Articles by Steve Davies

Meatpacking industry under fire at House hearing

03/03/21 1:22 AM By Steve Davies

Labor advocates and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., called for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for COVID-19 that likely would require employers to adopt programs to prevent transmission in their workplaces.

Lawsuit over ammonia-reducing feed drug can proceed, judge finds

03/03/21 1:05 AM By Steve Davies

A federal judge has cleared the path forward for a lawsuit challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s 2018 approval of Experior, a drug developed by Elanco that FDA said reduces the amount of ammonia gas released from beef cattle manure.

Daybreak March 2: Equity, fairness top priorities for Vilsack

03/02/21 5:00 AM By Ben Nuelle, Bill Tomson, and Steve Davies

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is laying out some new measures he’s taking to address equity and fairness in farm payments and in markets.

Daybreak March 1: Vilsack makes case to NFU

03/01/21 5:41 AM By Steve Davies and Bill Tomson

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack meets virtually today with the National Farmers Union as he makes his first appearance before a farm group since taking office last week.

Daybreak Feb 26: Vilsack keeping powder dry on climate plan

02/26/21 5:00 AM By Philip Brasher, Bill Tomson, Steve Davies, and Ben Nuelle

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is meeting with climate advisers today as he moves ahead on what will be a top priority for his tenure. So far, he’s divulging little about the department’s plans or timetable for addressing the issue. But he does say USDA will be heavily focused on building a case for programs Congress could implement in the next farm bill, due in 2023.

Daybreak Feb 25: He’s back: Vilsack sworn in

02/25/21 5:00 AM By Philip Brasher, Steve Davies, Bill Tomson, and Ben Nuelle

Tom Vilsack is officially wearing the title “agriculture secretary” again. He was sworn in Wednesday evening and will be talking to the media today.

Daybreak Feb 24: Vilsack taking charge at USDA

02/24/21 5:00 AM By Philip Brasher, Ben Nuelle, Bill Tomson, and Steve Davies

Tom Vilsack will be back in very familiar surroundings today after winning easy Senate confirmation as agriculture secretary. He is expected to be sworn in today.

Minority advocates say debt relief provisions have legal backing

02/24/21 1:36 AM By Steve Davies

Advocates for minority farmers say historical discrimination justifies providing payments totaling 120% of debt held by “socially disadvantaged” farmers, as approved by the House Agriculture Committee in its $16.1 billion COVID relief package, part of a larger $1.9 trillion relief bill to be considered by the full House of Representatives.

Daybreak Feb 23: Vilsack faces long to-do list

02/23/21 6:00 AM By Philip Brasher, Spencer Chase, and Steve Davies

The Senate is finally set to vote today on sending Tom Vilsack back to USDA for a new stint as agriculture secretary, more than a month after Joe Biden became president.

Wage rates for H-2A farmworkers up 4.5% in 2021

02/22/21 7:25 AM By Steve Davies

The Adverse Effect Wage Rate that farmers are required to pay H-2A workers is rising by an average of 4.5% nationally to $14.62 per hour this year, with some western and Plains states seeing significantly higher increases.

Newsmakers

View More Videos

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers

01.03.2025

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers: Jan. 3, 2025: Michael Dykes on bird flu in dairy; dietary guidelines

Avian flu was first identified in dairy cattle in March. We asked Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, how USDA’s nationwide milk testing strategy is being implemented to safeguard the food supply and what additional measures may be needed.

Then, Invariant’s Anne MacMillan and Tom Sell with Combest, Sell & Associates discuss the $10B market relief package and what issues they’re watching as the 119th Congress begins.

Want to receive Newsmakers in your inbox every week? Sign up! http://eepurl.com/hTgSAD

Editorial Office - Washington, DC	Sales, Billing & Customer Service- Camdenton, MO
Suite 436A	110 Waterside Drive
1400 Independence Ave. SW	Camdenton, MO 65020
Washington, DC 20250	(573) 873-0800

	Editorial Office - Sacramento, CA
	(916) 402-9227