What to feed ‘cultivated’ meat? Soybeans
The emergence of cell-cultured meat and plant-based meat substitutes may put some sizzle into soybeans, said a Purdue University paper. In particular, cell-cultured meat, when grown in a soy-based medium, uses more soybeans to produce a single unit of “cultivated” meat than go into producing a unit of beef.
Massachusetts animal welfare law is delayed again
With a lawsuit still unresolved, Massachusetts officials agreed in court to wait until Aug. 23 to enforce a state law that requires farmers to provide enough room for veal calves, breeding sows, and egg-laying hens to stand up, lie down, turn around, or fully extend their limbs.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
EPA denies RFS waivers: Winning cheers from the ethanol industry, the EPA rejected 26 requests by small oil refineries for hardship exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard requirement to mix ethanol into gasoline. (Transport Topics)
White House farm session: Agricultural representatives at a White House listening session “expressed their support for bipartisan legislation to further promote competition in the food chain,” said an administration summary of the meeting. (White House)
Bill examines nutrition security: A Senate bill would require USDA to report on what foods are purchased by SNAP recipients and diet quality — information that would be useful to know but also could be used to ban soda or candy. (Food Fix)
Aspartame here to stay: “Big Food just can’t quit aspartame and analysts don’t expect it to,” despite the International Agency for Research on Cancer ruling that the artificial sweetener is “possibly carcinogenic” to humans. (New York Times)
Scrutinize adversaries’ land purchases: A bipartisan House bill would authorize a powerful federal committee to consider U.S. food security when reviewing proposals for foreign investment and give the committee jurisdiction over many land purchases by foreign adversary entities. (House Select Committee on the CCP)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack administers oath of office to Xochitl Torres Small, confirmed by the Senate last week to serve as Agriculture deputy secretary, 1 p.m. ET.
Farm Action and Open Markets Institute issue the report, “Making the grade?”, on implementation of President Biden’s 2021 executive order for federal agencies to promote competition throughout the economy, 1 p.m. ET.
Institute of Food Technologists holds annual meeting, through Wednesday, Chicago.
The House may vote on HR 1418, “Animal drug and animal generic drug user fee amendments of 2023,” under a format reserved for noncontroversial legislation.
USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.
Tuesday
Farm Foundation holds an online forum, “Ownership and investment in U.S. farmland,” 10 a.m. ET. Topics will include “agricultural land quality and natural resources in America relative to other nations, historical issues with agricultural land ownership and issues of land theft and dispossession, agricultural land ownership and national security, competition for land between farmers/ranchers, and real estate/energy development interests,” said the foundation.
Food and farmworker groups hold a news conference to call on Congress “to draft a food and farm bill that protects workers,” 10 a.m. ET, G11 Dirksen.
Center for Strategic and International Studies holds a panel discussion on “Innovative public-private partnerships in food systems of the future,” 11 a.m. ET.
USDA releases monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook report, 3 p.m. ET.
Wednesday
Senate Agriculture subcommittee hearing, “Rural water: Modernizing our community water systems,” 3 p.m. ET, 328A Russell.
USDA releases semiannual Catfish report, 3 p.m. ET.
Thursday
Bipartisan Policy Center hosts discussion “Legal immigration: Challenges and promising paths forward,” 2 p.m. ET.
International Grains Council releases Grain Market Report, London.
National Grain and Feed Association, Grain Journal, and Grain Elevator and Processing Society host CONVEY ’23, through July 21, Omaha, Nebraska.
Friday
USDA releases semi annual Cattle inventory report and monthly Cattle on Feed reports, 3 p.m. ET.
Sunday
Agricultural and Applied Economics Association holds its annual meeting, through July 25, Washington.
