House Passes Graves Bill to Overturn WOTUS Rule

Washington, D.C.

- On March 9, H.J. Res. 27, a resolution to overturn the Biden Administration’s flawed, burdensome “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule, was approved by the House of Representatives by a vote of 227 to 198. The Biden rule would lead to sweeping changes to the federal government’s authority to regulate what is considered a navigable water, with enormous impacts on small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, home and infrastructure builders, local communities, water districts, and private property owners.

The resolution was introduced on February 2nd by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (MO-06) and Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer (R-NC), and was cosponsored by 170 Members of Congress. An identical resolution was introduced in the Senate by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (RWV) and was cosponsored by all 49 Senate Republicans. The resolution was approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on February 28th

“American families, farmers, small business- es, and entire communities are suffering under the economic crises caused by the disastrous Biden policies of the last two years. The last thing they need is this Administration’s inexplicable decision to move the country back toward the overreaching, costly, and burdensome regulations of the past, which is exactly what this WOTUS rule does,” said Graves.

“I now look forward to continuing to work with our leadership, our committee colleagues, Senator Capito, and all opponents of this unnecessary rule to ensure our legislation is sent to the President’s desk.”

“President Biden’s new WOTUS rule is a nuclear warhead aimed squarely at our farm families, small businesses, homebuilders, every property owner, and entire communities because of its overreaching definition,” said Rouzer. “Cloaked under the guise of clean water, all this rule does is expand the federal government’s control over states, localities, and private landowners, making it harder to farm, build, and generate economic prosperity. I encourage the Senate to pass this commonsense resolution to push back against onerous rules like this one.”

“Everything is a life lesson. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. They’re all part of the learning experience we call ‘life.’ Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go your way. If you don’t get a job that you wanted or a relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step toward it.”

-- Author Unknown

“If you want to change somebody, don’t preach to him. Set an example and shut up.”

-- Jack LaLanne

Lincoln Township of Putnam County, Missouri is accepting bids for the following: 1-1/2” road rock. Submitted bids will also need to include all fees for hauling. Winning bidder agrees to have rock applied to the roads by September 30, 2023. All bids will be opened on March 20th, 2023 at 6:10 p.m. Please mail bids to board member Rick Stottlemyre or Lisa Shahan marked 2023 ROCK BID. Bids may also be brought to the meeting the night of March 20th. Lincoln Township reserves the right to reject/refuse any and all bids.

Lois Cooke

they enjoyed spending time with their nieces and nephews and church family, and treated them as if they were their own.

her brothers, Albert Lee Hill, Hugh Edward Hill, Clifford Hill, Max Hill, George Raymond Hill; her brothers-inlaw, Frank Elliott and Richard Levardsen; her sisters-in-law, Colleen Hill and Lois Hill; and a nephew, Dwight Hill.

Lois is survived by a sister, Sarah Lou Lavardsen of Houston, Texas; a brother, Richard (Joyce) Hill of Unionville, Mis- souri; two sisters-in-law, Gertrude Hill of Grandview, Missouri, and Letha Hill of Ottumwa, Iowa, and several nieces and nephews. Lois’ family will hold a celebration of her life at a later date. Arrangements were made with Playle and Collins Family Funeral Home, call 660-947-2200 for additional information. poses a budget of about $1 billion for 10 years, $75 million of which is allocated for 2024.

Lois Cooke, 92, of Unionville, Missouri, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville, Missouri on Thursday, March 9, 2023, after a brief illness.

Lois Lucille (Hill) Cooke was born in rural Unionville, Missouri on July 21, 1930, to Floyd and Myrtle (Steele) Hill. Lois was raised in Unionville and later moved to Kansas City, Missouri. She worked at the Forum Cafeteria in Kansas City, Missouri, where she met George Cooke. Lois and George were married on June 18, 1966, and celebrated 43 years of marriage before his passing in May of 2010. Lois later worked for Hallmark and retired from there after 25 years. While Lois and George had no children of their own,

Lois and George attended the Baptist Ivanhoe Park Christian Church in Kansas City and later Cross Pointe Church and were very involved. They were even able to visit Jerusalem with their church family and friends. Lois was a prayer warrior who practiced her faith daily and tried to tell anyone she met about her loving Lord and Savior. She was always patient and kind to those around her as well as those she had never met. She strongly believed in missionary work and supported many different missionaries, families, and causes through prayer and sometimes financially throughout her life. After George’s passing as well as her sister, Marilyn’s, Lois returned to Unionville, Missouri, and attended Calvary Fellowship Church when she was able. Lois spent the last few years of her life as a resident of the Putnam County Care Center.

Lois was preceded in death by her husband George Cooke, her parents, one sister, Julia Marilyn Elliott;

Unionville Granite Works

Center Applauds President’s Proposed Outlook for Conservation, Small Business Programs

LYONS, NEBRASKA – The Center for Rural Affairs is encouraged to see the Biden administration’s support for agricultural producers and rural communities in its federal budget released Thursday. The proposed budget includes funding for a cover crop incentive program, as well as boosts in funding for programs supporting voluntary conservation and rural small businesses.

In 2021 and 2022, a $5 crop insurance premium discount was offered to producers who planted cover crops. The initiative, which was sustained by pandemic funds, resulted in discounts for 12 million and 10 million acres of cover crops, respectively. The president’s budget calls for legislative action to make the discount permanent as part of the new Cover Crop Incentive Program and pro-

“This is great news for producers who are already planting cover crops or interested in trying the practice for the first time,” said Kalee Olson, policy associate. “We’re glad to see President Biden take steps to reward these efforts through federal crop insurance.”

