Vilsack sees ‘no significant’ gains from opening Conservation Reserve
The United States stands ready to provide food aid overseas if it is needed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a letter to grain merchandisers. At the same time, the letter closed the door to suggestions for the emergency planting of crops on land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve, saying it would be impractical.
Land use and farming have crucial role to play in avoiding climate catastrophe
A major UN climate report released on Monday lays out a broad array of strategies for limiting emissions and mitigating climate change. While the most critical priority is to quickly phase out the use of fossil fuels, the report outlined many opportunities to help limit climate change by altering how land is managed and food is produced. And, critically, most of these options are “available and ready to deploy,” the authors wrote.
Bird flu hits 11 turkey farms
Some 417,600 turkeys will be culled due to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza on 11 farms over the weekend, said the Agriculture Department on Monday. The outbreaks helped raise the U.S. toll from the viral disease to 22.85 million birds, most of them chickens.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Big corn sale to China: In the first major sale to the country since May 2021, private exporters reported that China would buy 1.084 million tonnes (42.7 million bushels) of U.S. corn for delivery during the current marketing year and in 2022/23. (USDA)
Torres Small on rural energy: Agriculture Undersecretary Xochitl Torres Small and two USDA rural development officials will be the lead witnesses at a House Agriculture subcommittee hearing today on renewable energy in rural America. (House Ag)
Ads for Democratic aggies: The House Majority PAC, which supports Democrats, has reserved advertising time in 50 media markets across the country, including the districts of four House Agriculture Committee members: Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Cindy Axne of Iowa, Angie Craig of Minnesota, and Sanford Bishop of Georgia. (New York Times)
‘Tipping point’ truck: The ubiquitous pickup truck could be the transformative vehicle for the adoption of electric cars and trucks in the middle of the country, say analysts. (Harvest Public Media)
Faux foie gras: The Better Meat Co., a faux meat maker, plans to sell a foie gras look-and-taste-alike this spring that’s made using a protein from mushroom roots and will cost less than foie gras from ducks and geese. (Food Dive)
