Lift Cap on Proteins and Grains in School Lunches
The “Sensible School Lunch Act” (S. 427) would permanently lift the cap on proteins and grains in the federal school meals programs. This legislation would change the new standards for school meals that were the result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Bill Introduced to Overturn EPA’s E15 Waiver
Legislation (S. 344) has been introduced by Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and David Vitter (R-LA) that would overturn the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) earlier decision to allow an increase in the amount of ethanol (E-15) that can be blended with gasoline.
Sequestration Begins, Debt Ceiling Looms
Congress failed to enact legislation that would have forestalled or modified sequestration before the March 1 deadline, thus the automatic spending cuts (50% defense and 50% non-defense) of approximately $85 billion for 2013 will be implemented over the coming weeks.
Bill Calls for More Transparency of Antibiotic Use
Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Louise Slaughter (D-NY) have introduced H.R. 820, the “Delivering Antimicrobial Transparency in Animals Act of 2013 (DATA Act).” This legislation would require drug manufacturers to provide information to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on how their drugs are used by determining (or estimating) the amounts used in each segment of food-producing animals for which they are approved.
Food Manufacturers Outline Immigration Reforms
The Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition testified before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security on the need for a stable and permanent workforce for the meat and poultry industries.
Senators Call for Swift Action on Russia
Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Thad Cochran (R-MS), ranking member of the committee, are urging the Obama administration to take quick action on Russia’s new import ban on U.S. beef, pork, poultry and turkey.
Ag Groups Oppose Cuts to Food Aid Programs
The agricultural community is concerned with indications that the administration’s FY 2014 budget will cut the Food for Peace (PL-480) and Food for Progress programs. In a letter to President Barack Obama, over 70 nonprofit, farm, commodity, labor and other organizations objected to the indicated change.
Groups Petition Supreme Court on Ethanol
The American Petroleum Institute (API), the Grocery Manufacturers Association, American Meat Institute, National Chicken Council, National Pork Producers Council, National Turkey Federation and the Snack Food Association petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court asking that it reverse an earlier Washington D.C. Circuit Court decision that rejected a challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s grant of partial waivers for use of the ethanol blend of E15.
Upgrade to U.S. BSE Risk Status
A world Organization for Animal Health (OIE) commission recommended that the United States’ risk classification for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) be upgraded to negligible risk.
Sign-up for 2013 Farm Program
Sign-up for the 2013 farm program started on Feb. 19 and runs through Aug. 2 at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.
Meat Inspectors Face Sequestration, Furloughs
The automatic budget cuts resulting from sequestration are scheduled to take effect on March 1. USDA indicated the action could result in a furlough of meat and poultry inspectors for up to 15 days. For plants to operate, an inspector must be present.
Russia Called Out to Play by the WTO Rules
Russia’s ban on U.S. pork and beef that contain ractopamine went into effect this week. Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, called on Russia to end its unscientific ban on U.S. meat exports.
Net Farm Income Reaches 40-Year High
USDA has forecasted that the 2013 net farm income will be $128.2 billion, the highest since 1973, according to USDA’s 2013 farm income forecast.
Hard Caps on Farm Payments
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) have introduced the “Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013,” which would place a hard cap on the farm payments an individual farmer can receive in a year.
