This month:

National Agricultural Policy: Natural Resources Conservation Service Announces ‘Office of the Assistant Chiefs’ to Replace ‘Office of Regional Conservationists’ 🌾
On November 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced its creation of the Office of the Assistant Chiefs (OAC), which will replace the Office of the Regional Conservationists (ORC). NRCS states that “each Assistant Chief will oversee regional operations and work directly with State Conservationists” to execute NRCS programs and that the new structure is intended to locate “decision-making closer to the producers and partners NRCS serves.” According to the announcement, NRCS has established four OAC regions and their respective headquarters: Western—Fort Collins, Colorado; Central—Lincoln, Nebraska; Northern—Indianapolis, Indiana; and Southern—Raleigh, North Carolina. Pennsylvania is located in the Northern region.

Avian Influenza: Pennsylvania Retracts Live Bird Marketing System Biosecurity Assurance Program
On November 29, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin a notice (55 Pa.B. 8088) repealing and rescinding the agency’s September 27, 2025, general quarantine order (55 Pa.B. 6869), which established the Pennsylvania Live Bird Marketing System Biosecurity Assurance Program (LBMS BAP). The LBMS BAP would have required heighted avian influenza testing and monitoring procedures for poultry raised in or shipped into Pennsylvania.

Food Safety: Nevada Becomes 30th State to Join State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program
On November 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Nevada has achieved USDA’s “at least equal to” food safety standard under the Federal Meat and Poultry Products Inspection Acts and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act of 1978, and as such, Nevada will join the State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPI), allowing the state to operate its own meat inspection program. Under the MPI programs, “state-inspected meat and poultry products are limited to intrastate commerce only” and may not be shipped out of state. According to USDA MPI state information (PDF), Nevada had relinquished its meat and poultry inspection to USDA in July 1973 but now will become the 30th state to operate its own program. Pennsylvania gave up its poultry inspection and meat inspection programs in October 1971 and July 1972, respectively.

Agricultural Labor: United Farm Workers File Complaint Against H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate Calculation Interim Final Rule
On November 21, 2025, farmworker labor union United Farm Workers of America (UFW) filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California a complaint challenging the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) October 2025 interim final rule, which amended the H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) calculation methodology. United Farm Workers v. U.S. Dep’t Labor, No. 1:25-cv-01614. UFW claims that the interim final rule (IFR) “deliberately lowers AEWRs (and thus many farmworker wages),” which “creates an adverse effect on those wages” and thus “contravenes DOL’s statutory mandate to ensure that the employment of H-2A workers will not adversely affect the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers” (emphasis in original). Additionally, UFW claims that the IFR is arbitrary and capricious because, among several actions, its two-tiered skill classification will render most H-2A positions as Skill Level I, which UFW claims will result an AEWR “equal to only the 17th wage percentile for the relevant farming sectors” instead of the previously-used “average wage in a given sector.” See also ALWR—Oct. 14, 2025, “Department of Labor Publishes New Adverse Effect Wage Rate Calculations.”  

Invasive Species: USDA Announces Screwworm.gov Website
On November 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the establishment of Screwworm.gov, the agency’s new website to house resources and information on the New World screwworm (NWS) parasite. The new website contains several sections, including NWS current status updates, resources for reporting a suspected case of NWS, and information for various stakeholders. According to screwworm.gov, “the current risk to livestock, other animals, and people in the United States remains very low” and “ongoing surveillance in animals shows no evidence of NWS in the United States.”

 

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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:

Dec. 12, 2025, Understanding the Clean Water Act & Ag: Biosolids & Food Processing Waste Land Application

Jan. 23, 2026, Understanding the Basics of Pennsylvania’s Seasonal Farm Labor Law

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:

Jan. 20, 2026, 4th Quarter 2025 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 present 20+ employment law programs.

Upcoming AgWorks webinars and workshops:

Dec. 16, 2025, AgWorks: Staying Compliant with Anti-Discrimination Laws

Jan. 21, 2026, AgWorks: Wage and Hour Laws—Requirements and Exemptions

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:

Univ. of Ill. Farm Policy News, Farmer Aid Expected Within Weeks, Ag Secretary Says, Ryan Hanrahan (November 28, 2025)

Ohio St. Univ. Ext. Farm Off. Blog, 2024 ARC-CO Corn & Soybean Payment Estimates, Ohio Counties, November 2025, Carl Zulauf, Seungki Lee, and David Marrison (November 21, 2025)

STATE ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRESS RELEASES

Shapiro Administration Visits Gettysburg MilitaryShare Distribution Site, Highlights Increased Food Assistance Ahead of Thanksgiving (November 25, 2025)

PENNSYLVANIA EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Pa. Bulletin Vol. 55, No. 48—November 29, 2025):         

Department of Agriculture

55 Pa.B. 8088 Notice: “International, Interstate and General Quarantine Order; Avian Influenza; Pennsylvania Live Bird Marketing System Biosecurity Assurance Program; Repeal and Rescind Order”

Department of Environmental Protection

55 Pa.B. 8172 Notice: “Aggregate Advisory Board; Regulation, Legislation and Technical Committee Meeting”

55 Pa.B. 8172 Notice: “Availability of Technical Guidance”

55 Pa.B. 8172 Notice: ” Draft 2026 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report; Availability for Public Comment”

55 Pa.B. 8173 Notice: “Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board; Meeting Cancellation”

PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE

None.

