Ag News: Vilsack Applauds ASF Efforts / AFBF on Reconciliation Myth

**University of California Riverside researchers are working to minimize effects of a plant hormone that reacts to drought stress.

As plants perceive hot, dry conditions, they emit abscisic acid, a hormone that helps them retain water, that can stop plants from germinating, leading to lower yields.

But, UC researchers say a new chemical modulator can disrupt that process so plants can sprout seeds, even in drought.

**Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is applauding research and protection efforts underway at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever.

Vilsack says APHIS has done tremendous work to establish protection zones to safeguard the entire U.S. swine industry. He says scientific research, discovery, surveillance and detection are critical to solving challenges American producers face.

**The American Farm Bureau Federation, addressing a social media myth, says “the current language of the reconciliation bill does not impose a methane tax on agriculture.”

Those words from AFBF’s Sam Kieffer, who says Farm Bureau economists conducted an analysis to determine the potential impact IF agriculture were to be included in legislation imposing such a tax.

Kieffer says Farm Bureau opposes ANY tax on methane, but “is grateful lawmakers recognized the thin ag margins and that such a tax would undoubtedly put family farms out of business.”