Rural broadband projects get $500 million in USDA funding
The Biden administration announced a half a billion dollars in grants and loans for high-speed internet projects in rural areas from Alaska to Alabama on Thursday, with more awards expected soon. The 2021 infrastructure bill set aside billions of dollars for broadband access, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “We now have, genuinely, an opportunity to cover all of rural America.”
U.S. announces $2.9 billion in global humanitarian aid
With world hunger rates rising, President Biden announced Wednesday at the United Nations an additional $2.9 billion in U.S. humanitarian assistance, including funds to feed schoolchildren and expand food production. We’re “taking on the food crisis head-on,” said Biden in a speech that denounced Russia for invading Ukraine and called for action on global warming.
Hunger conference is partisan gathering, say House Republicans
The White House forfeited its opportunity for a bipartisan outcome of its hunger conference next week, so it should expect open skepticism about its recommendations, said five senior House Republicans on Wednesday.
Talks & Eats returns to Brooklyn
The climate crisis in agriculture is a frequent topic of reporting here at AFR. But climate change is also having a significant effect on the global wine industry. How are vintners responding? In this conversation, wine writer Alice Feiring — proclaimed “the queen of natural wines” by the Financial Times — will join Sam Fromartz to talk about what she’s seen and what she’s worried about. Tickets include complimentary beer and wine. A tax-deductible VIP ticket includes a reception with beer, wine, and eats.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
California eyes diesel trucks: Weeks after it voted to end the sale of gasoline-fueled cars and trucks by 2035, the California Air Resources Board was expected to vote Oct. 27 on whether to ban the sale of diesel big rigs by 2040. (Los Angeles Times)
Wheat tops $9: Futures prices for wheat went above $9 a bushel, the highest price since July 11, during trading at Chicago markets on Wednesday, propelled by a potential escalation of warfare in Ukraine. (Reuters)
JBS hires sustainability chief: Jason Weller, who headed the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service before leading a carbon credit initiative at Land O’Lakes, will be global chief sustainability officer at JBS, the world’s largest meat processor. (Meat and Poultry)
Restaurants look to robots: With workers hard to find and the cost of robotics going down, restaurant chains are calculating the costs of humans vs. Flippy, Sippy, and Chippy to run the deep fryer, pour beverages, and season and fry tortilla chips. (Washington Post)
