Agriculture may be ‘first and best place’ for climate gains, says Vilsack
The Biden administration will work with farmers, ranchers and forest owners “to create new sources of revenue tied to their good climate practices,” said agriculture secretary-nominee Tom Vilsack on Tuesday. With USDA’s broad authority to aid farmers, he said he could launch carbon sequestration initiatives that soon would become a standard part of the federal farm program.
As ag embraces climate mitigation, trade may benefit — researchers
The Biden administration’s plan to enlist American agriculture in mitigating climate change through cover crops and carbon trading could pay dividends in another field entirely — negotiations for freer agriculture trade, said an American Enterprise Institute paper on Tuesday.
USDA’s food box give-away called a model that can be improved
The Farmers to Families Food Box Program, the Trump administration’s response to hunger during the pandemic, “has accomplished much and can serve as a model for future USDA fresh food purchasing and distribution efforts,” said a review of the program on Tuesday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
‘Hero pay’ in LA: The Los Angeles City Council ordered attorneys to draft an ordinance for a $5-an-hour pay raise for grocery and drugstore workers for the next 120 days; the council still must vote on the measure. (Los Angeles Times)
Senate Ag newcomers: The 10 Democrats on the Senate Agriculture Committee include three newcomers, Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Raphael Warnock of Georgia; seven returning members; and one departure, Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. (Senate Democrats)
Considering carbon sequestration: Some 6-7 percent of producers surveyed for the Ag Economy Barometer said they were actively engaged in discussions about receiving carbon capture payments. (Purdue University)
Fewer farm bankruptcies: Filings for Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy fell by 7 percent, to a total of 552 filings during 2020, but still the third-highest in the past decade. (Farm Bureau)
BlackRock and Tyson: Investment firm BlackRock Inc., which is putting increased emphasis on sustainability, said in an SEC filing that it owns 6.9 percent of the shares of food processor Tyson Foods. (Fintel)
