‘Build back’ bill offers work authorization for undocumented immigrants
Hundreds of thousands of undocumented farmworkers could gain employment and travel authorization under provisions in the social welfare and climate change bill drafted by House Democrats. But while the proposal would relieve fears of deportation, it was far less than the pathway to citizenship that is the goal of some activists.
Report: Governments must ‘drastically improve’ efforts to reduce emissions in food, land-use systems
As the first week of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) winds down, a new analysis of emissions-reduction pledges finds that those countries that have contributed the most to climate change have committed to do far too little to reduce emissions from the food system and leverage the carbon sequestration potential of landscapes.
Vaccination rule applauded by unions at meat plants
The Labor Department requirement that large companies vaccinate or test their workers for Covid-19 is a step toward greater worker safety at slaughterhouses and other food processing plants, said labor unions on Thursday. The emergency temporary standard (ETS) sets a Jan. 4 deadline for employees to be fully vaccinated but does not apply to employees who work alone, from home, or exclusively outdoors.
Unlike the U.S., Europe is setting ambitious targets for producing more organic food
Recent polls show that a majority of Americans are concerned about climate change and willing to make lifestyle changes to address it. Other surveys show that many U.S. consumers are worried about possible health risks of eating food produced with pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones. One way to address all of these concerns is to expand organic agriculture. Organic production generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional farming, largely because it doesn’t use synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. And it prohibits using synthetic pesticides and giving hormones or antibiotics to livestock.
Today’s Quick Hits
CFTC nominee advances: By voice vote, the Senate Agriculture Committee cleared for a floor vote the nomination of Rostin Behnam to become chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. (Senate Ag)
Google, CME team up: Google bought $1 billion worth of non-voting stock in CME Group, an owner of futures exchanges, and the companies announced a 10-year partnership to move CME Group’s data and clearing services, and eventually all of its markets, to the cloud. (CME)
Trump effect?: John Thune, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, enjoys high job approval among Republican voters in South Dakota despite former President Trump’s calls for someone to run against him in the 2022 GOP primary. (Morning Consult)
CHS income soars: The company, the largest U.S. agricultural cooperative, reported net income of $554 million in the year ending on Aug. 31, up 31 percent from the previous year due to high commodity and fertilizer prices. (CHS)
Organic transition aid: The USDA earmarked $20 million in its Pandemic Assistance to Producers initiative to cover certification and education expenses for farmers transitioning to organic production or who are certified-organic producers. (Farm Service Agency)
