Stopgap funding possible: While House Speaker Mike Johnson said “we’re pushing everybody hard” for passage of full-year appropriations bills, he did not rule out another short-term government funding bill. The USDA will run out of money on Jan. 19. (Roll Call)
Tainted applesauce cases mount: Nationwide, the FDA has received 87 confirmed complaints or reports of adverse effects from lead-contaminated applesauce along with an additional 209 probable cases and 26 suspect cases. (Marler Blog)
Infected feral pigs: Two feral pigs captured in Calaveras County, about 80 miles southeast of Sacramento, California, tested positive for pseudorabies, a viral disease that causes reproductive problems and even death in livestock. (National Hog Farmer)
Supply chain funding: At a farm show in Pennsylvania, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a cooperative agreement with the state to offer $26 million in grants for projects to strengthen the resilience of local and regional food systems. (USDA)