SNAP boost for Kentucky: An estimated 14,000 low-income households in Kentucky may be eligible for a month of food stamps under the Disaster-SNAP initiative for people living in disaster areas, said the USDA. (Food and Nutrition Service)
An unfair healthy soils program?: A California program that helps farmers adopt sustainable soil practices “is ‘massively disadvantageous’ to small-scale farmers with diversified operations, as well as to those who can’t speak English fluently,” says a sustainable agriculture advocate. (Inside Climate News).
Rep. Bobby Rush retires: Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said he will not run for an 11th term; the former Black Panther is the 24th House Democrat who will not seek re-election this year. (Chicago Sun-Times)
Expedite ag exports: The Port of Oakland will open a 25-acre off-terminal container yard to collect and store containers of agricultural products for rapid pickup as part of an effort to speed up farm exports and end a year-old shipping crisis. (Port of Oakland)
New SOAR chair: Barbara Schaal, a former first vice president of the National Academy of Sciences, was named as chair of the board of directors of Supporters of Agricultural Research, a non-partisan coalition that advocates for public research funding for agriculture. (SOAR)
Organic Week rescheduled: The annual Organic Week gathering in Washington will be held from March 28-30, rather than the originally scheduled Jan. 31-Feb. 2, said organizers, who pointed to the surge in Covid-19 cases. (Organic Trade Association)