Lawmakers mull margin protection, permanent disaster program for crops
Concerned by rising production costs and the longevity of sky-high commodity prices, farm-state lawmakers floated margin protection for crop growers and standby farm disaster programs on Thursday for inclusion in the 2023 farm bill. However, farm bill funding may be tight, which could limit Congress’ ability to add new features to the farm program.
House Democrats unveil ‘lower food and fuel costs’ bill
The House could vote as early as next week on an omnibus bill that would allow summertime sale of E15, create a special investigator’s office at the USDA to enforce fair-play laws in meatpacking, and help farmers adopt so-called precision agriculture technology.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Central Valley race set: California Rep. David Valadao, a member of the House Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture, prevailed over Trump supporter Chris Mathys and will face state Assemblyman Rudy Salas, a Democrat, in the general election in U.S. House District 22. (Hanford Sentinel)
Aid for school food: The Biden administration intends to use $1 billion in USDA funding to help schools purchase food for their meal programs as a stopgap measure against the expiration of nutrition waivers on June 30. (Politico)
HPAI on National Mall: Bird flu was found in mallard ducklings at the reflecting pool between the Washington and Lincoln monuments, the first discovery of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the District of Columbia. (National Park Service)
Tyson non-compete claim: Tyson Foods asked a court in Arkansas to block Brian Baker, who resigned on Monday as its vice president for poultry optimization, from working for competitor Foster Farms, which hired former Tyson head Donnie Smith as its CEO. (TB&P)
Pandemic drives land prices: Since the start of the pandemic, the median listing price for farms, ranches, and undeveloped land in Columbia County, in the heart of New York’s Hudson River Valley, has soared 62 percent. (New York Times)
