Critic of Biden climate program will head House Agriculture Committee
With a farm bill fight brewing over President Biden’s climate agenda, House Republican leaders named Pennsylvania Rep. Glenn Thompson chair of the House Agriculture Committee on Thursday. Thompson, who wants to expand farm support, has accused the administration of acting as “a lone wolf” in setting up its $3.5 billion proposal to develop climate-smart commodities.
Spending on climate-smart projects hard to track, says UCS
Meat, dairy, and livestock are likely to get a larger share of the funding than other commodities in the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, though it’s hard to track spending on the pilot projects, said a Union of Concerned Scientists blog on Thursday.
#MealsMatter – Why universal free school meals matter
For the first two years of the pandemic, there was such a thing as a free lunch — for public school kids, at least. To blunt a spike in hunger caused by job losses and school closures, the federal government made school meals free, even available as ‘grab and go,’ for virtually all children. But Republicans blocked a renewal of the program last spring, accusing Democrats of exploiting emergency measures to enact lasting changes.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Cheaper ingredients, less meat: Consumers say that because of inflation, they will buy lower-cost ingredients and serve less food at holiday meals by skipping appetizers, offering fewer side dishes, and putting less meat on the table. (farmdoc daily)
Year-round E15 bill: With Congress due to adjourn by the end of the month, two dozen lawmakers filed a House companion to the Senate bill that would allow the year-round sale of E15 and other higher blends of ethanol into gasoline. (Rep. Craig)
Colorado leads grocery probe: State Attorney General Phil Weiser said Colorado will lead a multistate investigation of the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons. (Denver Post)
Extend dairy programs deadline: Farmers now have until Jan. 31, an extension from the original deadline of Dec. 9, to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage subsidy programs, said the Farm Service Agency. (USDA)
Mexico reconsiders GMO policy: Mexico has offered to delay a ban on imports of GMO corn until 2025, and said it was working on modifications that could allow imports of yellow corn, used in livestock feed, while restricting imports of white corn, used in tortillas. (Reuters)
