2023 MWFPA Convention

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USDA Sounds Alarm Over EPA's Pesticide Plan

The USDA warns the Environmental Protection Agency’s “pilot project” restricting pesticides in parts of 29 states will have severe economic consequences for farmers. The EPA’s proposal discards weighing the risks and benefits of spraying pesticides in favor of significant restrictions for all outdoor uses, according to USDA pest management policy director Kimberly Nesci. In some cases, the restrictions will pose threats to the regional production of important crops, Nesci stated in a letter to EPA chief pesticide regulator Jan Matuszko. MORE

Source: MBS

PJM, MISO, Others Warn of ‘Significant Power Shortages’ from EPA’s Power Plant Carbon Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed greenhouse gas emissions standards for power plants could hurt grid reliability, with the potential for “significant power shortages,” according to major U.S. grid operators. “The joint [independent system operators/regional transmission organizations] are concerned that the proposed rule could result in material, adverse impacts to the reliability of the power grid,” four of the largest U.S. grid operators said in joint comments to the agency Tuesday. MORE

Source: Wall Street Journal Logistics Report

US Budget Deficits Are Exploding Like Never Before

American politicians are keener than ever to juice the economy with government cash, a shift that’s already helping to drive up borrowing costs and looks likely to keep them high long after the inflation emergency is over. The outlook for the federal budget right now is essentially unprecedented--crisis-size deficits as far as the eye can see, even though the economy appears to be in good health. MORE

Source: MBS

US Economic Growth for Last Quarter is Revised Down to a 2.1% Annual Rate

The U.S. economy expanded at a 2.1% annual pace from April through June, showing continued resilience in the face of higher borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, the government said Wednesday in a downgrade from its initial estimate. The government had previously estimated that the economy expanded at a 2.4% annual rate last quarter. MORE

Source: WMC

FDA Appoints Jim Jones as Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods

The FDA has appointed Jim Jones as the deputy commissioner for human foods. Consumer Brands issued a statement from the Vice President of Product Policy Sarah Gallo: "We commend Commissioner Califf on this hire and are encouraged that this is a step toward modernizing the agency so it can move at the speed of the consumer." MORE

Source: CBA

New Finalized WOTUS Rule

Today EPA and the Army Corps issued a final rule to amend the final “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’” rule, published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2023. This final rule conforms the definition of “waters of the United States” to the U.S. Supreme Court’s May 25, 2023, decision in the case of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency. Parts of the January 2023 Rule are invalid under the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Clean Water Act in the Sackett decision. Therefore, the agencies have amended key aspects of the regulatory text to conform it to the Court’s decision. The conforming rule will become effective upon publication in the Federal Register. Please see the Rule Status and Litigation Update page for information about the status of the January 2023 Rule, as amended by this conforming rule, and litigation. 

• Pre-publication version of the final conforming rule Amendments to the “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’” (pdf)
• Final Conforming Rule Factsheet (pdf) 
• Read the Regulatory Text Amendments (pdf) which indicates removed and added text

Source: Michael Best

Biden’s Food Stamp Expansion Linked To 15% Jump in Grocery Prices: Study

A push by the Biden administration to increase food stamp benefits to the tune of $1 trillion could be responsible for a 15% rise in prices at the grocery store, according to a government watchdog report. The Department of Agriculture rolled out revised nutritional standards for the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) in 2021 that expanded the program by 27% on average from pre-COVID pandemic levels, the Foundation for Government Accountability found. MORE

Source: MBS

US Economy Added 306,000 Fewer Jobs than Previously Believed Over Past Year

U.S. job growth was weaker than previously projected over much of the past year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday revised down its total tally of jobs created in March by 306,000, indicating that payroll growth was likely slower than initially believed in the period from April 2022 to March 2023. That suggests the economy likely added an average of 311,500 jobs per month during that time period – below the previous 337,000 estimate. MORE

Source: WMC

Millions More Workers Would be Entitled to Overtime Pay Under a Proposed Biden Administration Rule

The Biden administration proposed a new rule Wednesday that would make 3.6 million more U.S. workers eligible for overtime pay, the most generous such increase in decades. The rule revives an Obama-era effort that faced strong pushback from business leaders and Republicans and was ultimately scuttled in court. MORE

Source: MN Chamber

Here Are 5 Key Findings About the State of Farming in The U.S.

