USDA
Beef slumps while pork exports surge
Sam Clovis, tainted in Russia probe, resurfaces in Trump campaign
A national co-chair of the 2016 Trump campaign, Sam Clovis, is a member of the newly announced Farmers and Ranchers for Trump, according to the organization's website. Clovis withdrew his nomination for USDA chief scientist on Nov. 2, 2017, after investigators said he encouraged a campaign staff worker to try to contact Russians claiming to have harmful information about Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
USDA to release coronavirus reserve funds, makes more products eligible
USDA to expand enforcement of organic products
Food-box giveaway to run through Oct. 31, says USDA
The Farmers to Families Food Box giveaway program, the Trump administration's response to hunger during the coronavirus pandemic, will run through Oct. 31 to use up the last of its $3 billion in funds, said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.
Senate bill would block faster line speeds at meat plants during pandemic
White House cites USDA ‘poison pills’ in threat to veto $260 billion spending bill
The White House listed five dozen objections to parts of a $260 billion government funding bill, including bans on implementing two Trump regulations to narrow SNAP eligibility, on Thursday, and threatened a presidential veto. As the House debated the appropriations bill, Republican senators worked on coronavirus relief legislation expected to include billions of dollars of new agricultural assistance.
Pace of coronavirus payments to farmers slows, reasons unclear
Perdue gets $20 billion blank check for ag aid in GOP coronavirus plan
Senate Republicans proposed $20 billion in additional aid to agriculture in their new coronavirus package on Monday, leaving it to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to allot the money. At the same time, Republicans decided against an increase in food stamp benefits, a goal of House Democrats. The proposed increase in farm aid came as the USDA released figures showing that it has only spent a little more than 40 percent of the $16 billion that was earmarked for farmers and ranchers in the CARES act. (No paywall)
Lax rules, little accountability in Trump food-box giveaway, say House Democrats
Cut back on sugar and alcohol, recommends U.S. diet panel
Americans should halve their consumption of added sugars, and men should limit themselves to one drink a day, said a panel of experts helping the government update its advice on healthful diets. The advisory committee report, published on Wednesday, is expected to provide the scientific foundation for a new edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, scheduled for publication late this year.
Beef fuels biggest increase in grocery prices in nearly a decade
Zoetis petitions to make foot-and-mouth vaccine in U.S.
U.S. meat production rebounds from coronavirus slowdowns
There will be more red meat and poultry for Americans to eat this year than seemed likely when the coronavirus hit meat plants in April and May, said the USDA. In its monthly WASDE report, the USDA raised its estimate of meat production by 3 billion pounds, so that per-capita consumption would average 223.8 pounds this year, up by 3.6 pounds from the June forecast.
USDA hasn’t helped small farmers in pandemic, lawmakers say
The USDA has ignored small diversified farms in its $16 billion coronavirus relief program despite specific instructions from Congress to help them, said two U.S. lawmakers on Monday. Wheat growers said they deserved broader coverage, including payments on this year's crop. The USDA has disbursed $5.9 billion since payments began in early June, with $2.6 billion going to cattle producers.
FDA may gain power to order drug recalls
The House Appropriations Committee voted on Thursday to give the Food and Drug Administration the power to order the recall of unsafe prescription and over-the-counter drugs rather than having to ask manufacturers to recall the products voluntarily. The language was added to the $153-billion USDA-FDA funding bill for fiscal 2021, which was approved by voice vote and now goes to the House floor for debate.
Three Farm Belt states get a quarter of coronavirus relief money
House panel votes to block two Trump rules restricting SNAP access