Proposed rule would ease standards for retailers that accept SNAP
The Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule Friday that would ease the standards for how many and what types of products food retailers must stock in order to accept SNAP benefits at their stores. An Obama-era rule had expanded the amount of healthy foods that retailers had to stock in order to participate in the program.
Big Ag says Sen. Warren’s proposals ‘miss the mark’
After a week in which Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who’s running for president, was in the spotlight for her call to check the power of big agribusiness and “level the playing field for America’s family farmers,” Big Ag began to hit back, insisting her ideas are out of touch with reality.
TODAY’S AFR QUICK HITS
Dicamba on corn? (Iowa Public Radio): Bayer, owner of Monsanto, wants to expand its use of the controversial weedkiller dicamba to corn, despite litigation alleging that the chemical can drift and cause extensive crop damage.
Prime is the new Costco? (MarketWatch): Amazon seeks a “Costco-like” relationship with Prime customers as it cuts prices on dozens of items across its Whole Foods outlets.
A call for greater restaurant accessibility (Washington City Paper): People with disabilities face numerous challenges in dining out, including the lack of basic structural accommodations and staff training.
Who lives in rural America? (NPR): Up to 5 percent of the country’s rural population is LGBTQ, accounting for as much as 20 percent of the LGBTQ community, a new study finds.
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
– Annual meeting of North American Agricultural Journalists, through Tuesday. Open reception followed by scholarship dinner at National Press Club, 5:30 p.m. ET.
– Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute releases its agricultural baseline report, with projections for U.S. crop output and usage for the coming decade, Columbia, Missouri.
– USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.
– North American Meat Institute hosts annual Meat Industry Summit, through Thursday, Carlsbad, California.
Tuesday
– Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is lead witness at House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on USDA proposed budget for fiscal 2020, 10:30 a.m. ET, 2358-A Rayburn.
– Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen is lead witness at Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the agency’s budget for fiscal 2020, 10 a.m. ET, 366 Dirksen.
– USDA releases monthly Crop Production and WASDE reports, noon ET.
– Forum for the Future of Agriculture 2019, Brussels
Wednesday
– Acting deputy undersecretary Brandon Lipps is lead witness at Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, “Perspectives on child nutrition reauthorization,” 10 a.m. ET, 216 Hart.
– House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, “Economic opportunities for farmers through sustainable agricultural practices,” 10 a.m. ET, 2362-A Rayburn.
– Innovation in Agrifood Supply Chains: Finance, Profitability and Sustainability, through Thursday, Berkeley, California.
Thursday
– Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is lead witness at Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on proposed USDA budget for fiscal 2020, 10 a.m., 192 Dirksen.
– USDA releases first results from 2017 Census of Agriculture, the most comprehensive survey of agricultural producers, noon ET. For USDA videos that explain how to find data in the report and what’s new in the results.
– Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Kansas State University host AgCon2019, an annual conference on agricultural commodity futures, through Friday, Overland Park, Kansas.
– USDA releases monthly Oil Crops Outlook and Cotton and Wool Outlook, noon ET.
– USDA releases monthly Rice Outlook, Wheat Outlook and Feed Outlook, 3 p.m. ET.
Friday
– USDA releases annual Crop Values report, delayed from Feb. 6 by the partial government shutdown, 3 p.m. ET.