Agriculture is synonymous with Wisconsin’s identity: It’s the state that produces more cheese than any other — 3.4 billion pounds yearly — as well as 60% of the nation’s cranberries. It also spearheaded a now-national apprenticeship in dairy grazing and is home to the first registered apprenticeship for organic vegetable farm management in the U.S. While agriculture’s longstanding ties to Wisconsin are not changing, the industry itself is. One big reason: More first-generation farmers are entering the picture, bringing with them new ideas about the role farms play in society. MORE

Source: MBS

U.S. Needs More Trade Pacts as A Hedge Against China, Say Ag Industry Groups

China is a golden market and a potential pothole for U.S. food and ag exports, said 20 farm and agribusiness groups in a letter to presidential aspirants. The letter, delivered ahead of the first debate among Republican contenders on Wednesday, called for diversification of the export market, through new free-trade agreements, to avoid over reliance on China, which buys $1 of every $5 in farm exports. MORE

Source: Constitution Partners



House AG Chair Thompson Joins Van Orden for Farm Listening Session in La Crosse

The Republican in charge of the House Ag Committee in Congress hopes to pass a new farm bill by the end of this year. Chairman G.T. Thompson of Pennsylvania says listening sessions about the bill have been held in more than 30 states, and La Crosse had one of those sessions on Wednesday. Thompson is happy to see bipartisan agreement on programs to help farmers. MORE

Source: WisPolitics

McConnell Concedes Farm Bill Will Be Late; Stabenow Eyes Year-End

Congress will still deliver a farm bill but it won’t be in September, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told the Kentucky Farm Bureau on Thursday, voicing what was already looking inevitable as Congress runs out of legislative days left before the Sept. 30 expiration of the current law. MORE

Source: MBS

Finstad Makes Mankato Stop, Talking Farm Bill, Budget Strategies

Republican Congressman Brad Finstad said he’s paying attention to how federal legislation such as the upcoming farm bill is impacting the region as he continues his tours of industries in the 1st District. The representative from New Ulm visited the Walmart Distribution Center in Mankato on Monday during his latest stop as he visits local job providers, economic developers and employees during lawmakers’ August recess. MORE

Source: Fluence Media

Nutrition Takes Up Most of Farm Bill Spending. What Does That Include?

So what makes up the $326 billion Title IV of the farm bill? Here's a look at the 16 nutrition-related programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. MORE

Source: Constitution Partners

House Members Oppose Adding EATS Act to Farm Bill

The debate is mounting about using the EATS Act as a way to solve the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last spring on California's Proposition 12 and other state livestock handling laws. In a letter Monday, 171 members of the House -- the majority of the Democratic caucus and four Republicans -- wrote a letter to the chair and ranking member opposing the "Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression" or EATS Act. MORE

Source: Fluence Media

U.S. Steel Takeover Talk Rattles Manufacturers

A takeover of United States Steel could create a new industry leader—and draw pushback from antitrust authorities and steel buyers. The pursuit by Cleveland-Cliffs of one of the nation’s biggest steelmakers, made public in recent days, could ratchet up market concentration in steel used to make auto fenders, food cans and batteries for electric vehicles. Some manufacturers said further consolidation in the steel industry would give producers more leverage to raise prices at a time when the U.S. has the most expensive steel in the world. MORE

Source: WMC



Tin Plate Steel Tariffs Burden Food Industry, Consumers

A proposed tin plate steel tariff will place US food producers at a competitive disadvantage and diminish consumer buying power, but the review process is not allowed to consider the effect new tariffs have on end users, said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain and logistics for the Consumer Brands Association. "This is not the time to be considering such petitions," Madrecki added. MORE

Source: CBA

CMI Release Statement on Commerce Department Announcement on Preliminary Duties on Tinplate

CMI President Robert Budway released a statement on August 17 after the Commerce Department set preliminary duties on tinplate steel from China, Germany and Canada. In the statement, which can be found on CMI’s website, Budway said, “CMI applauds the Commerce Department’s decision to not impose duties on tin mill products imported from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Taiwan and South Korea." MORE

Source: CMI

CMI Release Statement on Commerce

Department Announcement on Preliminary Duties on Tinplate

CMI President Robert Budway released a statement on August 17 after the Commerce Department set preliminary duties on tinplate steel from China, Germany and Canada. In the statement, which can be found on CMI’s website, Budway said, “CMI applauds the Commerce Department’s decision to not impose duties on tin mill products imported from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Taiwan and South Korea." MORE

