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Balanced Reporting. Trusted Insights.
Saturday, October 23, 2021
The fresh produce sector is joining dairy processors and the supermarket industry in welcoming the Biden administration’s decision to boost SNAP benefits by 27%. The increase comes from revisions to the Thrifty Food Plan, a calculation that USDA uses to determine benefits. The increase is due in part to the fact that the revision is supposed to bring benefit levels in line with federal dietary guidelines.
More workers and a more diverse food system, including small and medium-sized meatpackers, are necessary for American agriculture to maintain resilience in the face of threats to the system, commenters told USDA as the department embarks on its effort to reimagine the country's agricultural supply chains.
In this opinion piece, Becky Rasdall with the International Dairy Foods Association discusses the international trade issues affecting the agriculture industry.
President Joe Biden is expected to release a new round of spending proposals this week, plus the tax increases to pay for them. Farm groups have been raising concerns for weeks about those tax proposals in the expectation they will include either the elimination of stepped-up basis or a new “transfer” tax on inherited assets.
In this opinion piece, Becky Rasdall with the International Dairy Foods Association discusses the freight issues currently plaguing U.S. dairy and many other commodities and exporting industries.
Tom Vilsack’s return to USDA has been on hold for reasons because of delays in getting the 50-50 Senate organized. But incoming Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow tells Agri-Pulse she hopes to get Vilsack’s nomination for agriculture secretary approved “as soon as possible” once she takes over the committee.
Ben Maddox has been tapped as Bank of America’s western food, agriculture and wine executive and Governor Gavin Newsom appoints three to the California Water Commission.
