The template for climate mitigation is soil conservation, says farm-enviro alliance
The new era of climate mitigation on the farm would look like a beefed-up version of longstanding USDA conservation programs, augmented by a carbon bank that sets a floor price for carbon sequestration and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, said leaders of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance on Wednesday.
Vilsack takes office as agriculture secretary via Zoom
Vice President Kamala Harris administered the oath of office to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack through a Zoom link on Wednesday, the first virtual swearing-in performed by Harris.
U.S. to donate masks to food banks and pantries
The government will distribute more than 25 million washable face masks through community health centers and the food bank network over the next three months, announced the White House on Wednesday.
Today’s Quick Hits
Decision in autumn: Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, 87, a leading congressional advocate of biofuels and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he will decide “sometime in September, October, or November” whether to run for an eighth term in 2022. A Republican state senator has already announced for the seat. (USA Today)
L.A. hero pay: The Los Angeles City Council, by a 14-1 vote, gave preliminary approval for an extra $5 an hour in hazard pay for drugstore and grocery workers until the city is well into recovery from the pandemic. (KCAL-TV)
Lost topsoil: The most fertile topsoil has been lost from one-third of the cropland in the upper Midwest, says a team of scientists, although some of their colleagues are skeptical of the estimate. (NPR)
Aggie aims high: The only Democrat to hold statewide office in Florida, agriculture commissioner Nikki Fried, is trying to position herself as the party’s best hope for defeating Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is up for reelection in 2022. (Politico)
Farmers need time: The USDA should give farmers more time to apply for pandemic relief payments beyond Friday’s deadline because of severe weather this month and confusion generated by the suspension of payments, said the largest U.S. farm group. (American Farm Bureau Federation)
