A post-election farm bill will require high-level dealmaking
The lame-duck session of Congress offers a last chance to enact the new farm bill this year, but it would require compromise on a number of nettlesome policy disputes and an agreement among House and Senate leaders on how much to spend, said farm policy experts. The bill could also be sidetracked by overarching issues such as passing a government funding bill, they cautioned.
Bird flu found in eight dairy herds in Utah, 15th state
The first round of mandatory milk testing in northern Utah identified bird flu infections in eight dairy herds, said the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food on Thursday. Utah is the 15th state to report the avian flu virus in dairy cattle since the disease was first identified in herds in Texas in March.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Formula makers not liable: A Missouri jury decided that the two leading manufacturers of infant formula, Abbott Laboratories and Mead Johnson, were not liable in a product defect lawsuit that sought more than $6 billion in damages. (Law.com)
Co-op financial association launched: The USDA provided $20 million to launch the cooperatively owned Southern Farmers Financial Association, created to improve access to capital for farming in high-poverty areas of the Southeast. (USDA)
Is it tourism or farming?: As agritourism becomes more elaborate, with event venues sprouting in rural settings, the agricultural advisory board in Skagit County, north of Seattle, wants to limit how many gatherings can be held and require them to be related to farming. (High Country News)
