The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) opposed recent action to make changes to the Packers and Stockyards Act. In a statement, the organization says, President Biden’s executive order calling for the Department of Agriculture to change the Packers and Stockyards rules will have unintended consequences for consumers and producers. Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts states, “Government intervention …
Deadline Nearing to Apply for ADAI Relief Program
Back in April, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) announced they were administering the Alabama Agriculture Relief Program (AARP) to provide USDA relief funds to farmers who suffered losses due to Hurricane Michael in 2018. While the original deadline to apply was June 25th, they want to remind those who experienced necessary expenses related to losses of beef …
USDA Supporting Expanded Meat Processing Capabilities
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced intentions to make significant investments to expand processing capacity and increase competition in meat and poultry processing to make agricultural markets more accessible, fair, competitive, and resilient for American farmers and ranchers. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA will be investing $500 million in American Rescue Plan funds to expand meat and poultry processing …
NIFA Invests $14 Million in Animal Health and Disease Research
The Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of $14 million in research to protect agricultural animals from disease. The grants are part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Diseases of Agricultural Animals program area priority. NIFA director Carrie Castille says, “This research will help better understand, diagnose, control and prevent diseases in …
Preventing Serious Health Issues from Chicken Coop Dust
How chicken coop dust could be harmful to your health. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Chicken coop dust, also known as poultry dust, is a mixture of bedding material, chicken droppings, bird feed, and other components that are naturally found within your chicken’s housing area. Although it is admittedly tough to avoid, chicken coop dust can have …
Supreme Court Rejects Petition against California Prop 12
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 …
New USDA Grants to Benefit Meat and Poultry Inspection Operations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $55.2 million in competitive funding will be available through the new Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The new program is being funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. “We are building capacity and increasing economic opportunity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors and producers across the …
New Bill Addresses Anti-Competitive Practices in Meat Processing Industry
Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley joined fellow Republican Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, in introducing legislation on meatpacking. The bill would address the anti-competitive practices in the meat and poultry industries that threaten the nation’s food supply and national security. The legislation comes on the heels of a recent ransomware attack on JBS, one …
Expanding the Audience for Defend the Flock
The poultry industry is big business in both Alabama and Georgia. And according to a story from Rod Bain, the growing number of poultry producers in our nation also means an increased awareness effort in biosecurity measures, with a focus on new and young growers. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: …
USDA to Begin Work to Strengthen Enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced they will begin working on three proposed rules to support enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act, the 100-year old law that was originally designed to protect poultry and hog farmers and cattle ranchers from unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive practices in the meat markets. USDA’s pending action was noted in the …