USDA economists continue to trim their forecast for supermarket prices this year. The Economic Research Service now estimates that the cost of eating at home will be 5.9% higher this year. That’s down from the forecast of 6.3% in May and 8.6% back in February.
The lower forecast reflects the continued softening in food prices. Supermarket prices edged up 0.1% in May after falling 0.2% in April and 0.3% in March.
By comparison: The 20-month average increase for supermarket prices is 2.5%.
The biggest drivers of food inflation for this year are expected to be fats and oils, processed fruits and vegetables, cereal and bakery products, and sugar and sweets. Pork is the only food category expected to be cheaper this year over last; USDA projects pork prices will be down 2.1% from 2022.
APHIS provides $502M to prepare for avian influenza detections
Highly pathogenic avian influenza detections are decreasing, but the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service doesn’t plan to let up on its efforts to prevent the disease from spreading, announcing an investment of $502 million for additional disease preparations.
HPAI in commercial poultry farms is down from 18 facilities in May 2022 to zero in May 2023, although poultry flocks around the world continue to manage the disease. “This funding transfer will ensure that USDA can continue to stay on top of this outbreak and be ready to respond if detections increase,” APHIS says.
“Previously, USDA has invested more than $793 million in emergency funding to respond to this outbreak by implementing quarantine restrictions, depopulating affected flocks, disposing of depopulated birds, cleaning and eliminating the virus from affected premises, and conducting surveillance in surrounding areas,” the agency adds.
Senate bill proposes EQIP subprogram for small-scale producers
A group of Senate Democrats have introduced a bill that would create an EQIP subprogram to support conservation practices on small-scale farms and ranches, while also requiring the Natural Resources Conservation Service to train field staff on small-scale agriculture conservation practices.
The lawmakers say the bill — which also would establish national and state coordinators for the EQIP subprogram, create bonus payments for farms under 50 acres employing soil health practices, and allow small farms to enroll on a continuous basis instead of waiting for the annual ranking period — will make it easier for small farms and ranches to access conservation programs.
The bill is sponsored by Sens. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Angus King, I-Maine, Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Jack Reed, D-R.I., and John Fetterman, D-Pa.
EPA makes $10 million available for pesticide information center
EPA is seeking to continue funding a National Pesticide Information Center to provide “unbiased, accurate, science-based information on a broad range of pesticide-related issues,” the agency said Friday.
The agency said it will accept applications through Aug. 7 for the five-year, $10 million program, which is currently housed at Oregon State.
“Trained experts will respond to questions on the risks associated with pesticide use, restrictions on pesticide use, whom to contact for regulatory enforcement, how to report information on a suspected pesticide exposure and more,” according to the funding opportunity announcement. NPIC program staff also will gather information on “suspected incidents that callers give voluntarily.”
Ukraine sets up company to improve ag exports to Africa
Ukraine has established a state-sponsored company – the Ukrainian-African Trade Mission – in an effort to improve ties with African nations that depend on grain imports, according to the consulting firm UkrAgroConsult.
The mission “will act on a permanent basis to ensure Ukraine's foreign economic interests in African countries and support the process of providing humanitarian aid in them by providing advisory services," said Taras Melnychuk, the representative of Ukraine’s cabinet ministers to the country’s legislature.
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Keep in mind: The United Nations World Food Program has been able to deliver donated Ukrainian wheat to some of the neediest African countries under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, but Russia is now threatening to end the agreement by July 18.
“We continue to work with the parties, including the Russian Federation and Ukraine, to ensure that we can continue with the work of the Black Sea Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding on Russian Food and Fertilizer,” a UN spokesman said this week. “And we’re going to continue with that work as long as we can do that.”
Almond Board takes its message to Mexico with yoga and billboard trucks
U.S. almond exports to Mexico rose by 9% over the past year, but the Almond Board of California wants to see even more growth. That’s why it dispatched two mobile billboard trucks to Mexican shopping malls, supermarkets and gymnasiums this year, where the crews set up snack workshops and held yoga and meditation classes.
“This type of activity reinforces the relevancy of almonds to consumers and is a great complement to our year-long advertising and public relations efforts in the Mexico marketplace,” said Becky Jeffers, the Board’s manager for North America marketing.
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