CDC urges states to give PPE to farmworkers as bird flu safeguard
States should open their stockpiles of personal protective equipment for distribution to farmworkers, with top priority for dairy farms where cows are infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus, said a Centers for Disease Control official. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department confirmed six additional cases of bird flu in cattle on Thursday, ending a 12-day pause in new cases.
‘Absolute barrier’ against spread of bird flu virus is impossible, says Califf
The agriculture and food industry is entering an era of stepped-up precautions against the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus now that it has appeared in cattle for the first time, said FDA commissioner Robert Califf at a Senate hearing on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, there is no absolute barrier that can be created,” he said.
EPA, FDA, and USDA will overhaul biotech regulations
The three federal agencies that share jurisdiction over genetically engineered plants and animals said on Wednesday that they would update and streamline biotechnology regulations in five areas, including modified food animals. The United States is a worldwide leader in agricultural biotechnology.
Revival of USDA reports would cost $7.5 million
USDA officials said that if the money became available, they would restore a handful of crop and livestock reports that were discontinued in April because of a funding gap. “We have heard from our data users how valuable this information is,” said Troy Joshua, executive producer for the Agricultural Statistics Board, on Wednesday.
Solar, other energy production emerging as pillar for farmland values, says Purdue
Farmers are beginning to regard energy production on their land, such as solar, wind, and carbon capture usage, as a factor in driving land values upward, said a Purdue University survey on Tuesday. The survey also found more farmers are exploring leases for solar production, and that lease rates are going higher and higher.
World Bank: ‘Drastically reorient’ agrifood system to blunt climate change
The global agrifood system emits nearly one third of the world's greenhouse gases, far more than previously thought, when hopes of limiting global warming will require net-zero emissions from the sector by 2050, said the World Bank. "Now is the time to drastically reorient the agrifood system, as its current form is pushing the planet beyond its operating limits."
Trash talking the farm bill and lining up votes
House Agriculture chairman Glenn Thompson, who frequently injects red-meat messaging into his public comments, says he expects the Senate to pick up the pace in writing a farm bill. He has set a date, May 23, for a committee vote on his package, though there is no Senate mark-up session in sight.
Winter wheat condition improves as harvest nears
Half of the U.S. winter wheat crop was in good or excellent condition at the start of the week, a vast improvement from the drought-scarred 2023 crop, said the USDA's Crop Progress report on Monday. The USDA will make its first forecast of the harvest on Friday. Winter wheat usually accounts for three-quarters of all U.S. wheat production.
CDC: Texas farmworker only person known to contract bird flu from cattle
At least 200 people have been monitored for possible exposure to the H5N1 bird flu virus and 30 people have been tested, but a dairy worker in Texas is the only person known to contract the disease from cattle, said the Centers for Disease Control. "No additional human cases have been detected" since bird flu was discovered for the first time in cattle six weeks ago.
Revive discontinued reports, lawmakers ask USDA
Three lawmakers who oversee the USDA budget urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to reinstate a handful of reports that were cancelled recently for budgetary reasons. "These reports provide critical supply-and-demand data that are not available in any other [USDA] report and are essential to preventing market volatility," wrote Reps. Andy Harris and Sanford Bishop and Sen. John Hoeven.
H5N1 virus was undetected for months in dairy cattle, researchers say
Genetic testing indicates the H5N1 bird flu virus jumped from wild birds to dairy cattle in Texas approximately four months before it was identified in late March, said a nationwide team of researchers. “Continued transmission of H5N1 HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] within dairy cattle increases the risk for infection and subsequent spread of the virus to human populations.”
FDA clarifies its approach to biotech animals
The Food and Drug Administration, the lead U.S. regulator of genetically engineered animals, issued two documents to clarify its risk-based oversight of the creatures and their developers. The agency exercises varying levels of scrutiny, ranging from full-scale review of an animal and its risk profile to instances in which developers can take an animal directly to market without consulting the FDA.
FERN is a three-time finalist for James Beard awards!
All of us at FERN were thrilled to learn earlier this week that we are a three-time finalist at the James Beard Media Awards, in collaboration with two of our valued partners. <strong>(No paywall)</strong>
‘Let’s get serious,’ says Stabenow, proposing 2024 farm bill
With the new farm bill months overdue, Senate Agriculture Committee chair Debbie Stabenow proposed a farm bill on Wednesday that would boost so-called reference prices — a roadblock issue — while rejecting the $28 billion cut in SNAP sought by conservative Republicans. “That is a hard red line for me,” Stabenow told reporters.
Bird flu virus likely travels from cow to cow via milk, says USDA
The “primary vector” for transmitting the H5N1 bird flu virus from dairy cow to dairy cow seems to be milk from an infected animal, said the USDA’s chief veterinary officer on Wednesday. Dr. Rosemary Sifford also said the USDA was considering whether to offer compensation to dairy farmers for cooperating in the investigation of the disease and for adopting stronger biosecurity safeguards.
GOP vs. Democratic split as House nears farm bill markup
Republicans and Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee disagree on three major issues for the new farm bill — SNAP cuts, climate funding, and USDA access to a $30 billion reserve fund — despite recent exchanges of ideas. The committee apparently is headed for a "very partisan" bill-drafting session at the end of May, said a House Democratic staff worker on Tuesday.
Farm practices will open the door to SAF tax credits, for some
Sustainable aviation fuels will qualify automatically for tax credits of up to $1.25 a gallon if they are derived from corn and soybeans grown under a specific set of carbon-reducing practices, said the Biden administration on Tuesday. Farm groups and biofuel producers grumbled at the restrictions — a fraction of U.S. biofuels would be eligible at present — and said they would seek better terms in the long-term regulations now under consideration.
USDA is testing ground beef for bird flu virus
Agriculture Department scientists are conducting three beef safety studies following the first-ever discovery of bird flu in dairy cows a month ago, said a USDA spokesperson on Monday. The studies include tests of ground beef purchased at grocery stores in states with infected herds.
Coalition: High price, low volume pose challenges to sustainable aviation fuel
Cleaner-burning sustainable jet fuel costs two to four times more than fuel distilled from petroleum, said the newly formed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Coalition, which aims to ramp up production and bring down costs. Aviation accounts for 2 to 3 percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.
FDA: Bird flu viral fragments in milk were dead; pasteurization works
Although fragments of the H5N1 bird flu virus were found in one-fifth of milk purchased in grocery stores, a new round of high-precision testing "did not detect any live, infectious virus" and reaffirmed that the commercial milk supply is safe, said the FDA. <strong>(No paywall)</strong>