New data from the Department of Agriculture shows the number of midsized farms is declining. The USDA Economic Research Service found midsized farms declined by five percent between 1992 and 2012, to about 125,000. Midsize operations are defined as those with gross cash farm income between $350,000 and $1 million. USDA attributed the decline partly due to exits from the business, but also volatile income and a tendency to downsize or grow at higher rates than small and large farms. USDA says the trend also may indicate new technology and the increasing profitability of large farms limit the role of midsize farms in modern agriculture. During the same period, the number of large farms more than doubled. The data also shows that small farms, those with less than $350,000 gross cash farm income, represent 90 percent of all farms, but only grow about 22 percent of America’s agricultural goods.

A coalition of state and local water agencies argue the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the U.S. rule infringes on state authority over water supply. The group, led by the Association of Clean Water Administrators, filed a legal brief with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals last week. The coalition says that under the rule, water infrastructure, like canals and aqueducts, could be considered “tributaries,” potentially leading to a set of new regulations. Politico called the move a blow to the Obama administration after the EPA made changes in the final version of the rule aimed at alleviating the water agencies’ concerns. Farm groups and others challenging the rule filed opening briefs last week in a lawsuit against the rule. The federal government has until January 18th to respond to the first round of arguments.

As farmers fill out their ballots today, a new poll by DTN shows Donald Trump as the leading candidate for agriculture. The 2016 DTN—The Progressive Farmer Pulse of Rural America poll found 46 percent of respondents support Trump. DTN says the poll shows most, but not a majority of, respondents stand with recent history in supporting the Republican presidential nominee. The poll surveyed more than 1,600 rural and farming adults from August 18th through September 6th. The results show 24 percent of respondents support the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, while seven percent said they would vote for Libertarian Gary Johnson. A fifth of all respondents stated they were unsure of their choice or stated a preference for “none of the above.” The poll is the third conducted for DTN going back to 2008. A separate poll two weeks ago by Agri-Pulse showed Trump leading farm country with 55 percent of support, while 18 percent of respondents planned to vote for Clinton.

A Wall Street Journal reporter says the Obama administration is readying at least five environmental regulations to issue within the next two months. Amy Harder reports that four of the rules are at the Department of Interior while another lies with the Environmental Protection Agency—being the volume targets for the Renewable Fuel Standard. The EPA sent the new RFS volume targets to the White House Office of Management and Budget last month for review. The White House has until the end of this month to finalize the volumes. Under statute, the EPA is required to set a volume target for corn ethanol at 15 billion gallons for 2017. However, the EPA proposal in May set the target at 14.2 billion gallons. Other regulations expected by the Obama administration include governing of renewable energy development on federal lands, an offshore oil and gas leasing plan, methane standards for oil and gas wells on public lands and a stream-protection rule for coal mining.

The Department of Agriculture last week awarded $4.3 million in grants to 48 veterinarians serving rural communities. The funding is aimed at helping the veterinarians repay a portion of their veterinary school loans in return for serving in areas lacking sufficient veterinary resources. USDA says the funding will fill veterinary shortage needs in 27 states. USDA says studies indicate there are significant shortages of food animal veterinarians in certain areas of the nation and in high-priority specialty sectors that require advanced training, such as food safety, epidemiology, diagnostic medicine and public health. A leading cause for the shortage, according to USDA, is the cost of veterinary medical training that leaves current graduates of veterinary colleges with, on average, student loan debt of more than $135,000.

The Department of Agriculture Friday announced an expansion under the Conservation Reserve Program. Under the program, USDA will now offer a new grasslands practice specifically tailored for small-scale livestock grazing operations. Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer head of grazing dairy cows—or the equivalent—can submit applications to enroll up to 200 acres of grasslands per farm. USDA’s goal is to enroll up to 200,000 acres. Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor made the announcement. Taylor says the expansion will ensure livestock operations of varying sizes have “an opportunity to achieve environmental and economic benefits.” Farmers must apply by December 16th. Offers selected this fiscal year will be enrolled into CRP Grasslands beginning in October of 2017. USDA says qualifying producers interested in participating in CRP should contact their local FSA office.

Cuba has rejected a proposal by two U.S. businessmen who are seeking to start the first American manufacturing plant in Cuba in more than 50 years. Cuba rejected the proposal by Cleber, LLC, a manufacturer based in Paint Rock, Alabama. The company was planning to build a $5 million facility in a Special Economic Zone west of Havana that Cuba has designated to attract foreign investment. But, after a year of negotiations, Politico reports officials in Cuba determined the plan was not “high-tech enough.” One of the businessmen involved in the projected added “underlying everything is the embargo,” suggesting that greater trade-related tensions influenced the rejection.

Officials from the Obama administration and other Trans-Pacific Partnership countries are ramping up their efforts to build support for ratifying the 12-country pact. But the International Center for Trade says the election politics surrounding TPP has put the Obama administration in a difficult position. Voters are heading to the polls to select a presidential candidate of which both oppose the trade agreement. Speculations of what may hold back TPP during the lame-duck session include House Speaker Paul Ryan’s fear of losing his post if he brings the deal for consideration. Further, opposition in his state is putting pressure on the Wisconsin Republican to block the deal. Meanwhile, other TPP countries are taking steps towards ratifying the trade agreement. Under the TPP’s rules, signatories have an initial two-year window from when the deal was signed to complete their domestic procedures for ratification. Should all 12 not ratify by the deadline, the trade agreement will enter into force only after being ratified by six countries that must make up 85 percent of the overall group’s combined GDP.