The National Council of Agricultural Employers is seeking information on $98 million provided to the UFW Foundation to distribute to farmworkers, alleging that some of the workers claimed they were told they had to sign union authorization cards in order to receive the money.
NCAE sent a Freedom of Information Act request to USDA Tuesday related to UFW Foundation’s portion of about $670 million used to provide $600 COVID relief payments to farmworkers.
Within two months of the program’s launch in March 2023, NCAE said it “was informed that farmworkers in New York had alleged that UFW Foundation agents apparently misinformed them that signing a UFW ‘card check’ union authorization card was a requirement to obtain the grant funds."
In response to NCAE’s request for an investigation, USDA said it would “conduct additional training and oversight such as program audits,” NCAE said.
By the way: NCAE President and CEO Michael Marsh told Agri-Pulse USDA’s Office of Inspector General is looking into similar allegations in California.
A USDA spokesperson said the dispute “is related to an employment labor relations issue before the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board” and said the Agricultural Marketing Service has been notified of the issue.
“AMS is the agency administering this grant program and is well-positioned to evaluate any allegations or compliance concerns and take appropriate action, including referral to the Office of Inspector General, if necessary,” USDA said. “USDA stands by the Farm and Food Worker Relief program as an important mechanism for providing financial relief to farm and food workers who incurred expenses preparing for, preventing exposure to, and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The UFW Foundation wasn’t immediately available for comment Tuesday.
Senate Ag leaders question USDA over tribal, senior food assistance disruptions
Senate Agriculture Committee leaders are urging Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack to address supply chain disruptions and shortages in tribal, senior food assistance programs.
This is the fourth bipartisan congressional letter to USDA in a week on the matter. Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and ranking Republican John Boozman of Arkansas write that they have heard from Indian tribal organizations, food banks and other groups regarding delayed or canceled food deliveries through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
Senators included questions about stakeholder communication, the process of consolidating warehouse contracts and some of the short-term solutions USDA has put in place.
Read more about the FDPIR and CSFP disruptions and other congressional actions in our newsletter later this morning.
Harris not expected to veer too far from Biden agenda on trade, climate change
If Kamala Harris wins the presidency, don’t expect too see much change on trade or climate change policy, at least initially, we also report in today’s Agri-Pulse newsletter, which also includes stories on problems with a food distribution program on tribal lands and the growing ag trade deficit.
Other articles look at rail delivery issues with the harvest looming, the slump in the agricultural economy and the ag trade deficit, which is projected to increase in fiscal 2025. Finally, we report on activities of the Flinchbaugh Center, named for Barry Flinchbaugh, the renowned agricultural economist who passed away four years ago.
Ag cooperative launches rural healthcare program
Iowa-based Landus Cooperative announced the launch of a healthcare program for thousands of its farmer-owners at the Farm Progress Show.
Landus Health and Conduit Health -- the first-of-its-kind healthcare program for an agriculture cooperative -- includes comprehensive coverage with a focus on telemedicine and serving users in rural communities, including free preventative and telemedicine visits and a free TytoCare kit for at-home care.
At the Farm Progress Show, Landus CEO Matt Carstens told Agri-Pulse the inspiration for the program came from “getting a solution around virtual to meet them [farmers] where they’re at, whether it’s in the cab or in the house, and making sure it’s powerful.”
“If we’re gonna say we’re for the farmer, we have to live it,” he added.
Why it matters: Members of farm families have often worked off-farm jobs for the primary purpose of getting insurance. Landus Health and Conduit Health changes how farmers and their families can make choices, Carstens said.
Democratic women push House speaker to revise farm bill
Ahead of the House’s return from August recess, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus are asking House Speaker Mike Johnson to revise the farm bill that advanced out of the House Agriculture Committee earlier this year.
In a letter, the lawmakers suggest Johnson work with House Democrats to “pass a bipartisan farm bill that truly helps women and families.” They warn that nutrition provisions of the House farm bill restricting future updates to the Thrifty Food Plan would lead to cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“Including cuts to SNAP benefits in the farm bill undermines the inclusion of any other positive advancements and could jeopardize final passage of the bill, putting farmers and families in harm’s way,” lawmakers write. “We are committed to passing a farm bill that supports both our farmers and ranchers, and nutrition assistance for women and their families.”
The letter is signed by over 65 representatives, including House Agriculture Committee members Jahana Hayes of Connecticut, Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Chellie Pingree of Maine, Alma Adams of North Carolina, Shontel Brown of Ohio, and Jill Tokunda of Hawaii.
Seafood distributor who disguised cheap products to pay more than $1 million
A Mississippi seafood distributor and two company managers have pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to label and market cheap, imported seafood as coming from local, more expensive species.
Quality Poultry and Seafood Inc. sales manager Todd Rosetti and business manager James W. Gunkel both pleaded guilty to misbranding seafood, according to a Justice Department release. They will be sentenced in December.
The company, which the release calls the largest seafood wholesaler on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, agreed to pay $1 million in forfeitures to the U.S., as well as a criminal fine of $150,000.
Final word: “His great sense of humor was infectious and helped influence people across the political spectrum." – Former Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman on Barry Flinchbaugh.
