National Almond Day is on Sunday and the industry is taking advantage of a rare sight. Since California is one of five places in the world that can productively grow the tree nut, Visit Modesto is offering the “Almond Blossom Cruise,” a self-guided tour through the Central Valley’s blooming almond orchards — the largest bloom in the world.
The more you know: In California, the Almond Board’s value proposition highlights the fact that 90% of the state’s almonds are grown by family farms, which keep up with rigorous sustainability standards and market their almonds as a low-waste product.
F3 leaders hope to increase pathways for farmworker curriculum
During a World Ag Expo panel providing updates on the F3 (Farms Food Future) AgTEC gear – or the workforce development portion of the initiative – leaders responsible for running the certificate program through Central Valley community colleges said they’d like to see students eventually earn transfer degrees at four-year universities.
Kaomine Vang, the AgTEC Innovation Center director at Reedley College, said an expanded program would ideally also include specializations that “industry can tap into,” such as data management for advanced ag technology.
Fernando Garcia, a student advisor at Lemoore College, added that internships would allow students to ease into employment and get even more hands-on experience while completing their curriculum. He hopes the certificate program will eventually be offered in other languages beyond English and Spanish.
Rollins, RFK Jr. in place
USDA finally has a new secretary, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is bringing his MAHA priorities to the federal government as secretary of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy and Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins were confirmed in back to-back votes Thursday and then sworn in to their respective posts.
Take note: Rollins said in an interview with Agri-Pulse Publisher Sara Wyant that she will be reviewing “very, very carefully” government contracts that have been frozen. The pause is leaving farmers and ranchers uncertain about whether or not they will be reimbursed for expenses incurred under programs like the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. She hopes to have some answers as soon as next week.
“Our intent is to ensure that the programs are supporting our farmers and our ranchers, but that we're also aligning with the president's vision on any commitments that have been made,” she said.
By the way: A major conservation funder, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, has told grantees to stop working on projects because of the funding pause.
Read the Rollins interview at Agri-Pulse.com.
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RFK Jr.’s influence kicks in with MAHA EO
Kennedy will lead a newly formed Make America Healthy Again Commission. Other key secretaries will sit on the commission, including Rollins, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and the FDA commissioner.
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President Donald Trump laid out the vision for the new panel in an executive order signed Thursday. The order says federal policy is to “aggressively combat” health challenges facing the country, including obesity and diabetes.
The EO orders agencies to “work with farmers to ensure that United States food is the healthiest, most abundant and most affordable in the world.”
What’s in it for food and ag: The commission’s initial mission is to study possible causes of the “childhood chronic disease crisis,” including diets, environmental factors, government policies and food production techniques.
The panel will submit an assessment that includes an analysis of the “threat” of potential overuse of certain food ingredients, medications and chemicals. Cabinet officials will also examine the potential negative effects of certain prescribed medications, including weight-loss drugs.
In addition: A key ally of Kennedy says he expects him to increase regulation of the food industry. Del Bigtree, CEO of the MAHA Alliance Super PAC, suggested to reporters that one target will be the way the Food and Drug Administration regulates food ingredients, including determining whether a product is “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS.
He said he expects Republican support for increased regulation. “Do Republicans now believe in regulations? … They've all said to me, when it comes to the health of our children, you're damn right we do. So, I do believe you're going to see regulations working to fix this issue.”
He indicated Kennedy also may try to change standards for school meals, although that issue falls under USDA, not HHS.
MAHA Caucus wants to move legislation advancing RFK Jr.’s agenda
Senators in the Make America Healthy Again Caucus are already eyeing legislative ways to implement Kennedy’s vision in the wake of his confirmation.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., a founder of the MAHA Caucus, said lawmakers are readying a package of bills focused on soil health, nutrition and increasing access to costly regenerative agriculture techniques.
Notably, he said the caucus aims to restart the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans process. “I think they need to fire probably all the advisory committee and start over,” Marshall said.
The guidelines figure prominently in procurement for federal feeding programs like school meals. The committee’s work shaping the final recommendation took about 22 months, and included numerous meetings and public comment periods.
Final word:
“It seems winemakers have a lot more options.” — Elizabeth Tomasino, an enology professor at Oregon State University, whose research shows some consumers are open to wines tinged with wildfire smoke.
