fNEW WORLD SCREWWORM - UPDATING AS INFORMATION IS RELEASED

• NWS confirmed Detections HERE
• June 11, 2026: FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization for Generic Over-the-Counter Drug to Treat New World Screwworm in Dogs and Cats HERE
• June 10, 2026: USDA Continues to Lead Coordinated Response to New World Screwworm; New Case Confirmed in La Salle County, Texas HERE
• June 08, 2026: USDA Confirms First Case of New World Screwworm in a Dog in Lea County, New Mexico, Fourth Case in Texas HERE
• June 04, 2026: Stop NWS: Unified Government Response HERE

• June 04, 2026: New World Screwworm HERE

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Agriculture Needs to Be Heard: Support AFPI's Amicus Brief on the EPA Endangerment Finding

At AGPROfessionals, we find ourselves in the unique position of asking farmers and ranchers to support the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a lawsuit. The EPA, under the current administration, is defending its decision in court to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding. Removing the 2009 Endangerment Finding closed the door that had opened to governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) subjecting farmers and ranchers to egregious and politically motivated regulations and lawsuits.

The 2009 Endangerment Finding declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare. That determination became the legal basis for numerous federal regulations affecting transportation, agriculture, energy production, manufacturing, and other sectors of the economy.

The Endangerment Finding has been used to justify regulations that increased costs across the agricultural supply chain, including regulations affecting vehicles, power generation, and energy production. These policies have contributed to higher equipment costs, fuel prices, electricity rates, and fertilizer expenses that directly impact agricultural operations.

School’s Out, Farm Safety Is In

As summer arrives and more youth head into farm and ranch work, safety becomes a top priority. While many young people are familiar with livestock, machinery, and daily chores, increased responsibilities can also increase the risk of injury if proper training and supervision are not in place.

According to experts from the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety, tasks should be matched to a child’s age, experience, and physical ability. Farms present unique hazards, including large animals, equipment, heat stress, and chemical exposure, making it important for adults to provide guidance and ensure youth understand the risks before beginning a task.

The article emphasizes the importance of supervision and hands-on training. Whether it’s a child helping after school or a teenager working their first full season, farm operators should demonstrate tasks, provide oversight based on skill level, encourage questions, and ensure youth can safely complete a job before working independently. Taking these steps can help create a safer, more productive summer for young workers and the entire operation.

Colorado's recently enacted House Bill 26-1253 makes targeted changes to the state's municipal disconnection statutes. HB26-1253 is not a broad annexation reform measure. It does not rewrite Colorado's annexation laws, zoning authority, subdivision regulations, or development approval processes. Instead, the legislation modifies the statutory procedures that allow certain property owners to disconnect land from municipal boundaries under limited circumstances.

As Colorado continues to experience growth along the Front Range and in surrounding rural communities, local governments, urban renewal authorities, and special districts are increasingly focused on maintaining continuity of service areas, infrastructure investments, and long-range planning. HB26-1253 is consistent with these broader efforts.

What HB26-1253 Changes

HB26-1253 modifies Colorado's statutory disconnection process for qualifying lands located within municipal boundaries, including both cities and towns. In general terms, disconnection is the legal process that may allow a property owner to remove land from municipal boundaries under limited circumstances.

While HB26-1253 does not establish a statewide growth-management framework, its provisions may increase the importance of coordinated infrastructure and service planning at the local and regional levels

Introduction

Colorado continues to face the challenge of balancing increasing municipal water needs with the protection of agricultural communities. This article in the Colorado Sun about Colorado HB 1340 outlines how the bill will change how Colorado cities buy and dry farm water. It also outlines the reclamation and revegetation duties for water transfer entities.

Excerpts:

Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign the measure, House Bill 1340, after officials from his Department of Natural Resources testified in favor of the bill.

Southeastern Colorado advocates conceded some measures after the bill’s introduction.

• The original bill limited a water use transfer to 50% of the purchased water until 50% of the affected farmland had been successfully revegetated against erosion and deterioration. The bill as passed removes the hard percentage, and gives city water agencies more flexibility when they buy, such as posting a bond or negotiating conditions during local permit applications.
• The initial bill language had a hard requirement for a five-year water court oversight of revegetation after a rights transfer to guarantee reclamation. The bill as passed gives water courts the ability to create an oversight period, but only when there is “a substantial risk that reclamation could regress,” Goble said.
• The final bill gives assurances to Arkansas Valley communities by requiring any reclamation agreements with cities to be written into change-of-use decrees, after the details have been negotiated by an intergovernmental agreement in a permit.

Colorado Cottage Foods Act Explained: New Opportunities for Livestock Producers and Farm-to-Fork Businesses

The Colorado Cottage Foods Act has long served as a gateway for small-scale food entrepreneurs to enter the marketplace. Often referred to as the “Tamale Act,” under House Bill 26-1033, it is expanding greatly. The amendments have been approved, and the bill is waiting for a signature from the Colorado Governor. These changes represent a shift toward greater opportunity, flexibility, and revenue potential for agricultural producers, particularly those in livestock and direct-to-consumer markets.

House Bill 26-1033 was introduced with broad legislative backing. This bipartisan support reflects growing recognition of the importance of local food systems and small-scale agricultural entrepreneurship in Colorado. The House and Senate Sponsors are Gonzalez, Duran, Caldwell, Lindsay, Martinez, Mauro, Nguyen, Richardson, Ricks, Rutinel, Winter, and Sens. Rodriguez and Pelton.

This article breaks down the updated Colorado Cottage Foods Act, explains its application to agricultural operations, and highlights why it matters to producers seeking to expand farm-to-fork business models.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development today announced Rural Development programs will follow the historic reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act regulations effective immediately.

“NEPA implementation had become overly cumbersome and a painful barrier to getting things done for and with rural communities,” said USDA Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Todd Lindsey. “USDA’s Final Rule, championed by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, marks an important step forward in delivering our programs efficiently and with more accountability.”

The Final Rule, published April 3, 2026, removes various agency regulations, including Rural Development 7 CFR 1970. This Final Rule adopts the changes introduced in the Interim Final Rule published on July 3, 2025, which consolidated seven agency-specific NEPA regulations into a single, department wide framework. The changes ensure USDA’s NEPA implementation achieves its purpose, ensuring federal agencies consider environmental impacts while also executing flexibility for faster delivery of USDA Rural Development funding.

FAIR Labels Act of 2026: A Win for American Livestock Producers and Transparent Food Labeling

The Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation (FAIR) Labels Act of 2026 represents a significant and timely advancement for American agriculture, particularly for producers in the dairy, beef, pork, poultry, and broader livestock sectors. As alternative protein products, both plant-based and cell-cultivated, continue to enter the marketplace, this legislation establishes long-overdue clarity and fairness in labeling. The Act is a meaningful step toward protecting market integrity, consumer trust, and the value of real animal agriculture.

Ensures Consumers Can Make Informed Purchasing Decisions

At its core, the FAIR Labels Act ensures that consumers can make informed purchasing decisions by requiring accurate, transparent labeling of alternative protein products. Specifically, the legislation mandates that cell-cultivated products be clearly labeled as “cell-cultivated,” while plant-based products must be identified as “plant-based alternative protein.” Additionally, these products must include disclaimers stating they are not derived from naturally raised livestock. This straightforward requirement eliminates ambiguity at the meat case and reinforces a clear distinction between traditionally raised animal proteins and manufactured alternatives.