Month: March 2019

In a generation, mega-farms will dominate ‘production’ ag, analyst predicts Twenty years from now, vastly fewer but much larger farms will generate the lion’s share of agriculture output, said chief executive Brett Sciotto of Aimpoint Research. USDA biotech rules nearing update, says undersecretary The USDA soon will propose a modernized… Continue reading

USDA tiptoes into cell-based ‘meat ‘ argument An estimated 40 companies worldwide are in the race to bring to market cell-based meat — “clean meat” in the eyes of proponents and “fake meat” according to ranchers. Asked if the product qualifies as meat, Deputy Agriculture Undersecretary Mindy Brashears responded, “This… Continue reading

Congress moving slowly on child nutrition reauthorization Although key lawmakers in the House and Senate support an update of U.S. child nutrition programs, headlined by school lunch and WIC, the timeline for those updates is unclear. “If we can’t go forward, we’ll wait,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow on Thursday, in… Continue reading

Stricter time limit for SNAP would affect more than 1 million The Trump administration’s proposal for stricter enforcement of the 90-day limit on food stamps for able-bodied adults would most often hit people living alone in deep poverty, said an analysis by Mathematica Policy Research. More than 1 million people… Continue reading

Headed for the Heartland? Midwest, Plains dominate USDA semifinal list A day after asking for $25 million in moving money, the USDA said on Tuesday that at least 67 sites, predominantly in the Midwest and Plains, are being considered for the new homes of two Washington-based research agencies. Agriculture Secretary… Continue reading

To replace proposed food stamp cuts, USDA raises Harvest Box, again The White House proposed a $19-billion cut in food stamps for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, achieving the 25-percent reduction in SNAP mainly by putting forward, once again, “America’s Harvest Box” of canned and nonperishable food…. Continue reading

The USDA is planning on holding a talk with farmers regarding the hemp industry on Wednesday, March 13. See more at hemptoday.net/usda-hearing-march13/ Continue reading

USDA Rural Development to Host 2018 Farm Bill Listening Session WASHINGTON, March 8, 2019 – USDA Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Joel Baxley today announced that on Thursday, March 14, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. EDT, USDA Rural Development will conduct a listening session webinar to listen to questions… Continue reading

As USDA and FDA agree on oversight, aggies rail against ‘fake meat’ In a step that moves a new industry closer to commercial reality, the premier federal food-safety agencies agreed on Thursday on how to jointly regulate cell-based meat, a laboratory-grown protein that farm groups call “fake meat.” The FDA… Continue reading