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Frost and dry weather damage crop in Russia, world’s top wheat exporter

Russia will harvest a markedly smaller wheat crop this summer due to harsh weather that will also reduce the wheat harvest in Ukraine, said the Agriculture Department on Wednesday. U.S. growers will see higher farm-gate prices for their wheat and larger exports as a result of the setbacks in the Black Sea region, said the USDA.

USDA aims to isolate, exhaust H5N1 virus in dairy herds

The USDA's strategy against bird flu in dairy cattle is to identify infected herds and wait for the virus to die out within the herds, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday. "I'm confident we have a good understanding of the virus and how it is being transferred," he added.

Idaho alpacas are first in the world to be infected with bird flu

Four alpacas in a small Idaho herd were infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus —  the first known infection of alpacas in the world, said the Agriculture Department on Tuesday. The alpacas were on the same backyard farm that culled its poultry earlier this month due to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

USDA study shows cooking kills bird flu virus in meat

In tests conducted by USDA scientists, the H5N1 bird flu virus did not survive in hamburgers cooked to internal temperatures of 145 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit, said the Agriculture Department on Thursday. “These results validate that [Food Safety and Inspection Service] recommended cooking temperatures are sufficient to kill H5N1 in meat,” it said.

Nebraska and Iowa again have top ag districts

The vast 3rd Congressional District of Nebraska and the 4th Congressional District of Iowa, separated by the Missouri River, are the top farm districts in America, based on the value of their crops and livestock, said the Agriculture Department on Wednesday.

EPA, FDA, and USDA will overhaul biotech regulations

The three federal agencies that share jurisdiction over genetically engineered plants and animals said on Wednesday that they would update and streamline biotechnology regulations in five areas, including modified food animals. The United States is a worldwide leader in agricultural biotechnology.

Revival of USDA reports would cost $7.5 million

USDA officials said that if the money became available, they would restore a handful of crop and livestock reports that were discontinued in April because of a funding gap. “We have heard from our data users how valuable this information is,” said Troy Joshua, executive producer for the Agricultural Statistics Board, on Wednesday.

Revive discontinued reports, lawmakers ask USDA

Three lawmakers who oversee the USDA budget urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to reinstate a handful of reports that were cancelled recently for budgetary reasons. "These reports provide critical supply-and-demand data that are not available in any other [USDA] report and are essential to preventing market volatility," wrote Reps. Andy Harris and Sanford Bishop and Sen. John Hoeven.

FDA clarifies its approach to biotech animals

The Food and Drug Administration, the lead U.S. regulator of genetically engineered animals, issued two documents to clarify its risk-based oversight of the creatures and their developers. The agency exercises varying levels of scrutiny, ranging from full-scale review of an animal and its risk profile to instances in which developers can take an animal directly to market without consulting the FDA.

USDA is testing ground beef for bird flu virus

Agriculture Department scientists are conducting three beef safety studies following the first-ever discovery of bird flu in dairy cows a month ago, said a USDA spokesperson on Monday. The studies include tests of ground beef purchased at grocery stores in states with infected herds.

USDA mandates bird flu tests of dairy cows before transport

Dairy farmers will be required to test their cattle for the H5N1 bird flu virus before shipping them across state lines, announced Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Wednesday as the government tries to prevent the spread of the disease and learn more about how it is transmitted. The virus, a lethal threat to poultry, has moved from cow to cow, herd to herd, and cow to poultry, and has appeared in cows with no symptoms.

House Republicans embrace ‘pretty radical’ farm bill ideas — Vilsack

Most of the Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee — 21 of 29 — support "pretty radical" farm bill proposals at a time when only a bipartisan bill is sure of enactment, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday. "It just underscores the difficulty of getting to a farm bill" when control of Congress is almost evenly divided, he said.

USDA announces update of WIC food packages

The USDA has completed a months-long update of the foods available through the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) to reflect the latest nutrition science, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday. The new list, which includes a significant expansion of fruit and vegetable benefits, would take effect in about 60 days.

House conservatives would rewrite farm supports in Trump’s name

Congress would cut off crop subsidies to wealthy farmers and require growers to pay at least half of the cost of crop insurance premiums if it adopted the policies proposed by Donald Trump when he was president, said the Republican Study Committee in its budget outline for this fiscal year. The group, which speaks for social and fiscal conservatives, said its budget "adopts many of the reforms proposed by the Trump administration to reform and streamline federal spending on agricultural programs."

USDA report looks at ways to grow biomass market

Expanding the market for biomass-based products, which include furniture, bioplastics, and biofuels, would create new sources of revenue for the agricultural sector, said a USDA report released on Thursday. It recommends a broad-ranging effort by the government to encourage greater production.

Protect SNAP benefits, create farm revenue streams in farm bill — White House

The White House warned lawmakers against cutting SNAP in the new farm bill on Monday and said they should embrace climate-smart agriculture and other practices that would boost farmer income across the board, rather than pamper big operators. Farm bill leaders have been deadlocked for months over crop subsidies, SNAP, and climate funds.

Congress avoids government shutdown, for fourth time

The House and Senate speedily passed a short-term government funding bill on Thursday, averting a partial government shutdown this weekend that would have included the USDA. “Now let us finish the job of funding the government so we don’t have to do this again,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Equity Commission recommends ‘sweeping and generational change’ at USDA

The Agriculture Department, whose programs range from crop subsidies to public nutrition, would reform its operations to assure fair treatment of everyone under the recommendations of an administration-appointed commission, delivered in a final report on Thursday. Co-chair Ertharin Cousin said the goal was “to ensure equity becomes part of the DNA as well as the culture of this great organization.”

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