Administration sets limits on added sugars in school meals
Updated nutrition standards for school meals include the first-ever limit on added sugars in foods and beverages, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, “an important step forward in improving nutrition for our youngsters.” The new regulations, which also call for less sodium in meals, were released on Wednesday.
White House sets goal to protect, restore 8 million acres of wetlands
As part of initiatives related to Earth Day, the Biden administration set “a bold, new national goal to protect, restore, and reconnect 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of our nation’s rivers and streams” on Tuesday. The initiative could be the overdue response to the Supreme Court decision in 2023 that limited federal protection of wetlands but only seven states are currently taking part, said an attorney active in water law.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
USDA funds clean energy projects: More than 700 projects from California to Pennsylvania will share $238 million in grants and loans to expand the use of clean energy in rural America and encourage sales of higher-blend biofuels, said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. (USDA)
When did cows get bird flu?: There is a strong possibility that the bird flu virus circulated undetected for months in dairy cattle before it was identified in March, said the head of the ecology and evolutionary biology department at the University of Arizona. (CIDRAP)
Merger may reduce grain competition: The proposed merger of grain handlers Bunge and Viterra is “likely to result in substantial anti-competitive effects and a significant loss of rivalry” between the two companies, said Canada’s Competition Bureau. (Reuters)
ADM financial officer to resign: Vikram Luthar, suspended from his duties as chief financial officer of Archer-Daniels-Midland, will resign effective Sept. 30, said the company, whose accounting practices are under Justice Department review. (CFO Dive)
USAID loses top official: Deputy administrator Paloma Adams Allen, who oversees day-to-day operations at the U.S. Agency for International Development, plans to leave the agency soon, said three unnamed sources. (Devex)
