NEW Publications from the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law:

Local Agricultural Policy: Pennsylvania Agriculture Veteran Grant Program Applications Available
On January 31, 2026, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin a notice (56 Pa.B. 606) outlining the program and application requirements for the Pennsylvania Agriculture Veteran Grant Program, established under the Agricultural Business Development Center Act. According to the notice, PDA may award up to $200,000 each to eligible veteran organizations, which may use the funds to award “mini-grants” up to $15,000 to individual veteran farmers for one or more of several purposes:

  • “Business planning to enhance the long-term economic viability of a farm.”
  • “Feasibility studies.”
  • “Food safety, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plans.”
  • “Biosecurity planning.”
  • “Cost-sharing implementation of natural resource conservation planning.”
  • “Cost-sharing permitting fees.”
  • “Marketing and promotion of agricultural commodities and value-added products.”

Interested applicants may apply at grants.pa.gov/Login.aspx by Friday, March 13, 2026. Questions regarding the online application process may be directed to Stephanie Shirk, (717) 307-3262, [email protected].

Food Policy: FDA Publishes Human Foods Program 2026 Priority Deliverables
On January 23, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published its Human Foods Program 2026 Priority Deliverables (PDF), which the agency has grouped into three focus areas: 1) “Food chemical safety,” 2) “Reducing chronic disease through better nutrition,” and 3) “Microbiological food safety.” Specific deliverables include proposing regulations requiring FDA submission of all notices for new substances claiming to be “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS); research to “detect, quantify, and characterize microplastics” in food; and developing a federal definition for “ultra-processed foods” (UPF). Additionally, FDA plans to prepare options regarding the Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling rule proposed last year, and develop programs, trainings, and initiatives to improve the safety of imported seafood, fresh and processed produce, and dairy and egg products. See also ALWR—July 22, 2025, “FDA Updates Foods Program Guidance Under Development” and ALWR—Jan. 21, 2025, “FDA Proposes New Rule to Require Front-of-Package Nutrition Labels.” 

Nutrition Programs: Colorado Challenges USDA SNAP Recertification ‘Pilot Project’
On January 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed a response to the State of Colorado’s January 12 motion for preliminary injunction, which argued that the thirty-day timeline for complying with USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Act Program (SNAP) “pilot project” is “impossible.” State of Colorado, The v. Trump et al, Docket No. 1:25-cv-03428 (D. Colo. Oct 29, 2025). According to the state’s amended complaint, “on December 18, USDA . . . ordered Colorado to comply with [its] . . . SNAP ‘pilot project’” which “require[d] Colorado and five Colorado counties to recertify eligibility for all SNAP households, without exception, within 30 days over the winter holidays, including conducting in-person interviews with more than 100,000 households . . . [with] no advance warning or time to prepare.” In response, USDA argues that Colorado is not entitled to preliminary injunctive relief because it failed to act, stating, “The State did not contact USDA when it received the letter. Instead, it waited 27 days and then filed a motion for preliminary injunction—seeking immediate relief because the 30-day period was ‘impossible’ to comply with and because any sanctions for noncompliance would pose ‘existential’ harm. Colorado’s compliance deadline has now passed.”

 

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Understanding Agricultural Law Series. A free monthly webinar series for agricultural and rural business advisors. One hour of substantive CLE credit available for Pennsylvania-licensed attorneys at no charge. All events on Fridays, noon–1 pm (ET). Upcoming:

Feb. 27, 2026, Understanding the Basics of the USDA National Appeals Division

Mar. 27, 2026, Understanding the Basics of Right to Farm Laws

Apr. 24, 2026, Understanding the Basics of the Renewable Fuel Standard

May 22, 2026, Understanding the Basics of the PA Preferred Program

Jun 26, 2026, Understanding the Basics of Agricultural Vehicle Regulation

July 24, 2026, Understanding the Basics of International Agricultural Trade & Tariffs

Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar Series. A free quarterly webinar series covering dairy industry legal and regulatory developments with an in-depth focus topic. One hour of substantive CLE credit available for Pennsylvania-licensed attorneys at no charge. All events on Tuesdays, noon–1 pm (ET). Upcoming:

Apr. 14, 2026, 1st Quarter 2026 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar

Jul 14, 2026, 2nd Quarter 2026 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar

Oct. 13, 2026, 3rd Quarter 2026 Quarterly Dairy Legal Webinar

AgWorks: Connecting Agricultural Businesses to Workforce Services and Training. From 2025 to 2027, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law and Penn State Extension will collaborate with farms and agriculture-related businesses to strengthen the workforce system. AgWorks will provide 100 registered small- to medium-sized Pennsylvania farms and agribusinesses with no-cost training and consultation to ensure business sustainability. As part of the AgWorks program, the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law will provide legal consulting and present 20+ employment law programs. Upcoming AgWorks webinars and workshops:

Feb. 24, 2026, AgWorks: Wage and Hour Laws—Calculation and Enforcement

Subscribe to the Pennsylvania Farm Employers’ Listserv (PFEL): an email networking and resource-sharing group exclusively about human resources information for agricultural operations.

Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Legal Services Plan: “A new member-benefit program involving law firms that specialize in legal areas commonly utilized by farmers.”

Resources of Interest:

Southern Ag Today, The European Deforestation Regulation and the Impact on Southern Agriculture, Rusty Rumley (Nat’l Agric. Law Ctr.) (Jan. 30, 2026)

Nat’l Agric. Law Ctr., Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Pesticide Preemption Lawsuit, Brigit Rollins (Jan. 27, 2026)

Univ. of Ill. Farm Policy News, House Ag Chair Aiming for Late February Farm Bill 2.0, Ryan Hanrahan (Jan. 30, 2026)

Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. Agric. Law & Tax’n, IRS Provides More Overtime Deduction Guidance, Kristine A. Tidgren (Jan. 29, 2026)

Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. Agric. Law & Tax’n, IRS Provides More Information on Electronic Payment Requirements, Kristine A. Tidgren (Jan. 29, 2026)

Iowa St. Univ. Ctr. Agric. Law & Tax’n, Understanding Trump Accounts, Kristine A. Tidgren (Jan. 25, 2026)

Ohio St. Univ. Ext. Farm Off. Blog, FinCEN’s New Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule: What Farmers Should (and Probably Do Not) Need to Worry About, Jeffrey K. Lewis (Jan. 29, 2026)

STATE ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRESS RELEASES

Shapiro Administration Invests $2.2 Million in Research to Keep Pennsylvania Agriculture Growing and Leading the Nation (Jan. 30, 2026)

PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Pa. Bulletin Vol. 56, No. 5—Jan. 31, 2026):                      

Department of Agriculture

Department of Environmental Protection

56 Pa.B. 680 Notice: “Food Recovery Infrastructure Grant Awards under the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act of 1988, Act 101”

56 Pa.B. 683 Notice: “Household Hazardous Waste Education Grant Awards under Section 901 of the Municipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act, Act 101 of 1988”

56 Pa.B. 683 Notice: “Radiation Protection Advisory Committee Meeting Date Rescheduled”

PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE

HB 1923 “An Act providing for regulation of the meat packing and food processing industry by creating facility health and safety committees in the workplace; establishing the industry workers’ rights coordinator within the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.” Laid on the table [House] (Jan. 28, 2026)

HB 2161 “An Act amending Title 66 (Public Utilities) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in service and facilities, providing for tree removal agreements.” Referred to Environmental & Natural Resource Protection [House] (Jan. 28, 2026)

HB 586 “An Act amending . . . the Solid Waste Management Act, in general provisions, further providing for definitions and for powers and duties of the department; in applications and permits, further providing for permits and licenses required, transition scheme and reporting requirements and providing for food processing residuals; and imposing penalties.” Laid on the table [House] (Jan. 28, 2026)

FEDERAL ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESS RELEASES

EPA Advances Cooperative Federalism to Improve Air Quality by Taking an Important Step to Reconsider Biden-era “Good Neighbor Plan” (Jan. 28, 2026)

EPA and West Virginia Renew Commitment to Support Farmers and Clean Water (Jan. 27, 2026)

EPA Seeks Applicants for Environmental Education Grants (Jan. 26, 2026)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) PRESS RELEASES

USDA Encourages Ag Producers, Residents to Prepare for Weekend Bomb Cyclone Winter Storm (Jan. 30, 2026)

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins Statement on President Donald J. Trump’s Support for the Nationwide Year-Round Sale of E-15 (Jan. 27, 2026)

USDA Forest Service issues revised oil and gas leasing rule (Jan. 27, 2026)

USDA AGENCY PRESS RELEASES

Agricultural Marketing Service

USDA Seeks Nominees for National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board (Jan. 28, 2026)

USDA Announces Enhancement of Commodity Acceptance Procedures (Jan. 26, 2026)

Agricultural Research Service

ARS Scientists Develop Innovative Pipeline to Analyze Plant Pathogens (Jan. 26, 2026)

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

USDA Shifts Sterile Fly Dispersal Efforts to Defend U.S. Border (Jan. 30, 2026)

Farm Service Agency

Trump Administration Appoints Robert Sullivan to Serve as State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Connecticut (Jan. 27, 2026)

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Constituent Update (Jan. 30, 2026)

Residue Repeat Violators List (Jan. 29, 2026)

Foreign Agricultural Service

USDA Trade Mission Expands Opportunities for U.S. Agricultural Exports to Indonesia (Jan. 28, 2026)

MEDIA ADVISORY: January 27 Media Availability with Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg (Jan. 27, 2026)

Export Sales to Unknown Destinations (Jan. 27, 2026)

National Agricultural Statistics Service

United States cattle inventory down slightly (Jan. 30, 2026)

January Cattle and Sheep and Goats (Jan. 30, 2026)

