Biden backs ban on ‘shrinkflation’
President Biden, in his State of the Union address Thursday night, urged Congress to ban “shrinkflation” — the practice of reducing product size or quantity without lowering the price — in food and other consumer goods. “Pass Bobby Casey’s bill and stop this,” said Biden, referring to Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania.
AG processors to hire guestworkers
Congress should expand the agricultural guestworker program, now limited to seasonal jobs, to include employment at year-round processing plants, said a working group composed of House Agriculture Committee members on Thursday. “One thing that has become clear is the need for dairy producers, meat processors, sugar processors, forestry, ranchers, and others to have access to a steady and legal workforce,” said the lawmakers.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Valadao leads in House primary: With the vote partially counted, Rep. David Valadao, a Republican, had 34 percent of the vote in U.S. House District 22 in California’s Central Valley, followed by Democrat Rudy Salas, with 28 percent, and Republican Chris Mathys, with 22 percent. (California Secretary of State)
Noem to sign pipeline bills: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said she will sign three bills passed by the legislature that would strengthen landowner protections while also allowing a path forward for the $8 billion Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. (South Dakota Searchlight)
Hottest February ever: Last month was the warmest February on record globally, with an average temperature 1.77 degrees C above pre industrial levels. It was the ninth month in a row to be the warmest on record for that respective month. (Copernicus)
‘I’d ban alternative proteins’: During a hearing on a bill to regulate the labeling of cultivated meat and plant-based meat alternatives, Iowa state Rep. Mike Sexton, a sheep farmer, said, “If it was up to me,” he would ban “fake meat” in Iowa. (Iowa Starting Line)
Smuggling bird intestines: Six New York City residents were charged with importing and distributing raw goose and duck intestines from China worth $147,000 for sale in an underground market. (Brooklyn Eagle)
