**The current Farm Bill expires in two months, but can a new Farm Bill will be completed before then?

Both the House and Senate have passed their own versions that are now in committee for further dissection. During a recent Pacific Northwest visit, Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said he’s hopeful something will get done but admits there’s a long way to go.

Perdue says with so much turmoil around tariffs and trade, farmers NEED a new Farm Bill.

**It’s been more than a week since EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned amid ethical allegations and ethanol and corn industry leaders are reacting.

American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings is hoping to work with Pruitt’s replacement and seeing that whoever’s in charge at the EPA follows the President’s policy on backing the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Renewable Fuels Association Vice Presiedent, Geoff Cooper isn’t surprised Pruitt stepped down, and says he’s looking forward to working with interim EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

**Speaking of Wheeler, the newly appointed acting administrator says when President Trump asked him to take over, he told Wheeler to do three things: “Clean the air, clean the water, and provide regulatory relief.”

As reported in Agri-Pulse, Wheeler told EPA employees Wednesday that he thinks we can do all of these things at the same time.

Wheeler told them he values their contributions and wants their input, something they say they didn't hear much from Pruitt.

He says providing regulatory certainty for states and businesses seeking permits and certainty on risk communication "will improve environmental protection.”

 

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