Production agriculture, rural revitalization
In a camaraderie-filled meeting, Chairman Glenn Thompson said that everyone on the House Agriculture Committee was a member “of the farm team,” and his list of priorities for the committee put conventional agriculture and rural development first. “We certainly will have our work cut out for us as far as reauthorizing the farm bill,” he said on Wednesday.
Can Danone reach its climate goals?
Last month, the French food company Danone — owner of milk and yogurt brands like Activia and Horizon Organics — pledged to cut absolute methane emissions from its milk supply chains by 30 percent by 2030, making it the first major food company with a methane-specific emissions target. But reducing those methane emissions is far from simple. A “methane ambition” document released by Danone outlines a few options, although somewhat vaguely and without acknowledging some of the controversies surrounding them.
California orange crop twice as large as Florida’s
California, for decades the No. 2 grower, is roaring into the lead as the largest orange-producing state in the nation, said the Agriculture Department on Wednesday. It forecast an orange crop of 1.84 million tons in California this season, more than double Florida’s projected hurricane-damaged harvest of 720,000 tons.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
More local meat processing: Companion House and Senate bills would create a USDA competitive grant program to support local meat production by helping small processors expand their capacity. (Rep. Pingree)
Organic standards need regular review: The new farm bill should include a provision to update U.S. organic standards at least every five years, and should strengthen the National Organic Program’s authority to prevent false or misleading claims. (Organic Trade Association)
SNAP scammers steal millions: Criminals using fake EBT cards have stolen millions of dollars in state-issued benefits, including food stamps, from poor residents of Los Angeles County, using them to “rack up mammoth bills at grocery stores.” (Los Angeles Times)
Healthier diet is a common goal: Roughly one in five Americans made a food-related New Year’s resolution, most frequently to eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise more, and cut down on sugar, according to a survey of 1,200 people. (Purdue University)
Wings to fly: Largely because of lower retail prices, Americans are expected to consume a record 1.45 billion chicken wings during the upcoming Super Bowl weekend, a 2 percent increase from last year. (National Chicken Council)
