How The Supreme Court's Massive Chevron Decision Will Affect Climate Policy

The conservative majority ended "Chevron deference" -- the 40-year-old doctrine that gave regulators a wide berth when underlying laws are ambiguous. It follows a 2022 ruling that already curtailed executive running room on "major questions" absent clear Capitol Hill marching orders. MORE

Source: Michael Best

US Employers Added a Solid 206,000 Jobs in June in a Sign of Continued Economic Strength

America’s employers delivered another healthy month of hiring in June, adding 206,000 jobs and once again displaying the U.S. economy’s ability to withstand high interest rates. Last month’s job growth did mark a pullback from 218,000 in May. But it was still a solid gain, reflecting the resilience of America’s consumer-driven economy, which is slowing but still growing steadily. Still, Friday’s report contained several signs of a slowing job market. MORE

Source: WMC

2024 Exhibitor Booth Registration Continues

• All exhibitors who have registered to date have been assigned a booth location. See the current floor map at www.mwfpa.org/convention

• The MWFPA show floor is over 50% reserved. If you plan to exhibit this year, get in touch soon!

• Visit www.mwfpa.org/convention

‘Frustrating’ Partisan Stalemate: the New Normal for Farm Bills?

The stalemate over the current farm bill may be solidifying a new era in farm politics as it joins the last three farm bills in a trend of delays and partisan division — a contrast from the legislation’s history of bipartisanship. Every five years, Congress is tasked with drafting a new federal farm bill. The omnibus law that began 90 years ago as various kinds of payments to support farmers now has an impact far beyond the farm, with programs to create wildlife habitat, address climate change and provide the nation’s largest federal nutrition program. MORE

Source: Fluence Media

It’s Official: FDA Bans Brominated Vegetable Oil

BVO, an additive to keep citrus flavor from separating, will be banned next year after studies conducted with the National Institutes of Health found the potential for adverse health effects. MORE

Source:  FoodProcessing.com

Biden Administration Proposes Rule for Workplaces to Address Excessive Heat

The Biden administration proposed a new rule Tuesday to address excessive heat in the workplace, as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories due to blistering temperatures. MORE

Source: MN Chamber

The podcast explores a wide range of topics, from intermodal discussions and how the logistics of freight containers work to the supply chain and the state budget. The pair also discusses the crucial need to continually educate legislators—and their staff—about transportation issues, challenges, and opportunities. Debby and Jason also touch on TDA as an organization and its essential role in bringing together a broad mix of stakeholders to advocate for a safe, modern, interconnected transportation system. LISTEN IN!

SNAP Benefits Overpayment Sparks Backlash

Republicans are calling out the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) after the federal program reported its payment error rates for 2023.The nutrition program that serves low-income Americans across the country overpaid recipients roughly 10 percent of the time and also reported an underpayment rate of 1.64 percent. MORE

Source: MBS

Region's Grid Could Face Power Deficit Next Summer

The region’s grid could face an electric capacity shortfall next summer as electricity demand grows and power plants retire, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator warned. MISO, which oversees the grid in the central United States from Minnesota to Louisiana, said in its annual survey released last month that if 2.3 gigawatts of new capacity, the three-year average, continues to be added annually, then the north/central region could face up to a 3.7-gigawatt shortage next summer. That could grow to a 12.9-gigawatt deficit by the end of the decade. MORE

Source: WisPolitics

Major Crop Areas Grapple with Too Much or Too Little Rain

Weather typically is the main force affecting agricultural commodity market moves from planting in the spring (or fall for winter wheat) to harvest in the fall (or summer for winter wheat), and especially during the growing season for all crops. MORE

Source: CLFP

Agriculture Losses Hit Minnesota's GDP

While real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased in 39 states and the District of Columbia between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, Midwestern states experienced just small gains or drops, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data released Friday. MORE

Source: MN Chamber

WI Policy Forum Report: Number of Wisconsinites Receiving FoodShare Benefits Remains 16% Higher Than Pre-Pandemic

Using data from the state Department of Health Services, the WPF report shows 702,700 recipients were in the SNAP program as of March. While that’s down from the peak of 793,300 in 2021, it remains 99,000 above the pre-pandemic number. (Continued below...)

