Scott, seeking to chair House Ag, calls for racial justice and economic equality
Nine-term Georgia Rep. David Scott asked House Democrats to name him Agriculture Committee chairman with a call on Thursday for racial justice and economic equality in agriculture, rural economic development, and a safety net for hungry Americans. He would be the first Black and the first Georgian to chair the committee.
Some states tougher than OSHA on coronavirus workplace outbreaks
While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been heavily criticized for its handling of workplace Covid-19 outbreaks, California and a handful of other states have implemented more rigorous workplace safety regulations that experts say better protect food and farm workers from the virus.
FDA must study what happens if GMO salmon escape, says judge
A federal judge in San Francisco ordered the FDA on Thursday to take a new and stronger look at the potential consequences on native salmon if AquaBounty’s fast-growing GMO salmon escaped from fish farms and established itself in the wild.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Biden did better with rural voters in two key states: Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden got a larger share of the rural vote, although still a minority, in Wisconsin and Michigan than Hillary Clinton did in 2016, a factor in his carrying both states. (Daily Yonder)
Denmark plans to cull all mink: Half of Covid-19 cases in northern Denmark are related to mink, according to Danish officials, so the government will try to cull all 15 million mink on farms as a safeguard against the disease. (CBS News)
Official says China corn imports will triple: The U.S. agricultural attache in Beijing estimated that China will import 22 million tonnes of corn during this marketing year, triple the USDA forecast of a month ago, because of “depleted stocks and high domestic prices.” (Foreign Agricultural Service)
Probe of JBS is requested: Rep. Rosa DeLauro asked the USDA to investigate whether the U.S. subsidiary of JBS, the world’s largest meatpacker, should receive federal subsidies in light of the parent company’s scheme to bribe officials in Brazil. (Food Dive)
Senator pushes for new payments: North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, chairman of a Senate subcommittee that oversees USDA spending, pressed agency officials to start a disaster relief program to compensate farmers for lower-quality crops caused by bad weather. (Hoeven)
