animal

Animal Ag Organizations Launch Protein PACT

Dan Cattle, Livestock, Pork, Regulation

U.S. animal agriculture groups Monday announced the Protein PACT. The coalition is the first joint initiative designed to accelerate momentum and verify progress toward global sustainable development goals across the animal protein sector. The Protein PACT was submitted to the UN Food Systems Summit as a sustainability game changer, and sustainable livestock and poultry production will be featured in a …

ncba

Navigable Waters Protection Rule Challenge Dismissed

Dan Legislative, Regulation, Water

Back in May, various environmental groups asked a federal court to vacate the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) enacted during the Trump Administration. The motion, filed in a South Carolina U.S. District Court, asked the court to vacate the rule based on what they call undisputed facts, including what they say has been lost protection for U.S. waters. But last …

label

Clarifying the Product of the USA Label

Dan Aquaculture, Beef, Cattle, Livestock, Marketing, Organic, Pork, Poultry, Rabbits, Regulation, Sheep-Goats, USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a top-to-bottom review of the “Product of the USA” label, which will inform a forthcoming rulemaking on this topic. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “American consumers depend upon accurate, transparent labels to obtain important information about the food they consume. American farmers and ranchers depend upon those same labels to convey information about …

Dairy Margin Coverage

Gillibrand Planning Dairy Subcommittee Hearing on Pricing

Dan Dairy, Legislative, Regulation

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand this week says she is moving forward with a dairy pricing hearing. The New York Democrat announced permission was granted for a hearing in the U.S. Senate Agriculture Subcommittee she chairs on Dairy, Livestock, Poultry, Local Food Systems, Food Safety and Security. Although a Senate calendar date is not yet confirmed, the hearing is supposed to occur …

packers

Revitalizing the Packers and Stockyards Act

Dan Cattle, Legislative, Regulation

On Friday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will soon propose rulemaking designed to improve fairness and transparency within the Packers and Stockyards Act. Rod Bain has the story. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack discusses the proposed rulemaking, such as specific practices with chicken processors and clarifying the definition of an unfair practice.

livestock

Senators Weigh in on Cattle Market Concentration

Dan Cattle, Legislative, Regulation

More capacity, not more regulation may be the direction ag lawmakers take in dealing with cattle market concentration and wildly divergent cattle and beef prices. Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow says dramatic differences of opinion were expected during the recent hearing on the cause of high beef prices for major packers and low prices to small producers. But is …

supreme court

Supreme Court Rules on Ag Property Right

Dan Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Regulation

The U.S. Supreme Court in June ruled that a nearly 50-year-old California regulation requiring agricultural businesses to allow union organizers to enter their property for a minimum number of hours and days each year is an unconstitutional taking without compensation. A California nursery and a shipping company had challenged the regulation as essentially creating an easement across their private property without their …

black

Scott on Block of Loan Relief for Black Farmers

Dan Economy, Legislative, Regulation

Last week, U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard, based in Jacksonville, Florida, blocked a federal plan to provide loan relief to black and other minority farmers who historically faced discrimination. Siding with a white farmer from North Florida, the Judge issued a preliminary injunction against the plan, which was part of the American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe …

Livestock Indemnity Program

Supreme Court Rejects Petition against California Prop 12

Dan Beef, Cattle, Dairy, Equine, Legislative, Livestock, Marketing, Pork, Poultry, Rabbits, Regulation, Sheep-Goats

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday denied a petition to review California’s Proposition 12. The denial was included in a batch of announcements by the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the North American Meat Institute supported its petition, stating the law “provides no benefit to consumers and increases breeding sow mortality.” The Meat Institute file the petition in February, challenging the …

packers

Vilsack Weighs in on PSA Investigator Bill

Dan Beef, Cattle, Legislative, Livestock, Marketing, Regulation, USDA

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack weighed in this week on a bill to create a Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) investigator at USDA to boost price discovery and transparency in the highly concentrated livestock sector. He says a Packers and Stockyards Act investigator could be part of broader USDA action to deal with unfair market practices harming small independent producers. “I …