Sen. Booker seeks substantial expansion of ‘food as medicine’ programs
Congress should “substantially scale up” programs like a produce prescription and nutrition incentive program at USDA and create a food box program to provide locally grown produce to Medicaid participants, said Sen. Cory Booker on Tuesday. “Food as medicine programs can be transformative,” said the New Jersey Democrat during a Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing on the issue.
Food price inflation slows, though prices still high
The food inflation rate declined in November for the third month in a row to its lowest level since June, said the Labor Department on Tuesday. Despite the improvement, food prices are 10.6 percent higher than they were a year ago, according to the Consumer Price Index report.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Feds punish union busters: The National Labor Relations Board issued new penalties Tuesday for companies that illegally fire unionizing workers. (Washington Post)
Water fight comes to Sin City: Feds, state reps, tribal officials and farmers converged in Las Vegas Tuesday for the Colorado River Water Users Association conference, where they’ll discuss unprecedented emergency conditions in the Colorado River system. (AP)
Deforestation surge: Deforestation in the world’s most biologically diverse savanna, the Brazilian Cerrado, rose nearly 25 percent in the 12 months through July. (Reuters)
Small poultry growers worried: Some farmers say the USDA’s proposed rules aimed at reducing salmonella illness would unfairly burden small poultry producers and risk further monopolizing the industry. (Daily Yonder)
China keeps out: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and state legislators proposed legislation to restrict foreign purchases of agricultural land in South Dakota. (Noem)
