Bill Tomson

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed confidence Monday that the USDA’s plan for voluntary country-of-origin labeling of U.S. meat won't spark trade disputes with its North American trading partners.

Ukrainian stevedores are working to load thousands of tons of donated wheat that will be going to war-torn Yemen a little over a day after the Black Sea Grain Initiative was renewed under a cloud of uncertainty.

Russia, Ukraine and Turkey have agreed to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative and allow Ukrainian wheat, corn and other farm commodities to continue flowing out of Odesa ports as the war rages on, according to a statement by the United Nations on Saturday, the last day for the deal to be extended.

Russia has agreed to a 60-day extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative – just half of the 120-day term that was originally agreed to in last year's deal that allowed Ukraine to export wheat and corn through its Odesa ports.