OKAgPolicy Today is a morning email containing the day’s top agriculture and policy headlines. The inclusion of a particular story does not equal an endorsement. Subscribe to the email here.
TOP HEADLINES
Fallin gave southeast Oklahoma a seat on water board, but skips deadline to fill it:
Southeast Oklahoma has many of the state’s largest lakes and rivers and much of the state’s water, but no one from the area serves on the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the state’s water regulator [StateImpact Oklahoma].
Senate panel OKs EPA bill to block WOTUS rule, species listings:
The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a fiscal 2017 spending bill that would block the Obama administration’s “Waters of the United States” rule, curb work on greenhouse gas regulations and bar some endangered species protections [Agri-Pulse].
Senate lawmakers nearing deal on GMO labeling:
Senate lawmakers struggling to reach a deal on how to label food containing genetically modified ingredients said Thursday they are making progress, but acknowledged time is running out before Vermont’s first-in-the-nation labeling law takes effect next month [Des Moines Register].
Hawaii’s legal battles over GMOs could also affect the mainland:
A federal appeals court is weighing whether Hawaii counties have the right to regulate genetically modified crops and impose restrictions on how farmers apply pesticides [Honolulu Civil Beat].
Justice offical voices concern over mergers between major competitors:
A top Justice Department official on Thursday pledged continued vigilance against mergers in concentrated industries, a warning sign for health-insurance companies and others seeking approval of major deals in the last months of the Obama administration [Wall Street Journal].
Washington Week in Review: June 16, 2016: GMO labeling and appropriations (video):
After months of talks, Senate negotiators are still working to finalize an agreement on a GMO labeling proposal. Agri-Pulse’s Phil Brasher and Spencer Chase break down the delay and take a look at some important developments in the appropriations process [Agri-Pulse].
