WOTUS: EPA Publishes Rule Requesting Recommendations for WOTUS definition
On March 24, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army published in the Federal Register a proposed rule (90 FR 13428) announcing listening sessions and seeking stakeholder comment on “implementation of the definition of ‘waters of the…

This Week: Fri. Mar. 28, 2025, Understanding the Basics of the Clean Water Act & Ag: Impaired Waters & TMDL Process
National Agricultural Policy: USDA Announces $10 Billion for Direct ECAP Payments
On March 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced (PDF) that the agency “is issuing up to $10 billion…

Regulatory Policy: Ninth Circuit Upholds Preliminary Injunction Ordering Reinstatement of USDA, Federal Employees
On March 17, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an order denying an administrative stay and upholding the district court’s preliminary injunction, which ordered the reinstatement of probationary employees at several federal agencies, including the U.S.…

Water Quality: Supreme Court Holds ‘Generic Prohibitions’ Unauthorized by Clean Water Act 
On March 4, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion holding that the Clean Water Act (CWA) does not authorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to impose “generic prohibitions,” otherwise known as “end-result” provisions, in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination…

This Week—Wed. Mar. 5: Compliance with New Federal and State Business Entity Informational Filing Requirements
Agribusiness: FinCEN Announces Pause on BOI Enforcement, Upcoming Interim Rule
On February 27, 2025, the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced that the agency “will not issue any fines or penalties or take any other enforcement actions against any…

This Week—Fri. Feb. 28: Understanding the Basics of Pesticide Drift
Agribusiness: Federal Court Lifts Stay on BOI Reporting Requirements, FinCEN Publishes New Deadline
On February 17, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued an order lifting its previous stay of the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting…

NEW: Ag Law Issue Tracker—Trump Administration’s First 100 Days on Agricultural and Food Policy
Avian Influenza: Pennsylvania Passes Bill Amending Poultry Technician Licensure Law
On February 6, 2025, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law H.B. 324 (2025 Act 1) amending the Poultry Technician Licensure Law (1955 Act 466). Also announced by the…