Get er’ done, “Pass the Farm Bill”
Three farm, food, and hunger group leaders called on Congress on Wednesday to enact a new farm bill by early 2024, although there were few signs the legislation would be ready to go. “We’re focused on getting it done, and if it means by December, we will be proud of that, and if we get it out in the first quarter [of 2024], we will be proud of that,” said Zippy Duvall of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
USDA announces poultry reform rule, will name ‘competition officer’
A new USDA rule will require poultry processors to give farmers more information about what to expect, including potential income and expenses, before they sign a contract to raise birds for them, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday. The rule, expected to take effect in late January, was part of an administration drive for the fair treatment of farmers in the highly concentrated meat industry.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Bayer considers breakup: The new chief executive of Bayer said the company might spin off its crop sciences division, which lost $4.9 billion in the third quarter of the year, in part due to lower prices for glyphosate. (Agriculture Dive)
CRP and climate: The USDA has a long way to go to make the cropland-idling Conservation Reserve into a climate-smart program, says a report that recommends a greater emphasis on climate mitigation, paying more for soils that rate high for carbon storage, and enrolling land for longer periods. (Environmental Working Group)
Ready to help: While many Americans — up to 71 percent in the Midwest — say they are willing to share the expense or provide part of the food for a Thanksgiving dinner, far fewer of their hosts say they will ask for help. (Purdue)
Lawsuit targets preservative: Two organizations representing California’s commercial fishing industry are suing the 13 largest U.S. tire manufacturers to stop their use of a preservative that is deadly to salmon. (Associated Press)
Right-to-farm win: By a margin of 4-to-1, voters in Texas approved a constitutional right to farm, garden, and ranch in the state, which already has a right-to-farm law. (New York Times)
