Republicans appeal to House leaders for farm bill
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.
The Senate cleared a stopgap spending bill, 78-18, on Wednesday soon after the House approved the measure, 341-82. The continuing resolution will fund the government at FY24 levels through Dec. 20.
Before heading home to campaign, at least 139 House Republicans signed a letter to their leadership urging passage of a new farm bill before the end of the year, according to sources. That number represents more than a majority of the GOP conference.
Take note: Leaders of the House and Senate Ag committees are expected to meet today to discuss the bill. The House and Senate won’t be back in action until mid-November.
Keep in mind: A senior member of the House Ag Committee, Austin Scott of Georgia, tells Agri-Pulse a lot will hinge on the outcome of the Nov. 5 elections. He suggests Republicans will want to get the farm bill out of the way in December if they run the table Nov. 5 and win control of both the White House and Congress. He says passing a farm bill in December would clear the way for dealing with tax policy next year. Key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire at the end of 2025. “The main thing we need for next year … is the tax law,” he said.
Passing a farm bill in a lame duck remains a very heavy lift without the funding to address the commodity title.
Ag groups urge Biden administration to step in to avert port strike
Fifty-six agricultural groups are urging the White House to help prevent a potential longshoremen’s strike shutting down East and Gulf Coast port operations on Oct. 1.
The groups warn in the letter that if port operations are halted, “the impact on the ag supply chain will quickly reverberate throughout agriculture and not only slow or shut down operations, but also potentially lower farmgate prices.”
About 40% of U.S. containerized agricultural exports move through these ports, the letter says.
USDA issues warnings for Hurricane Helene
USDA has issued guidance and shared resources for food safety and local producers expected to be in the path of Hurricane Helene.
The storm was labeled as a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday, and is expected to hit Florida late today. Rainfall before and associated with the storm could trigger “catastrophic” flooding in parts of southern Appalachia, according to the Weather Channel.
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USDA has partnered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other disaster-focused groups to create a Disaster Resource Center, which provides an access point to find disaster information and assistance. The agency also developed a discovery tool directed to rural and agricultural issues specifically.
The agency says it’s critical that producers keep accurate records documenting damage or loss, and to report those to their local USDA Service Center immediately.
Bayer signals Supreme Court bid after appeals court denied en banc review
Bayer is ready to head to the Supreme Court over the issue of FIFRA preemption. That’s the question of whether the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act preempts state pesticide labeling laws.
The company stated its intentions after the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia rejected a request for a rehearing of its opinion issued last month that found FIFRA preempts state laws.
The court’s holding that state-based failure-to-warn claims are preempted by federal law “creates a federal circuit split with the 9th and 11th circuits, and warrants U.S. Supreme Court review on the cross-cutting question of federal preemption, an issue that is central to the Roundup litigation nationwide,” Bayer says.
American diets deficient in fruits and veggies, but most get enough protein
More proof that most Americans don’t have healthy diets came at a meeting Wednesday of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which is working to conclude its scientific report for submission to the secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.
Data presented at the meeting, which continues today, shows that the vast majority of demographic groups don’t eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Non-Hispanic Asians, at 29%, scored the highest in eating enough fruit. They also were the top group when it comes to vegetables, at 21%.
Americans also aren’t consuming enough whole grains, DGAC members found. Fewer than 1 in 10 people in all demographic groups met the recommendation.
People are doing better when it comes to protein. Data showed between 56% and 76% of each demographic group is eating the recommended amount.
The committee's meeting today will include a discussion of dietary food patterns.
Iowa Ag Secretary details trade opportunities with India
Speaking with reporters at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture’s annual meeting, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said he sees potential in India’s growing population and demand as a possible trade market.
Naig and Gov. Kim Reynolds recently returned from a trade mission to India with a delegation of businesses and farm organization representatives.
If India wants to become the third largest global economy, it needs to boost its own productivity while also looking for outside partners, Naig said.
For Iowa farmers, he sees a market for ethanol and livestock genetics, feed and general innovation exchange. There’s also an opportunity for protein markets like eggs, turkey and pork in some regions of India, he said.
Pet food removed from market over positive salmonella, listeria testing
A pet food brand has voluntarily withdrawn certain lots of beef and chicken dog foods after samples tested positive for salmonella and listeria.
Lystn LLC in Pennsylvania, maker of ANSWERS Pet Food, voluntarily withdrew its detailed feed formula, straight beef formula and straight chicken formula for dogs. The “best buy” dates for these products range from January to May 2026.
The company took this step after FDA testing detected salmonella and listeria in samples. Both of these can affect pets eating the product, and humans handling the contaminated products.
Final word. “We think there's an all-of-the-above type opportunity here, but you need to be realistic about that.” – Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig, on India.
