USDA would reform ‘tournament’ system in poultry production Poultry farmers would have more protection against abuse by processors under a USDA proposal to revamp the “tournament” system that pits producers against each other in a competition for income, said the Biden administration on Thursday. The administration also announced $200 million… Continue reading

Nutrition waivers reduced child hunger, say big school districts School nutrition officials overwhelmingly agree that USDA waivers reduced child hunger during the pandemic by making meals free to all students, said a report by the antihunger group Food Research and Action Center on Tuesday. FRAC said Congress ought to pass… Continue reading

Biden launches non-traditional Indo-Pacific Economic Framework The United States and a dozen nations, from Japan in the north to Australia in the south, launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) on Monday, built on common interests in the digital economy, climate change, economic resilience and clean government. “The future of the… Continue reading

Second load of specialty infant formula to arrive within days The Biden administration’s “Operation Fly Formula” will deliver 114 pallets of specialty infant formula to the United States within days in a rapid follow-up to the first load of 132 pallets on Sunday, said the White House. The flights, arranged… Continue reading

Formula supply will improve ‘in a matter of days,’ says FDA chief U.S. infant formula makers are revving up production and the door is open to imported formula, so “we should see improvement in a matter of days” from shortages nationwide, FDA commissioner Robert Califf said Thursday on Capitol Hill…. Continue reading

Party-line vote sends livestock reform bill to House floor The House Agriculture Committee approved legislation on Wednesday to create a special investigator’s office at the Agriculture Department to enforce fair-play laws in the highly concentrated meat industry. Cleared for a House vote on a party-line, 27-21 roll call, the bill,… Continue reading

Infant formula bills are put on fast track for House vote House Democratic leaders unveiled a pair of bills on Tuesday to ease infant formula shortages and beef up the FDA office in charge of assuring the products are safe for babies. “People are selling samples on the street. Mothers… Continue reading

Crop farmers to see $6 billion in disaster aid — USDA Beginning later this month, farmers across the nation will receive around $6 billion in disaster relief for losses due to catastrophic weather and wildfires, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday. The money, part of $10 billion earmarked for… Continue reading

House to vote on infant formula shortage Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will vote this week on emergency legislation to relax some WIC regulations on infant formula, now in short supply, “so that we can get nutrition into the mouths of America’s babies.” Through WIC, the government buys about… Continue reading

Meatpackers drafted Trump order on meat plants during Covid-19 Facing pressure from local health officials over conditions in their plants, meatpacking companies “drafted and pitched an executive order to the Trump White House” to keep slaughterhouses open during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, said a congressional staff report… Continue reading