The administration also proposed an increase in discretionary funding for Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) to $904 million— an increase from about $800.9 million in 2023. Through CTA, Natural Resources Conservation Service field staff work one on one with farmers and ranchers to develop and implement personalized conservation plans aimed at building soil health, improving water quality, and increasing carbon sequestration through practices such as cover crops.

In addition to strong support for conservation, the proposed budget in- cludes $8.3 million for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP). The program supports rural small businesses through technical assistance and direct loans from intermediary organizations. This funding would provide a $2.3 million increase over 2023.

“RMAP continues to have a significant impact by supporting entrepreneurs who start businesses that keep rural main streets vibrant,” Olson said. “An increase in funding would allow more individuals access to assistance they are unable to find anywhere else.”

As part of the annual appropriations process, both the House and Senate will draft budgets to allocate funding to a range of federal programs, including CTA and RMAP, in the upcoming months.

“We hope Congress will follow the president’s lead and invest in these programs at similar funding levels,” Olson said.

Providing the Highest Quality and Craftsmanship that every Family Deserves

Open Monday through Thursday by Appointment, and Walk- ins on Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.

Call Mason at 660.947.2681 to schedule your appointment the long haul,” Vilsack said. “By expanding the production of domestic fertilizer supplies, we can grow independent local businesses, bring production and jobs to rural communities and support fair prices for our farmers.”

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Fertilizer Production Expansion Program is part of a government-wide effort to promote competition in agricultural markets. The program supports fertilizer production that is independent, made-in-America, innovative, sustainable and farmer-focused.

Strong Demand

Vilsack made the initial announcement to dedicate $250 million at the 2022 Commodity Classic, the same event where he is making the first awards a year later. From the start, it has been clear there is strong demand for the program and even before applications were being taken, President Biden directed USDA to increase the program to $500 million at a farm visit in Illinois in May 2022. This fall, demand for the program was immediately evident by the sheer number, range and diversity of applications. More than 350 applications came in from applicants of every size and business model, including cooperatives, Tribal communities, female-owned companies and public bodies. These applicants requested between $1 million and $100 million for projects across 47 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

In all, $3 billion in funding was requested for projects that could increase production immediately for Crop Years 2023 and 2024, as well as bolster long-term availability of U.S.-produced fertilizer. Projects were proposed for both fertilizers and nutrient alternatives, and represented different technologies, including composters, complex manufacturing, farm supply blenders and distributors.

In addition to increasing the supply of domestic fertilizer, the projects propose the creation or saving of hundreds of jobs, often in regions where they are most needed, including energy communities and those experiencing generational poverty. Additional details on the second round of applications will be released in the coming weeks as the reviews are completed.

First Award Offers

The first round of FPEP was focused on projects that could increase fertilizer capacity for the 2023 or the 2024 crop year, to prioritize projects with near-term impact. In January, a list of 21 potentially viable projects from the first round was released with a request for public comment. The $29 million announced by Secretary Vilsack will be offered to eight independent businesses in Alabama, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio and Washington. The grants will help businesses modernize equipment, advance climate-smart practices and build production plants, among other activities.

For example:

Miller Farm & Business

The tax deadline is fast approaching! Call or stop by today to get started on your individual, business or farm tax return,

1615 Union Street Unionville, Mo 63565 660-947-3463

In Sylacauga, Alabama, Pursell Agri-Tech LLC, a manufacturer of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF), is being offered $4.9 million to assist with working capital that will increase its inventory by 40,000 tons per year. Each ton of CRF effectively doubles the nutrient benefit of a ton of fertilizer, making this 40,000 ton increase of CRF equivalent to 80,000 tons of uncoated fertilizer per year. These funds could be put to use beginning in spring 2023 with farmers realizing the benefit of increased fertilizer availability almost immediately.

In Unionville, Missouri, Palindromes Inc. is being offered $4.9 million to expand the use of anaerobic digestion and renewable energy to produce, process and sell climate-smart fertilizer and associated products. The project will convert animal manure, meat processing, and food waste into dried organic fertilizers and soil amendments.

In Othello, Washington, Perfect Blend LLC is being offered $2.6 million to assist with expanding and increasing its ability to manufacture and process raw manure and fish waste into fertilizer by using its patented technology. This project will replace a stainless-steel dryer drum and construct a liquid fertilizer blending station and storage area on its facility.

A full list of offers announced on March 10 is available at www. rd.usda.gov/media/file/ download/usda-rd-nrfpep-chart03092023.pdf

Background

USDA began accepting applications for FPEP in September 2022. The Department initially announced plans to make $250 million in grants available but quickly doubled the available funding to $500 million to address rising costs and spur competition.

Fertilizer prices more than doubled between 2021 and 2022 due to many factors, including price hikes caused by the war in Ukraine, a limited supply of the relevant minerals, high energy costs, high global demand and agricultural commodity prices, reliance on imports, and a lack of competition in the fertilizer industry.

FPEP is part of a broader effort to help producers boost production and address global food insecurity. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/fpep or www.farmers.gov/ global-food-insecurity.

It is one of many ways the Biden-Harris Administration’s is promoting fair competition, innovation and resiliency across food and agriculture and combating the climate crisis by conserving and protecting our nation’s lands, biodiversity and natural resources, including our soil, air and water.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda. gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and fairer

Sprigg Cemetery Meeting

The annual meeting of the Sprigg Cemetery will be held April 1, 2023 at 9a.m. The meeting will be held at the home of Jolene Grindstaff located in Galt, MO Anyone with an interest in the Sprigg Cemetery is encouraged to attend.

markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in