A comprehensive summary of today’s judicial, legislative, and regulatory developments in agriculture and food. Email important additions HERE.

REGULATORY: APHIS, EPA, NRCS

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

Notice announcing that there will be a meeting of the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and the NPIP’s 45th Biennial Conference. Info here.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Proposed rule to exempt residues of the antimicrobial pesticide ingredient hypochlorous acid from the requirement of a tolerance when used on or applied to food-contact surfaces in public eating places. Info here.

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

Notice announcing that NRCS intends to issue a series of revised conservation practice standards in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices. NRCS is also giving the public an opportunity to provide comments on specified conservation practice standards. Info here.

LEGISLATIVE: Includes Georgia, Maryland, Oklahoma

GEORGIA

HB 1175 provides for the standards, labeling, and adulteration of food, so as to authorize and regulate the production, handling, transporting, and sale of raw milk and raw milk products for human consumption; to provide standards for safety, cleanliness, and health for such products and animals producing them. Info here.

MARYLAND

HB 558 modifies the definition of “agritourism” to include camping and incidental stays for purpose of a certain provision of law authorizing a local jurisdiction to adopt the definition of “agritourism”. Info here.

HB 75 increases the number of members on the Maryland Agricultural Commission from 29 to 30, requiring the Governor to appoint one member representing the hemp industry. Info here.

HB 178 alters the definition of “cottage food business” for the purpose of increasing from $25,000 to $50,000 the cap on the annual revenue from the sale of cottage food products that a cottage food business may earn. Info here.

HB 121 modifies the purpose and use of the Maryland Farms and Families Fund, establishes the Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism Grant Program and Fund to provide grants to food banks and charitable emergency food providers to alleviate food insecurity, and establishes the Maryland Farm-to-School Meal Grant Pilot Program and Fund to award grants to eligible school districts that include a local food component in school meals and to incentivize the production, procurement, and provision of local foods in school meals. Info here.

OKLAHOMA

HB 3439 modifies definitions relating to industrial hemp, allows for licensee to remediate noncompliant industrial hemp, and provides that licensee may sell industrial hemp grain and other industrial hemp derivatives. Info here.