Source: CMI

Consumer Brands Reacts to Tin Plate Steel Tariffs Decision

The Department of Commerce will impose temporary tariffs on tin plate steel imports from China of 122.52% while taxing German imports at 7.02% and Canadian imports at 5.29%, pending further investigation by the International Trade Commission. The Consumer Brands Association, which has opposed higher proposals, welcomes the move with CEO David Chavern stating that the lower tariffs are "a positive step toward protecting US consumers, domestic manufacturers and their workforce." MORE

Source: CBA

The US Is Facing a Labor Shortage — Immigration Is the Solution

For over 35 years, the American political system has been unable to make any significant change to U.S. immigration policy. In June 2023, a bipartisan coalition of representatives introduced the Dignity Act, a comprehensive immigration reform bill. This followed a poll showing that four out of five Americans support bipartisan cooperation on immigration that would address labor shortages and inflation. MORE

Source: MBS

Food Processors Turn to Automation to Solve their Biggest Challenges

Food and beverage manufacturers have long turned to technology in their efforts to make their operations faster and more efficient. But with so many other challenges facing those processors, Todd Gilliam, the Americas industry manager for consumer-packaged goods at Rockwell Automation, says they’re increasingly thinking beyond production when they evaluate the uses of sensors, controllers and other automation systems. MORE

Source: CLFP

Wisconsin Projected to Lead US Cranberry Production for 29th Year 

Wisconsin’s cranberry farmers expect to harvest 4.97 million barrels of cranberries this season, an increase over 2022’s 4.84 million barrels but still far short of the record 6 million barrels in 2013, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. If projections hold, the state will remain the largest cranberry producer in the world, harvesting 60% of the crop in the U.S. The forecast, based on grower surveys, marks the 29th year Wisconsin has led the nation in cranberry production. MORE

Source: WMC

International Chefs and Influencers Visit Wisconsin to Learn about State's Agriculture and Food

A group of 14 international chefs and food influencers from nine countries have been in Wisconsin this week, learning about the state’s food producers and products. The tour was hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, or DATCP. It’s part of a bigger effort by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, to promote American-made products around the world. MORE

Source: WisPolitics

AI Security Takes a Proactive Approach

A U.S. government report shows a 71% rise in physical attacks on critical infrastructure, posing a threat to operational continuity in manufacturing, processing and energy production. This increase could lead to theft or equipment damage, jeopardizing uptime. MORE

Source: CLFP



The Future of Natural Preservatives

Food preservatives, often associated with unhealthy ingredients, have been used for centuries to preserve food. Ancient cultures used salt, honey and sugar, while modern methods include fermentation, drying, smoking, canning and freezing. Today, more companies are responding to consumer demand for fewer artificial preservatives in food manufacturing plants, ensuring the preservation of food for future generations. MORE

Source: CLFP



‘The Internet is No Longer a Luxury’: $667M from USDA for Rural Broadband

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend another $667 million on rural broadband loans and grants, the department said Monday, marking the fourth round of Biden administration funding under a program that the 2021 infrastructure law invigorated. Nearly three-quarters of the funding, $493 million, will go toward grants, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on a Friday press call previewing the announcement. The latest round of funding awards will go to 38 projects in 22 states and the Marshall Islands, according to a release from the USDA. MORE

Source: Fluence Media

View 2023 MWFPA Sponsorship Opportunities - HERE!

Upcoming 2023 Raw Products Committee Haltvick Meetings

• West Madison ARS - September 7

SAVE THE DATE! October 10 - Sporting Clays Classic Presented by Brakebush

Registration available - HERE

Woods & Meadow Hunting Preserve

Warrens, Wisconsin

https://www.woodsandmeadow.com

Sign up for an OSHA 10-Hour Class Held at the Kalahari Later in Nov

• Register for Class I (Pre Convention) - November 27 & 28
• Register for Class II (Post Convention) - November 30 & December 1

November 28 - 2023 Processing Crops Conference - Reserve Your Seat (Free)!

November 28 - Allergens Seminar at the Kalahari - Register!

November 28 - 30 - 2023 MWFPA Convention & Expo

Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells

• Booth/Exhibitor Registration is ongoing - see the show site below to view confirmed exhibitors!
• General Attendee Registration is live!
• Visit the MWFPA Convention Website

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