Agri-Pulse staff

The American Sugar Alliance Young Farmer Advisory Board sent a letter to Congress today, stating that if no-cost U.S. sugar policy were weakened or eliminated during Senate consideration of the Farm Bill, young sugar producers would exit the business and jeopardize future domestic supplies.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., announced today that she will introduce an amendment to the Farm Bill to restore proposed Nutrition Title cuts by reducing federal subsidies for crop insurance companies.

The USDA announced today that organic products certified in the United States or European Union may now be sold as organic in either market, as trade opened up on Friday, June 1, under a new U.S.-EU equivalency partnership.

USDA opened the 17th season of the summer farmers market on the Washington Mall today with guests including Hip Hop Public Health, NFL Athlete Reed Doughty, Fuel Up to Play 60 and employee appearances, including a dancing cow.

USDA Chief Economist Joseph Glauber today announced the selection of Robert Johansson as USDA Deputy Chief Economist.

USDA’s third-quarter forecast released today showed the U.S. farm exports reaching the second-highest level on record at $134.5 billion in fiscal year 2012.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) today revealed its data analysis on crop insurance payments for individual policyholders in each U.S. state and county. EWG obtained the data through the Freedom of Information Act from USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) on the system of government-backed pre

Beginning Monday, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will begin instituting a zero-tolerance policy for six additional strains of E. coli that are responsible for a number of human illnesses.

USDA announced its decision on Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office consolidations proposed in January as part of USDA’s Blueprint for Stronger Service. In total, FSA will consolidate 125 of the 131 offices originally proposed for consolidation.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today denied a Corn Refiners Association (CRA) petition to rename high-fructose corn syrup “corn sugar,” saying the action would confuse U.S. consumers and could even pose a health risk to those suffering from fructose intolerance.