Canada on Hold With TPP; USDA Projects for Water Improvement

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week said Canada is holding up the Trans-Pacific Partnership text, delaying the release to the public. Politico reported that’s largely because of the Canadian election. Vilsack told the National Chicken Council that “we have a new government in Canada and that new government obviously has to get up to speed on what was negotiated by the previous government.” Friday, Legal officials from the 12 TPP countries wrapped up a two-week meeting in Tokyo where the text was being legally scrubbed and prepared for publication.

USDA announced loans and grants for 141 projects to build and improve water and wastewater infrastructure in rural communities across the nation. USDA is awarding $299 million for 88 projects in the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program and $15 million for 53 grants in the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant program. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the funding, saying many rural communities need to upgrade and repair their water and wastewater systems, but often lack the resources to do so.