Rebekah Alvey

Dockworkers and their employers appear to have made little progress in discussions over a new contract as the strike that started Monday at East and Gulf Coast ports continues to snarl supply chains for containerized agricultural products.

JD Vance used Tuesday night’s vice-presidential debate to defend Donald Trump’s tariff proposals. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz touted Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s “opportunity economy.”

Some groups and state agriculture leaders are beginning to rethink food as medicine programs to better connect local agricultural systems with nutrition. 

The Food and Drug Administration began implementation of its unified Human Foods Program reorganization and modernization Tuesday, with the hope of elevating nutrition and food safety in the department. 

Parts of Georgia, the Carolinas and Tennessee are experiencing devastating crop and farm damage from Hurricane Helene, which touched land on Florida’s panhandle Thursday.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says he used the G7 ag ministers meeting last week to press his counterparts on several concerns for U.S. producers.

Twelve House members today are introducing a $14 billion disaster aid bill to compensate producers for weather-related losses in 2022 and 2023.

Members of Congress are calling for justice and federal action for those impacted by a listeria outbreak tied to a Virginia Boar’s Head facility as the death toll rises. 

Lawmakers have finished their last major piece of pre-election business – keeping the government from shutting down when the new fiscal year starts next Tuesday. Meanwhile, the majority of Republicans call on their leadership to pass a farm bill before the end of the year

State agricultural leaders plan to continue focusing on economic uncertainty in farm country, food safety issues, and outreach to trade partners in 2025, leaders of state ag departments said at a meeting in Indianapolis this week.