If anyone needed a primer on how hard it is to pass immigration legislation, the GOP reception to the Senate’s border security compromise is a good illustration.
The Border Patrol union endorsed the plan, which includes reforms to the asylum process. But the House GOP leadership issued a joint statement that urges Senate Republicans to discard it, saying the legislation is “riddled with loopholes.”
“Any consideration of this Senate bill in its current form is a waste of time. It is DEAD on arrival in the House. We encourage the U.S. Senate to reject it,” the statement says.
One GOP senator after another came out against the proposal on Monday.
Why it matters: Border security and ag labor reform are intertwined politically. Congressional Republicans largely declined to consider ag labor reform legislation for several years, saying illegal immigration had to be addressed first.
Tyson beats the trade estimates but still has work to do
Tyson Foods reported earnings stronger than analysts’ estimates Monday, lifting its stock price by about 2% at the end of the day.
But company officials also said they had more work to do to “right-size” the company’s footprint, saying that recent plant closures have helped.
In its earnings, the company reported an increase in adjusted operating income for its chicken segment from $77 million in 2023’s first quarter to $192 million this year. Pork also was up, from a $19 million operating loss to a gain of $68 million.
Beef, however, saw an adjusted operating loss of $117 million versus income of $129 million in the first quarter of last year. Prepared foods, at $264 million, remained about the same.
Officials on an investor call Monday, including CEO Donnie King, said the company has not seen significant heifer retention to date.
Northey’s passing elicits praise from those who knew him
Many well-known voices in agriculture issued statements Monday praising Bill Northey after hearing of the passing of the former Iowa ag secretary and USDA undersecretary.
House Ag Committee Ranking Member David Scott said "American agriculture has suffered a tremendous loss.” Monte Shaw, CEO of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, said “my favorite meetings with Bill and Cindy weren’t at his official office, but rather at church. Bill was just a great human being.”
Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig said that when Northey was secretary, “he had a tremendously positive impact on our state and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, but his influence went well beyond our borders. Whether it was on issues like soil conservation, water quality, renewable energy, foreign animal disease preparedness or trade, Bill was respected nationally and internationally.
“Bill was smart and people looked toward his leadership on every issue he focused on,” Naig said.
You can read our story on Bill Northey on our website.
Frozen food can cut waste, administration told
Groups representing the frozen food industry and meat and seafood sectors are pushing the Biden administration to make frozen foods a key part of a federal effort to reduce food loss and waste.
In comments on the administration’s draft national strategy for reducing food waste, the groups say national consumer education should highlight the ways frozen foods can help address the problem.
The groups also say that new investment is needed in expanding the cold chain infrastructure, especially for underserved communities.
The groups that signed the comments include the American Frozen Food Institute, the Meat Institute, National Fisheries Institute, the National Pork Producers Council and the Washington Red Raspberry Commission.
By the way: The industry comments also highlight the role that consumer confusion around date labeling plays in food waste. “One technological opportunity is to transition from the use of shelf-life based labels on food packages to real-time shelf life indicators, an initiative likely to better assist consumers in reducing food waste,” the comments say.
PFAS levels higher in those that ate more food away from home, study says
People who ate more tea, processed meats and food prepared outside of home had higher levels of PFAS in their bodies than those who ate more foods prepared at home, a study on the so-called “forever chemicals” has found.
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“Observing that links between PFAS levels and food products change over time suggests that dietary changes could impact PFAS levels in the body,” said Hailey Hampson, a University of Southern California doctoral student in the Keck School’s Division of Environmental Health and the study’s lead author.
The findings suggest that public monitoring of certain products, such as beverages, could help identify and eliminate contamination sources.
The study is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and led by USC researchers.
Finite Carbon starts its own marketplace for forest carbon projects
Finite Carbon, a supplier of forest carbon offsets, has launched its digital Finite Carbon Marketplace to help connect carbon buyers with forest carbon projects.
According to the company’s release, there are currently five projects covering more than 260,000 acres available for carbon credit purchases, which represent 5.7 million credits available to buy.
The marketplace includes “landowner testimonials and site-specific photos and videos” to help buyers build a connection with each project and know where the carbon credits are coming from. Finite Carbon says more projects will be available on the marketplace soon.
Farmers, veterinarians to hit up Hill
Fifteen farmers are heading to Capitol Hill today to visit 50 congressional offices on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation. Their main topic of discussion will be protecting Inflation Reduction Act conservation funds designated for “climate-smart” practices as lawmakers debate whether to incorporate the dollars into the upcoming farm bill.
More than 140 veterinarians, meanwhile, will push lawmakers on behalf of the American Veterinary Medical Association for resources to support more vets in rural areas. One of the bills they are pushing is the Rural Veterinary Workforce Act, which would end a federal tax on a program that repays up to $25,000 per year in student loans taken out by veterinarians working in shortage situations.
Correction: Monday’s Daybreak should have said an Economic Research Service report “details the differences between socially disadvantaged farmers and white producers when it comes to farm programs.”
For more news, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com.
Philip Brasher, Hannah Pagel and Noah Wicks contributed to this report.
Questions, comments, tips? Send an email to Associate Editor Steve Davies.
