A leader in the vegan food industry claims lab-grown meat will be on the market by the end of next year. Hampton Creek, the company behind vegan mayonnaise and cookie dough revealed this week it has been secretly developing technology to produce lab-made meat and seafood, or as they call it, “clean meat.” Business Insider reports that if Hampton Creek …
Brazil Cattle Prices Stumble Following Meat Inspection Scandal
Cattle prices in Brazil are posting the biggest losses in a decade to start a year following this springs investigation into a meat inspection scandal. Bloomberg News reports that since the scandal, JBS SA, Brazil’s largest cattle buyer, is purchasing fewer cattle due to a financial squeeze on the company. Even worse, JBS no longer offers cash upon delivery of …
USDA Seeking Public Input on GMO Labeling
The Department of Agriculture is seeking public input on GMO labeling. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service posted 30 questions for the public this week regarding labeling food items containing genetically modified ingredients. The feedback, according to Politico, will help the agency develop a proposed rule governing how food manufacturers disclose when products contain genetically engineered ingredients. Questions include: What terms …
House Ag Budget Not Aligned with Trump Proposal
The House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee budget discussed Wednesday does not align with the budget proposal for agriculture by President Donald Trump. The bill totals $20 billion in discretionary funding, which is $876 million lower than the fiscal year 2017 enacted level and $4.64 billion above the president’s budget request, according to the Hagstrom Report. The bill allows for a total …
BPI Settles With ABC over Pink Slime Lawsuit
Beef Products Inc. and ABC News have reached a settlement in a lawsuit over ABC’s use of the term pink slime. Meat industry publication Meatingplace reports that no terms of the settlement have been disclosed, but BPI announced Wednesday morning that the company was “extraordinarily pleased” to have reached a settlement. ABC also released a statement, saying, “ABC has reached …
Wiping Out Bacteria with Nanoparticle-Cotton Fibers
Shoe liners that protect from harmful bacteria or bandages that treat wounds are some of the potential uses for a new technology developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists. ARS materials engineer Sunghyun Nam developed an inexpensive, effective and environmentally friendly method to kill bacteria by creating silver nanoparticles inside cotton fibers. For more than a century, clothing and medical supplies have …
Adam Putnam One of First Individuals Awarded 2017 US Water Prize
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam was presented with the 2017 US Water Prize in acknowledgment of his leadership on water issues in Florida. The prize was award by the US Water Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the nation about the true value of water and advancing policies and programs that manage water resources to advance a …
Ag Industry Urges Trump to Appoint Full USDA Leadership Team
As President Donald Trump approaches the 200-day mark of his administration, more than a dozen prominent agriculture organizations are urging him to move quickly to fill vacancies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). “With a struggling rural economy—which has seen a 55 percent decrease in income over the last three years—we need leaders and decision makers in place to …
Syngenta Announces Goals Following Merger with ChemChina
Syngenta is striving to strengthen its leadership position in crop protection and to become an ambitious number three in the agriculture seeds sector. In a news release this week, the company announced its priorities now that the takeover deal by ChemChina is complete. The company aims to profitably grow market share through organic growth and collaborations and is considering targeted …
Perdue, Branstad, to Celebrate U.S. Beef in China
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad will mark the return of U.S. beef to China this week. Friday, the duo will celebrate U.S. beef exports returning to China by traveling to the nation and ceremonially cut a prime rib that originated from Nebraska. Perdue and Branstad will attend events and meet with officials in China …