Today’s quick hits, June 6, 2022

A call for shipping reform: In listing ways to reduce inflation, President Biden urged Congress to complete work on ocean shipping legislation to prevent freight lines from charging exorbitant rates for cargo containers. (White House)

Sturgis plant resumes operation: Abbott Nutrition said it restarted production of specialty and metabolic infant formula on Saturday at its plant in Sturgis, Michigan, which had been closed since February. (Abbott)

Farm debt climbs nationwide: Farm bankers say real estate loan balances increased at the fastest rate in nearly four years, reflecting soaring farmland values, and were responsible for the overall increase in agricultural lending during the first quarter of 2022. (Kansas City Fed)

Padilla joins harvest crews: Sen. Alex Padilla, chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, joined farmworkers to harvest radishes and parsley in California’s Central Coast, as part of the UFW’s campaign for immigration reform. (Los Angeles Daily News)

What next for hemp?: Four years after cultivation became legal nationally, industrial hemp is grown on a relatively small amount of cropland and facing uncertainty on whether the FDA will approve CBD as a dietary supplement and food ingredient. (Hemp Benchmarks)