Austin Scott’s brief bid for speaker spotlights futility of rural leaders
Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, was shunted aside by fellow Republicans in his one-day bid to become speaker of the House. Democrat Tom Foley of Washington State, a former House Agriculture chairman, was the last rural leader to be elected speaker, in 1989. Former speaker John Boehner, an Ohioan, served on the Agriculture Committee but made his reputation as an engineer of the “Contract with America” that helped Republicans win control of the House in 1994 for the first time in four decades. Kevin McCarthy is from the Central Valley of California but was quiet on farm issues.
USDA’s ‘incredibly shrinking’ conservation program a warning about the farm bill
Congress has voted repeatedly to constrain spending under the Conservation Stewardship Program, created to pay farmers to make soil and water conservation a part of their daily operations. University of Illinois associate professor Jonathan Coppess, writing at the farmdoc daily blog, said the “incredible shrinking of CSP … may also serve as a warning” about stewardship funding in the 2023 farm bill.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
HPAI tops 59 million: With the discovery of infected birds in Minnesota and Montana, 59.15 million birds in domestic flocks have died in outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza that started in February 2022. (USDA)
Fewer cows, more packers: Two trends are colliding, U.S. meatpacking capacity will expand nearly 6 percent in the near term while the number of cattle being fattened for slaughter declines. (DTN/Progressive Farmer)
Iowa criticizes pork law: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a friend-of-the-court brief opposing a Massachusetts law that, similar to California’s Prop 12, requires farmers to give breeding sows more room to lie down and turn around. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Milk loss deadline extended: Dairy farmers have an additional 14 days, until Oct. 30, to sign up for the Milk Loss Program, which pays up to $250,000 to producers who were forced to dump milk in 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to natural disasters. (USDA)
Jill Biden’s egg tour: First Lady Jill Biden visited an Ohio farm that produces cage-free organic eggs on World Egg Day for a firsthand look at biosecurity procedures for the flock. (American Egg Board)
ON THE CALENDAR
Monday
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Illinois state Agriculture Director Jerry Costello visit a family farm in northeastern Illinois to discuss “progress made in partnering with farmers and American businesses to increase innovative domestic fertilizer production and in making it easier for U.S. farmers to grow more food through the practice of double cropping.”
U.S. Grains Council holds Global Ethanol Summit, through Wednesday, Reston, Virginia.
The International Dairy Federation hosts World Dairy Summit, through Thursday, Chicago. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaks on Monday morning.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization holds World Food Day ceremony, Rome. This year’s theme is “Water is life, water is food.” Speakers include Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program, and Qu Dongyu, FAO director general.
FAO youth committee hosts World Food Forum, through Friday, Rome.
Fred Seamon of the CME Group speaks at The Chicago Farmers luncheon on the origins and role of futures markets in commodity trade, 12:30 p.m. ET, Chicago.
USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report, 4 p.m. ET.
Tuesday
USDA and Census Bureau hold online Data Users Meeting, through Wednesday, “to share recent and pending statistical program changes with the public and to solicit input on these and other programs important to agriculture,” noon ET.
The National Organic Standards Board holds an online webinar to accept public comments on the agenda for its fall meeting, noon ET. Another public comment session will be held on Oct. 19.
Wednesday
Tufts University launches Food Is Medicine Institute, 1 p.m. ET, Boston. “The institute will serve as a catalyst to drive change, improve health, reduce health disparities, and create a more equitable and resilient healthcare system that recognizes the power of nourishing food,” says Tufts.
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, “Examining the implications of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Water Act protections of wetlands and streams,” 10 a.m. ET.
The IFPRI think tank and the Agricultural Market Information System hold a webinar, “A look at global rice markets; export restrictions, El Nino and price controls,” 9 a.m. ET.
USDA releases monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook, 3 p.m. ET.
Friday
USDA releases monthly Cattle on Feed report, 3 p.m. ET.
