Senate Democrats will apportion USDA bonus funds by themselves
Whether they are Democrats or Republicans, members of the House and Senate Agriculture committees routinely say the panels are the least partisan in Congress, even if the harmony is strained from time to time. In the weeks ahead, the infighting over President Biden’s two-part infrastructure package will test that comity on the Senate panel.
USDA nominees Bonnie and Torres Small are cleared for Senate vote
Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow said the Senate Agriculture Committee is making progress on stocking the USDA with President Biden’s choices for sub-cabinet posts. The committee advanced two nominations to the floor on Tuesday, creating the possibility of confirmation votes before the Senate adjourns for its summer recess.
Today’s Quick Hits
A taste for lab-grown meat: In an online poll, 19 percent of American adults responded “Yes, I am eager to try” cell-cultured meat when it becomes available, while 78 percent of meat eaters said they would prefer “real meat” in the long run. (Piplsay)
Poultry merger draws scrutiny: The Justice Department should carefully examine the proposed merger of Sanderson Farms and Wayne Farms for antitrust implications, since the new poultry processor would control an estimated 15 percent of the U.S. chicken market, said the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Grassley)
Rural vaccination rate inches up: Some 36.7 percent of rural Americans are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, up by 0.5 percentage points in two weeks but still trailing the urban rate of 48 percent. (Daily Yonder)
Record meat exports: U.S. beef and pork exports during the first half of 2021 were the largest on record: 700,087 tonnes of beef and 1.58 million tonnes of pork. (U.S. Meat Export Federation)
Corn damage in Brazil: Drought followed by early frost will reduce the corn crop in Brazil, the world’s third-largest producer and second-largest exporter, to 86.5 million tonnes, down 15.5 percent from last year. (AgriCensus)
