Easter egg supply jeopardized amid bird flu surge – April 4, 2022

Easter egg supply jeopardized amid bird flu surge

In three weeks, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have killed more than 4 percent of the egg-laying chickens in America. “Egg availability may be limited leading into Easter,” traditionally a high-demand period for eggs, said analysts at rural lender CoBank.

‘The truth is California does not have enough water’

California’s San Joaquin Valley is getting drier, hotter and more polluted as climate change intensifies, and its communities will need to embrace more equitable agricultural strategies in order to survive, according to local experts and political leaders. “The truth is California does not have enough water to continue with its current practices,” said Angel Santiago Fernandez-Bou, a postdoctoral scholar in environmental systems at University of California, Merced. “Climate change will make it worse.”

SNAP lowered rural poverty by 1.4 percentage points

Food stamps had a greater effect in reducing poverty rates in rural America than in urban areas when viewed through the Census Bureau’s Supplemental Poverty Measure, said an American Enterprise Institute newsletter. Northwestern University professor Diane Schanzenbach calculated that SNAP lowered the poverty rate in rural areas by 1.4 percentage points compared to a 0.8 point reduction in urban America.

TODAY’S QUICK HITS House votes to legalize marijuana: On a 220-204 roll call, the House passed a bill to legalize marijuana nationwide, but prospects are poor for Senate agreement. (CNBC)

Early bird lays the egg: Wild birds in the upper Midwest are laying eggs nearly a month earlier than in the past due to climate change, says an analysis in the Journal of Animal Ecology. (Washington Post)

Healthier New York meals: Beginning July 1, the meals and snacks served to more than 1 million New York City residents through 11 city agencies will be governed by guidelines that limit sugar content and eliminate sugary beverages in vending machines. (Mayor Eric Adams)

Food vs. fuel, redux: The boom in renewable fuels, such as renewable diesel, is driving up industrial demand for vegetable oils at the same time cooking-oil prices are surging. (The Counter)

Fewer farms, more milk:
The number of dairy farms in Wisconsin fell 5 percent in the past year while milk production was the largest ever. Both are long-running trends. (PBS Wisconsin)

ON THE CALENDAR

Monday
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visits Mexico, through Tuesday.
U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai meets government officials and stakeholders in Singapore, through Wednesday.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is scheduled to release Working Group III contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report on Monday. The working group has expertise in socioeconomic scenarios, energy demand, consumption patterns, technology innovation and financial aspects of response options.
Eric Wilkinson of Hertz Farm Management Inc. speaks on farmland values in Illinois and neighboring states at a luncheon of The Chicago Farmers, 12:30 p.m. ET, Chicago.
Opening day for landowners to enroll in the CRP Grasslands option, through May 13. The Conservation Reserve pays landowners to idle fragile cropland for up to 15 years.
USDA issues the first Crop Progress report of the year, 4 p.m. ET. The weekly report lists planting, fruiting and harvesting progress and overall condition of selected crops in major producing states. The report is issued throughout the growing season.
Tuesday
House Agriculture Committee hearing, “A 2022 review of the farm bill: Renewable energy opportunities in rural America,” 10 a.m. ET, 1300 Longworth.
House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing, “Investing in wildfire management, ecosystem restoration and resilient communities: Exploring the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” 10 a.m. ET, 1324 Longworth.
Purdue University releases the monthly Ag Economy Barometer, a gauge of the agricultural economy’s health.
Senate Commerce Committee hearing, “Ensuring transparency in petroleum markets,” 10 a.m. ET, 253 Russell.
USDA releases Hatchery Production Annual report, 3 p.m. ET.
Wednesday
House Agriculture subcommittee hearing, “A 2022 review of the farm bill: International trade and food assistance programs,” 10 a.m. ET, 1300 Longworth.
EPA administrator Michael Regan is lead witness at Senate Environment and Public Works hearing on the proposed fiscal 2023 budget for the EPA, 10 a.m., 406 Dirksen.
Leaders of six petroleum companies, including ExxonMobil and Chevron, testified at the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, “Gouged at the gas station: Big Oil and America’s pain at the pump,” 10:30 a.m. ET, 2123 Rayburn.
The House may vote as early as Wednesday on HR 3807, “Relief for Restaurants and other Hard-Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022,” providing $60 billion to support restaurants and other food and beverage purveyors in response to Covid-19, according to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. The Rules Committee is to meet on Tuesday to discuss the bill.
Thursday
House Select Subcommittee on the Climate Crisis hearing, “Investing in energy efficiency to promote energy security and cut energy bills,” 9 a.m. ET, 1334 Longworth.
House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing, “Russian seafood ban implementation and seafood traceability,” 1 p.m. ET, 1324 Longworth.
Friday
USDA releases monthly Crop Production and WASDE reports, noon ET. The reports will gauge supplies of major U.S. commodities and the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on global wheat, corn and sunflower stocks. In May, the USDA will make its first projections of U.S. crop production this year.
Saturday
North American Millers Association spring conference, through April 12, Isle of Palms, South Carolina.

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