Prior to this increase at the start of the pandemic the number of participants in the program had been declining since 2013. In addition, total benefit payments under SNAP in Wisconsin have fallen from the $193.8 million peak in 2022 to $113.1 million in March, though that exceeds the total from March 2020 by $47.8 million, or about 73%. When adjusted for inflation, that gap shrinks to $34.1 million. On a per-recipient basis, the average benefit has grown from $106 in March 2020 to $161 in March of this year. See the report.

Source: WisPolitics

General Mills Bets Bigger on

Digital Coupons, Celebs 

General Mills will increase coupon spend by around 20% as the company doubles down on both value and brand building to woo price-conscious consumers. 

Thanks to its stores of first-party data, General Mills is bullish on its ability to improve promotion ROI by targeting consumers with digital coupons, expected by CEO Jeff Harmening to provide a competitive advantage in a tight market. 

MORE

Source: CBA

Ocean Spray Uses AI to Find Health Benefits in Cranberries

Researchers from Ocean Spray Cranberries and Brightseed have discovered novel bioactives in cranberries -- showing potential for health benefits such as improved cognition and immunity -- using the Forager AI platform, and the companies plan to proceed with pre-clinical studies to further explore these compounds. MORE

Source: CBA

Conagra Brands Releasing Over 50 New Products

Conagra's latest products include single- and multi-serve frozen meals, frozen vegetables and frozen snacks. The company is expanding its existing partnership with Dolly Parton, freezing Chef Boyardee meals with their Skillets line and tackling restaurant-quality sandwiches with Banquet's Mega frozen chicken filets. MORE

Source: CBA

Innovation Driving Early Recovery in Food Volumes, Conagra Brands CEO Says

The food space is seeing evidence that product volumes are starting to recover, with innovation playing a key role in helping attract more consumers back to frozen, snacks and other offerings, Conagra Brands CEO Sean Connolly

said. While shoppers continue to struggle with inflation that has forced many to cut back on purchases or alter their buying habits in other ways, Connolly said there are “some green shoots” and evidence that “more typical consumer behaviors” are starting to return. MORE

Source: Food Dive

National and Local Emphasis Programs

Webinar Registration - Zoom

Employers expect OSHA to show up after reporting a serious incident or when employees complain about certain types of hazards, but the agency has been focused now, more than ever it seems, on proactive enforcement methods. As part of this strategy, OSHA has launched a series of new National Emphasis Programs (“NEP”) targeting heat illness, silica, and the warehousing industry, while also announcing a number of new Regional and Local Emphasis Programs (“REP” and “LEP”) across the country.

Study Shows the More You Know About GMOs, the More You Accept Them as Safe

The more that people know about gene editing, the more likely they are to feel it is safe to use in agriculture and medicine, according to a survey of more than 4,500 people across the U.S. MORE

Source: CLFP

Increased Fruit, Veggie Content is Trending

Food brands are improving their nutritional profile by including more fruits and vegetables, including Cheerios from General Mills which recently debuted a Veggie Blends line. "Depending on the application, fruit and vegetable ingredients can be added with little to no detectable flavor or color or may be added in accordance with other ingredients to enhance flavor, color or mouthfeel," said Kerr by Ingredion's Angela Tipton. MORE

Source: CBA

Expected to open in 2027, leaders of the facility hope to modernize dairy research practices, including units specifically dedicated to robotics. Dennis Hancock is center director at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, which will administer the new facility in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He said part of the decline in Wisconsin dairy farms can be attributed to workforce shortage and a possible solution is replacing some of the workforce with technology. MORE

Source: WisPolitics

View 2024 MWFPA Sponsorship Opportunities - HERE

Exhibitor booth registration continues for the 2024 MWFPA Convention. More information is available at www.mwfpa.org/convention

August 1 - Registration opens for general attendance at the 2024 MWFPA Convention & Expo

August 14 - Raw Products Field Trial at Hancock

October 8 - Sporting Clays Classic hosted at Woods & Meadow in Warrens, WI - REGISTER HERE

December 3 - Processing Crops Conference - Register for Free HERE

December 3-5 - MWFPA Convention & Expo

Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells

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