Articles by Spencer Chase

The World Trade Organization had ruled in favor of the United States in a dispute with India, a decision that U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman called a major step towards export of poultry, eggs, and other agricultural products to the world’s second most populated country.

Three individuals are bringing a lawsuit before the state’s Supreme Court seeking to send the controversial amendment back to the legislature and eventually to hold a re-vote on the issue. The individuals all play prominent roles in local groups that were opposed to the measure: Wes Shoemyer, Misso

The federal Surface Transportation Board is ordering some of the nation’s largest rail carriers to report a wide array of data on train movements, a step designed to ease the rail backlog problems in the upper Midwest.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on Monday laid out the Obama administration’s commitment to the newly formed Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture, saying it’s time for the country and the world to get serious about the phenomenon.

Thirty national and state agricultural organizations signed a letter calling on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to reconsider new rules on rail tank cars hauling crude oil and ethanol.

Senators John Thune, R-S.D., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today calling on USDA to conduct a thorough economic analysis on the problem. The senators say “no regional or national studies have been conducted to assess the economic impact of these rail

SNA says the costs of meeting new federal nutrition standards for school meals will triple in FY 2015, which begins today. The group called on Congress to take action to prevent schools from having to eat the added costs – an estimated $1.22 billion in new food, labor and administration fees.

USDA officials yesterday announced more than $83 million in funding for several programs designed to encourage healthy, local food options in farmers markets and in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

A bipartisan group of 27 Texas legislators is requesting that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review the site-visit review process that resulted in a USDA plan to allow the importation of fresh beef from areas known to harbor food-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Three of the top US. non-alcoholic beverage makers say they will take steps to cut the calories consumed in beverages by 20 percent per person by 2025.