National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NIFA Invests $2.4 Million in Next Generation of Food and Agriculture Professionals (Jan. 28, 2026)

Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA-NRCS Announces Financial Assistance Available under the Groundwater Recharge and Sustainability Project (Jan. 30, 2026)

Leaving a Legacy of Stewardship Through Forest Management and Wildlife Conservation (Jan. 28, 2026)

Finding Flexibility in Farm Bill Programs (Jan. 23, 2026)

FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Federal Register: Jan. 26, 2026—Jan. 30, 2026):

Agriculture Department

91 FR 3410 Notice and request for comments: “Notice of Information Collection, Request for Comment [Collection of Generic Clearance for Improving Customer Experience]” (Jan. 27, 2026)

Agricultural Marketing Service

91 FR 3863 Notice and request for comments: “Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection for the Export Inspection and Weighing Waiver for High Quality Specialty Grain Transported in Containers” (Jan. 29, 2026)

91 FR 3704 Notice and request for comments: “Domestic Hemp Production Program; Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection” (Jan. 28, 2026)

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

91 FR 3864 Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request: “Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information Collection; Export Certification: Accreditation of Nongovernment Facilities” (Jan. 29, 2026)

91 FR 3705 Notice of availability: “Notice of Proposed Revision to Requirements for the Movement of Fresh Persian Lime Fruit for Consumption from Hawaii into the Continental United States” (Jan. 28, 2026)

91 FR 3633 Final rule; further delay of effective date: “Horse Protection Amendments; Further Postponement of Regulations” (Jan. 28, 2026)

91 FR 3412 Notice and request for comments: “International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting Activities” (Jan. 27, 2026)

Environmental Protection Agency

91 FR 4009 Final rule: “Chlorate; Exemption from the Requirement of a Pesticide Tolerance” (Jan. 30, 2026)

91 FR 4013 Final rule: “PDHP 68949; Exemption from the Requirement of a Tolerance” (Jan. 30, 2026)

91 FR 3701 Notice of filing of petitions and request for comment: “Receipt of Pesticide Petitions Filed for Residues of Pesticide Chemicals in or on Various Commodities-November 2025” (Jan. 28, 2026)

91 FR 3724 Notice of receipt and request for comment: “Pesticide Product Registration; Receipt of Applications for New Uses November 2025” (Jan. 28, 2026)

91 FR 3721 Notice of receipt and request for comment: “Pesticide Product Registration; Receipt of Applications for New Active Ingredients November 2025” (Jan. 28, 2026)

91 FR 3407 Proposed rule: “Freedom of Information Act Regulations Update” (Jan. 27, 2026)

Farm Credit Administration

91 FR 3027 Final rule; Technical Amendments: “Organization, Loan Policies and Operations, Disclosure to Shareholders, Nondiscrimination in Lending, Capital Adequacy of System Institutions, Disclosure to Investors” (Jan. 26, 2026)

Forest Service

91 FR 3643 Final rule: “Oil and Gas Resources” (Jan. 28, 2026)

Natural Resources Conservation Service

91 FR 3706 Notice of availability, request for comments: “Proposed Revisions to Section 1 of the Field Office Technical Guide for Kansas, Nebraska, and New Jersey” (Jan. 28, 2026)

Rural Housing Service

91 FR 3865 Notice; request for comments: “60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Form RD 410-8 “Applicant Reference Letter” (A Request for Credit References); OMB Control No.: 0575-0091” (Jan. 29, 2026)

U.S. HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

H.Res.1028 “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States must act urgently to end the political and economic dominance of billionaire oligarchs, halt the corporate subsidies and tax advantages that fortify their power, and reinvest in the needs of the American people to defend democracy from authoritarianism.” Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, Ways and Means, Education and Workforce, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned (Jan. 30, 2026)

H.Res.1027 “Supporting the designation of the “International Year of the Woman Farmer” to recognize and honor the critical role of women in agriculture.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (Jan. 30, 2026)

H.R.7264 “To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide for floodplain easement restoration and management, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (Jan. 27, 2026)

H.R.7251 “To amend the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to prohibit the use of the image of living political figures on the America the Beautiful-the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.” Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned (Jan. 27, 2026)

H.R.1834 “Breaking the Gridlock Act” Received in the Senate (Jan. 26, 2026)

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY 

S.3718 “A bill to amend the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 to establish a pilot program to award grants to facilitate home delivery of commodities under the commodity supplemental food program, and for other purposes.” Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Jan. 28, 2026)

S.3717 “A bill to amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to expand the national organic certification cost-share program into a comprehensive organic program, and for other purposes.” Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (Jan. 28, 2026)

U.S. HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE—UPCOMING HEARINGS

None.

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY—UPCOMING HEARINGS  

None.

 

Contributors:
Audry Thompson—Staff Attorney
Christina Fraser—Research Assistant
Riley Amdor—Research Assistant
Samuel Sweeten—Research Assistant