U.S. sugar import rules need an update, says GAO
The government should replace outdated sugar import rules that guarantee higher revenue to domestic growers and drive up food costs, said the Government Accountability Office on Tuesday. “The program creates higher sugar prices, which cost consumers more than producers benefit, at an annual cost to the economy of around $1 billion,” it said.
Report offers options, from modest to controversial, to boost climate resilience in ag
The USDA has taken steps to encourage climate resilience in the farm sector, “but the department could do more,” said the Government Accountability Office on Thursday. In a report, it listed 13 options. Some were relatively modest, such as prioritizing climate resilience as part of conservation planning. Others were sure to be controversial, such as requiring farmers to adopt climate-resilient practices if they want premium subsidies on crop insurance.
Half-a-billion dollars in additional trade-war payments
Big farmers collected an additional $519 million in trade-war payments in 2019 because of the high payment limits written into the so-called Market Facilitation Program by the Trump administration, said a congressional report on Monday. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, senior Democrat on the …