Farm labor wages climb: Farm operators paid workers an average of $17.22 an hour this spring, up 8 percent from a year ago, according to a USDA report that offers “further evidence that inflation is hitting growers hard.” (The Packer)
More formula for WIC: Mead Johnson Nutrition has been approved to ship 4.5 million pounds of base powder from Singapore to make infant formula for use in the WIC program. The powder will produce 5.7 million cans of formula. (FDA)
Plunging crab numbers: The annual survey of the blue crab population in Chesapeake Bay put crab numbers at 227 million, the lowest level in three decades of surveys. (Inside Climate News)
Far more PFAS danger: A group of chemicals found in drinking water, cosmetics, and food packaging pose danger to far more Americans than previously thought, said the EPA, which issued health advisories that encourage local officials to install water filters. (Washington Post)
Vilsack to New Hampshire: On Friday, at a farm in New Hampshire, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce significant funding to reduce regulatory costs and increase market opportunities for local and regional sales. (FERN’s Ag Insider)