The EPA sent the Clean Water Rule - formerly known as Waters of the U.S. - to the Office of Management and Budget on Friday. In a blog post - EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Assistant Secretary of the Army Jo-Ellen Darcy say the rule will better define tributaries and protect farming practices. They say they are limiting protection to ditches that function like tributaries and can carry pollution downstream - like those constructed out of streams. Also - the rule will approach ditches from another angle rather than discussing upland ditches.

Farm Service Agency has announced that nearly 2,700 applicants will begin receiving disaster assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program for losses experienced from Oct. 1, 2013, through Sept. 30, 2014. The program provides disaster relief to livestock, honeybee and farm-raised fish producers not covered by other agricultural disaster assistance programs. Beekeepers, most of whom suffered honeybee colony losses, represent more than half of ELAP recipients.

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