FERN: Time to bust the meat trust

Time to bust the meat trust Grocery shopping in Rosemead, California on April 21, 2022. U.S. inflation reached a four-decade high of 8.5 percent that March and prices continued to rise for staples like meat, bread, and milk. Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty. Images. By Ted Genoways, October 23, 2024 This article was…



How Deb Fischer Delivered for Big Ag – The American Prospect

It is a long and complex saga, difficult to understand is an understatement, for those that have not been engaged with food and agriculture issues over many years, but let it suffice to say that when a member of Congress who is voted into office on the strength of their commitment to family/small/local farming and…



Brazil Fines Meatpacking Companies, Including Giant JBS, for Buying Illegally Raised Cattle

Brazil Fines Meatpacking Companies, Including Giant JBS, for Buying Illegally Raised Cattle Agents also apprehended 8,854 head of cattle found inside the restricted areas PUBLISHED ON October 29, 2024 The JBS fine was $108,000 for purchasing 1,231 head of cattle, the fifth largest penalty among the fined companies. (Stock photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash)…



Opinion: Rural America’s viability is at stake in this presidential election

Opinion: Rural America’s viability is at stake in this presidential election 10/21/24 2:52 PM By J. Dudley Butler KEYWORDS Agriculture Biden-Harris administration Continental Grain Company DOJ Farmers GIPSA rule Grain Inspection J. Dudley Butler Obama-Biden administration P&S Act Presidential election Ranchers Rural America Sanderson Farms U.S. USDA Wayne Farms I resigned from my role in…



Pure Prairie Poultry Fallout Continues – What happens when USDA grants are not coupled with market access …

Pure Prairie Poultry Fallout Continues Wisconsin Senator Urges Aid to Farmers After Poultry Processor’s Collapse 10/18/2024 | 6:06 AM CDT By Chris Clayton , DTN Ag Policy Editor Connect with Chris: @ChrisClaytonDTN After Pure Prairie Poultry shutdown at the end of September, farmers in Wisconsin resorted to giving away tens of thousands of chickens by…



NE Farmers Union head on administrations’ ag policy, impact

NE Farmers Union head on administrations’ ag policy, impact A 2024 North Dakota State article about China’s tendency to respond to trade tariffs with "retaliatory tariffs," points to the impact "significant retaliatory tariffs" had on American agriculture in 2018-2019. (Cavan/Adobe Deborah Van Fleet, Producer Thursday, October 17, 2024 Agriculture is the single largest industry in…



RFK Jr. suggests he’ll have a significant role on agriculture and health policy if Trump is elected

RFK Jr. suggests he’ll have a significant role on agriculture and health policy if Trump is elected By MICHELLE R. SMITH and JOSH FUNK Updated 4:15 PM CDT, October 15, 2024 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is suggesting he will have significant influence on American agriculture policy if Donald Trump is elected president, the latest in…



“Harris’s Chance on Trade” (NY Review)

NEW YORK REVIEW: Harris’s Chance on Trade By: Zephyr Teachout 10/13/2024 In 2016, during the surreal presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, I was the Democratic nominee for Congress in a swing district in the Hudson Valley. The incumbent was a retiring Republican, but Barack Obama had won in the area by several…



McDonald’s sues Tyson and JBS for allegedly fixing prices

McDonald’s sues Tyson and JBS for allegedly fixing prices The fast food giant, which is the world’s largest buyer of beef, alleges major meat companies conducted illegal acts to drive down supplies. Published Oct. 8, 2024 By Nathan Owens Reporter re displayed at a Costco store in Novato, California. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images First…



Ag Secretary Vilsack deflects on future career plans, regulatory ‘revolving door’

Ag Secretary Vilsack deflects on future career plans, regulatory ‘revolving door’ The third-time USDA executive has previously come under fire for his connections to the lobbying industry. by John McCracken, Investigate Midwest October 8, 2024 Why you can trust Investigate Midwest Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke to reporters on Oct. 4, 2024, at the World…