Articles Tagged with ''pork''

Exports of U.S. beef and pork both experienced a strong finish to the calendar year in December, besting 2019 figures and offering insights into consumer trends around the world and what is yet to come in the new year.

House Democrats have launched an investigation into coronavirus outbreaks in meat processing plants and the Trump administration’s alleged failure to adequately protect workers.

The balance of power in the nation’s capital has shifted; Democrats now control both the presidency and Congress for the first time in a decade.

The outgoing Trump administration is tapping unspent USDA funding to provide coronavirus relief to contract producers for the first time while providing supplemental payments to hog farms. USDA also is adjusting payments calculations for many producers who have already received Coronavirus Food Assistance Program payments.

Farmers who were facing a steep drop in government payments in 2021 will instead see a third round of coronavirus relief payments and other producers and ag processors left out of previous aid programs this year will get help this time, under a massive stimulus package and government funding bill.

Philip Seng, former president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, has been presented Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, which is awarded to people who have made distinguished achievements in international relations and other fields.

U.S. pork exports to China are still very strong, but trade is expected to decline as the Chinese rebuild the country’s swine herd after the devastation of African swine fever. That means that U.S. exporters are going to have to rely more on other markets in coming years.

A handful of ag groups have been pushing the federal government to get farm and food employees right behind health care workers and vulnerable populations in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution line. Now, that request has also been filtered to the nation’s 50 governors.

With farmers under pressure to cut their environmental footprint, global agribusiness giants as well as small tech startups are rushing to come up with ways to slash farm pollutants and make it possible for producers to cash in on carbon credits and other new forms of income.