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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Since COVID-19 disrupted the meat supply chain in the spring, there has been a growing consensus between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill that the meat processing industry needs more competition, but that comes with a few barriers.
A key senator involved in developing the Republican coronavirus relief package for farmers defended the broad authority it gives to USDA to spend $20 billion in farm aid, but he said the Trump administration likely will need to provide assurances about how the money will be spent.
As coronavirus cases rise across the country, ag economists expect producers could face headwinds such as volatility and uncertainty in demand for their products for the remainder of the year and into 2021.
Livestock producers are welcoming the first “significant purchase” of foot-and-mouth disease vaccine by the Department of Agriculture to stockpile a new vaccine bank.
USDA’s Risk Management Agency will move premium dates and boost subsidies under the Livestock Risk Protection insurance program meant to protect producers against price declines.
House Democrats released a massive new coronavirus relief bill that would provide $16.5 billion in additional direct payments to farmers and authorize USDA to compensate producers who have to dispose of livestock and poultry that can’t be sold because of processing disruptions.
Shutting down, slowing processing line speeds, and reducing work hours is becoming a reality for livestock processors as more workers contract COVID-19, and ag economists argue timing of closures in the coming weeks is everything.
The American Farm Bureau Federation delivers the Trump administration a detailed list of requests to swiftly use its authority under the $2 trillion economic stimulus package to rescue “all sectors of agriculture” from the twin blows of plunging commodity prices and the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump signs into law a $2 trillion economic stimulus package that includes $23.5 billion in aid to farmers and ranchers as well as marketing loan relief.
As discussions and debates over climate change legislation and policy heat up in Congress and in the federal government, nearly two dozen major farm groups announced a coalition today to ensure the views of U.S. agriculture are well represented.