FEDERAL ACTIONS—EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY PRESS RELEASES

FACT CHECK: EPA Debunks False Claims that Agency Recently Approved “Forever Chemical” Pesticides (November 26, 2025)

Lowe’s Home Centers to Pay $12.5M Penalty for Lead Paint Violations During Home Renovations (November 25, 2025)

EPA Announces $3 Billion in New Funding for States to Reduce Lead in Drinking Water (November 25, 2025)

EPA Proposes to Extend the Compliance Deadline for Certain Coal-Fired Facilities (November 25, 2025)

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

USDA Welcomes Nevada into State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (November 25, 2025)

Secretary Rollins Announces $30 Million Food Purchase to Back U.S. Producers and Strengthen America’s Food Supply (November 24, 2025)

USDA Launches Screwworm.gov, Centralizing New World Screwworm Information Across the Federal Government (November 21, 2025)

USDA AGENCY PRESS RELEASES

Agricultural Marketing Service

Pre-Solicitation for Section 32 Purchase of Citrus Products (November 24, 2025)

Farm Service Agency

Trump Administration Appoints Zach Riley to Serve as State Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in New Mexico (November 25, 2025)

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Constituent Update (November 26, 2025)

Foreign Agricultural Service

Export Sales to China and Unknown Destinations (November 28, 2025)

USDA Reschedules FAS Reports Affected by Lapse in Federal Funding (November 24, 2025)

Export Sales to China (November 24, 2025)

Natural Resources Conservation Service

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Announces New Office in Lincoln (November 25, 2025)

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Launches Office of the Assistant Chiefs to Strengthen Field Leadership and Accountability (November 24, 2025)

FEDERAL EXECUTIVE AGENCIES (Federal Register: November 24–28, 2025):

Agriculture Department

90 FR 54283 Notice of public, hybrid meeting: “Tribal Advisory Committee” (November 26, 2025)

90 FR 54284 Notice: “Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request [Food and Nutrition Service: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance for Victims of Disasters]” (November 26, 2025)

Environmental Protection Agency

90 FR 54675 Notice of funding availability: “Notice of Funding Availability for Credit Assistance Under the State Infrastructure Financing Authority Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (SWIFIA) Program” (November 28, 2025)

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation

90 FR 54523 Final rule with request for comments: “Expanding Access to Risk Protection (EARP)” (November 28, 2025)

Food and Drug Administration

90 FR 54603 Proposed rule; withdrawal: “Testing Methods for Detecting and Identifying Asbestos in Talc-Containing Cosmetic Products; Withdrawal” (November 28, 2025)

90 FR 54245 Notification of petition: “Green Innovation GmbH; Filing of Food Additive Petition (Animal Use)” (November 26, 2025)

90 FR 52969 Notice; establishment of a public docket; request for comments: “Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee; Notice of Meeting; Establishment of a Public Docket; Request for Comments” (November 24, 2025)

U.S. HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

H.R.6300 “To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to ensure that ranchers who have grazing agreements on national grasslands are treated the same as permittees on other Federal land.” Referred to the Committees on Natural Resources and Agriculture (November 25, 2025)

H.R.556 “Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act” Placed on the Union Calendar (November 25, 2025)

H.R.302 “Water Rights Protection Act” Placed on the Union Calendar (November 25, 2025)

H.R.6287 “To amend the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to improve the Rural Energy for America Program, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture (November 21, 2025)

H.R.6277 “To establish requirements under which the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior shall carry out the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program.” Referred to the Committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources (November 21, 2025)

H.R.6271 “To provide supplemental appropriations to carry out the emergency food assistance program under the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 in the event of a lapse in funding for the supplemental nutrition assistance program under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.” Referred to the Committees on Appropriations and Agriculture (November 21, 2025)

H.R.6252 “To require the Secretary of Agriculture, in coordination with the Director of the Census Bureau, to maintain an interagency food security measurement program to coordinate the annual collection, analysis, and reporting of data on food insecurity and hunger.” Referred to the Committees on Agriculture and Oversight and Government Reform (November 21, 2025)

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

None.

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