Signal to Noise: The Return of COOL and WOTUS

Country of Origin Labeling and the Waters of the U.S. Rule came back to the forefront in confirmation hearings this week for USDA Secretary nominee Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator nominee Michael Regan.

DC-Signal-to-Noise-MONITOR.png
DC-Signal-to-Noise-MONITOR.png

Tom Vilsick fittingly sought a return to the helm of USDA appearing at a confirmation hearing on Groundhog Day. The hearings for Vilsack and nominee Michael Regan for EPA also saw the return of some terms familiar to agriculture, including Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) and Waters of the U.S.(WOTUS).

In this week’s DC Signal to Noise Podcast, Pro Farmer’s Jim Wiesemeyer and Farm Journal’s John Herath look at why both issues are returning to the forefront and how both might impact agriculture.

Other issues covered include:

  • FAO changes its estimate of Chinese corn stocks
  • USDA drops its estimate of farm income
  • Will the impeachment trial of Donald Trump back up legislation of interest to agriculture?

AgWeb-Logo crop
Related Stories
USDA’s Great American Cotton Plan aims to boost demand for U.S. cotton through domestic manufacturing incentives, traceable supply chains and the Buying American Cotton Act.
Paul Neiffer details how the program deadline being extended to August 12, 2026, Stage 2 means farmers will continue to receive funds as USDA updates its database.
USDA forecasts historic wheat lows and record soybean gains amid drought, trade tensions, and rising input costs for the 2026/27 season.
Get News Daily
Get Market Alerts
Get News & Markets App