JAB grows its coffee stable (CNBC): The Luxembourg company JAB Holdings, already a giant in coffee, beverage, and fast casual chains, acquired Pret A Manger for $2 billion.
The Central Valley likes its GOPs (New York Times): Voters in the heavily agricultural, and largely conservative, Central Valley stick with their Republican lawmakers, from House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to Reps Devin Nunes and David Valadao despite talk in the cities of resistance.
The county agent is harder to find (New Food Economy): The county agent, the final link in the chain that delivers the fruit of U.S. agricultural research to the farmer, is imperiled by budget cuts and farm consolidation; job slots are down by 30 percent in 30 years.
For dairy farms, a reprieve (Pittsburgh Press-Gazette): Several dozen dairy farms in western Pennsylvania have new buyers for their milk, ending a two-month scramble, but the industry faces a long-term headache: Americans consume less milk than is produced.
‘Made in Italy’ rule is unfair – Canada (iPolitics): Canada may challenge Italy at the WTO over its country-of-origin labeling rule for pasta, rice and other products. Durum wheat sales plummeted since the rule took effect, aided by a whispering campaign against imports.
Uncertainty over corn exports (farmdoc Daily): With the trade year at its midpoint, conditions suggest U.S. corn exports “will remain robust barring a breakdown in trade negotiations” with China and on the new NAFTA.
Massachusetts gets HIP again (U.S. Food Policy): Gov Charlie Baker signed a supplemental budget bill with funding to extend the popular Healthy Incentives Program through the end of the fiscal year. HIP provides a bonus amount to SNAP recipients to buy fruits and vegetables.