In a farm bill preview, farm-state Republicans attack SNAP
The Biden administration is spending too much on SNAP and is unwilling to restrict access to food stamps, farm-state Republicans told Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday. They called for stricter work requirements for SNAP and said, millions of migrants might be receiving benefits. “Absurd,” responded Vilsack.
McCarthy seeks stronger work requirements for able-bodied adults seeking federal assistance
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy asked for another face-to-face session with President Biden over the federal debt limit on Tuesday and said trillions of dollars could be saved through steps such as stronger work requirements for able-bodied adults seeking government benefits. The upcoming farm bill is another arena where work requirements could be discussed.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
More ag research needed: Hunger and malnutrition are driving forces of social unrest worldwide, and the best response would be larger U.S. investment in long-term agricultural research and development because farming is the main occupation of the world’s poor, said a foundation report. (Farm Journal Foundation)
Net-zero emissions goal: A soil health bill filed in the House and Senate would set a national goal of achieving net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture by 2040 through steps that include protection of farmland from conversion. (National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition)
Pasture or free-range?: Perdue Foods petitioned the USDA to clarify the difference between “pasture-raised” and “free-range” when used on the labels of food packages and added there should be no overlap between the terms. (Meat and Poultry)
Formula supply still vulnerable: Former FDA deputy commissioner Frank Yiannis said “the state of the infant formula industry today is not much different than it was” during last year’s infant formula shortage and is vulnerable to disruption. (CNBC)
Minority farmer advisory committee: The USDA asked for nominations for its 15-member Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers, which recommends steps to advance equity in USDA programs, with an April 28 deadline for nomination packages. (USDA)
