groups sent letters to the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration urging that the agency not approve the pipelines as proposed. Read news release.
Based on a newly updated report, residents in existing and potential oil and gas drilling areas in the West are urging the federal government to adequately fund and carry out inspection and enforcement programs.
Released by the Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC), the report found some improvement in the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) oil and gas inspection and enforcement programs, but the time and money invested in inspections and the number of inspections conducted were too low in 1999 and have barely kept up with oil and gas permitting and drilling.
Western ranchers welcomed introduction of a bill to stop unfair and manipulative practices by meatpackers that harm independent livestock producers.
WORC, Dakota Resource Council, and Dakota Rural Action submitted joint comments on the scope of the Keystone XL pipeline Environmental Impact Statement. The Northern Plains Resource Council filed comments separately.
Governors of Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska asked to oppose special permit.
Letter to Governor Rounds (South Dakota) - Dakota Rural Action
Letter to Governor Schweitzer (Montana) - Northern Plains Resource Council
Letter to Governor Heinemann (Nebraska) - Landowners for Fairness
WORC Comments on special permit
drilling and hydraulic fracturing daily.
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