Nebraska meat-labeling bill withdrawn (Food Safety News): A bill that would have made Nebraska the second state to ban the labeling of meat substitutes as “meat” was withdrawn by the state senator who introduced it.
Senators support more scrutiny of poultry loans (FERN’s Ag Insider): Senators Chuck Grassley and John Tester wrote a letter supporting the Small Business Administration’s proposed amendments to its guaranteed loan program, which serves poultry farmers. A 2018 SBA report found that many poultry farmers were so beholden to corporate poultry processors that they didn’t qualify as independent small businesses.
General Mills recalls flour (FDA): The company voluntarily issued a nationwide recall of five-pound bags of its Gold Medal Unbleached Flour with a use-by date of April 20, 2020, because tests detected the potential presence of salmonella.
‘Miles and miles’ to go with China (Reuters): Ahead of next week’s Sino-U.S. trade negotiations, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that although the United States and China are “miles and miles from getting a resolution” of their trade war, there is a fair chance that an agreement will be reached eventually.
U.S. soy inventory to double (IGC): World soybean production will set a new high this season despite drought in Brazil. At the same time, the trade war will push U.S. exports “well below the peaks of earlier seasons” and result in a doubling in U.S. inventories in one year.
Drop the steel and aluminum tariffs (NPPC): Business and agricultural groups asked the Trump administration to remove its tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from Mexico and Canada, the two largest markets for U.S. farm exports, so the trading partners will end their tariffs on U.S. products, including farm goods.