Farm, anti-hunger groups try to squeeze into $1-trillion pandemic bill
“Everything’s on the table” as Congress sets to work on a new coronavirus relief bill, and most of it will end up in the wastebasket, said Senate Finance chairman Chuck Grassley. Farm groups are pressing for billions of dollars in aid to offset low commodity prices and anti-hunger activists say a temporary increase in SNAP benefits would reduce hunger and stimulate the economy.
Report: Virus worsens food insecurity in the South
Three Southern states — Virginia, Kentucky and Arkansas — are among the eight states nationwide with the lowest SNAP participation rates, says the Food Research and Action Center. The coronavirus pandemic “is exacerbating the already alarming rates of food insecurity in the Southern region,” said a FRAC report that recommends expansion of federal nutrition programs, such as SNAP, WIC and school meals, to meet the need.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Complaints against JBS plant in Greeley: UFCW Local 7 filed a complaint with OSHA, saying social distancing and other coronavirus guidelines are not being followed at the JBS packing plant in Greeley, Colorado, and another with the NLRB, saying the company violated labor law by contacting workers individually about ongoing contract negotiations. (CBS Denver)
Ross the boss at SNA: The new president of the School Nutrition Association, speaking for school food directors, is Reginald Ross, a school nutrition consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. (SNA)
New members for ag trade panels: The Trump administration announced the appointment of 25 people to four-year terms on committees that advise the government on food and agricultural trade matters, including the operation of existing trade agreements and negotiation of new agreements. (USTR)
The honor-system refrigerator: To reduce hunger, the Lost Sierra Food Project in California’s Gold Country stocks the Honor System Fridge with fresh produce and a notebook for people to record, and eventually pay for, food that they take home; it also sells a weekly produce box to SNAP participants, either at a reduced price or for free in exchange for nine hours of work at the Rugged Roots farm. (CapRadio)
Beef production recovers: Meatpacking plants are recovering from coronavirus outbreaks and are slaughtering more cattle per day than earlier this year; cattle slaughter in the week ending on July 11 was only 0.2-percent lower than 2019’s total, said the monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. (USDA)
ON THE USDA CALENDAR
Monday
National Pork Producers Council holds news conference to call for federal assistance to hog farmers as part of the coronavirus relief bill under discussion in Congress, 2 p.m. ET.
USDA issues weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.
Tuesday
House Agriculture subcommittee hearing, “An overview of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program,” 1:30 p.m. ET, 1300 Longworth.
USDA releases semi-annual Catfish report, 3 p.m. ET.
Wednesday
The House is scheduled to vote on the Great American Outdoors Act, to provide $9.5 billion over five years for overdue maintenance on federal lands and to permanently provide $900 million to a fund for outdoor recreation.
Senate Banking Committee online hearing, “US-China: Winning the economic competition,” 9:30 a.m. ET.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, “Stopping the spread: Examining the increased risk of zoonotic disease from illegal wildlife trafficking,” 10 a.m. ET, 106 Dirksen.
Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is lead witness at Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, “Advancing effective US competition with China: Objectives, priorities and next steps,” 2 p.m. ET, 325 Russell.
USDA releases monthly Cold Storage report, 3 p.m. ET.
Thursday
The House is scheduled to begin debate on HR 7608, which combines the annual USDA-FDA, Interior-Environment, State-Foreign Operations, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs funding legislation, with total spending of $259.5 billion. The USDA portion of the bill would block two Trump administration regulations that would end SNAP benefits for more than 3 million people, would empower FDA to order the recall of unsafe prescription and over-the-counter drugs, and extend the hemp pilot program through fiscal 2021.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, “Impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on users of public lands, forests and national parks,” 10 a.m. ET, 366 Dirksen. Witnesses include vice president Ethan Lane of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
International Grains Council releases monthly Grain Market Report, London.
USDA releases monthly Livestock Slaughter report, 3 p.m. ET.
Friday
USDA releases monthly Food Price Outlook, 9 a.m. ET.
USDA releases semi-annual Cattle inventory and monthly Cattle on Feed reports, 3 p.m. ET.
