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Starts August 15th!

Congress Close to Finalizing Farm Bill

For several months, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees each have been holding hearings to gain input for the budget and framework of the 2023 farm bill. Congress has until Sept. 30 to finalize, vote upon and send this year’s bill to the president’s desk for signing into law, but a first draft has yet to officially materialize. And while this year’s negotiations do not seem as contentious as previous farm bills — the 2012 farm bill, for instance, did not pass both chambers of Congress until 2014 — there are certain issues slowing its progress. An omnibus law renewing every five years since 1933, the farm bill is composed of 12 titles authorizing congressional and public funding for certain agricultural and food programs, including crop insurance, nutrition programs, farm resource conservation and many others. MORE

Source: Constitution Partners

House Turns to Reforming Legal Immigration to Combat US Labor Shortage

House lawmakers are rallying around new immigration legislation aimed at tackling the nationwide labor shortage by bringing workers into the United States from abroad. A dozen Democrats and Republicans joined Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) Tuesday to introduce the H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers (HIRE) Act, a bipartisan bill that would overhaul decades-old visa protocols and expand them based on the demand of U.S. companies and sectors for workers." MORE

Source: MBS

House Ag To Focus on Digital Assets, Then Farm Bill

The House Agriculture Committee will release the draft of a digital asset market structure bill this week and mark it up next week, along with the House Financial Services Committee, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., told reporters at a breakfast briefing today. The bill is produced as part of the committee’s jurisdiction over the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The Financial Services Committee has jurisdiction over the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the two committees have been working closely together on the CFTC provisions of the bill. MORE

Source: Constitution Partners

Coalition Sends Letter to EPA On WOTUS Amid Lack of Public Hearing

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to issue a final rule on the Waters of the United States by Sept. 1, 2023, amending the Biden WOTUS Rule. According to the notice, the agency is appearing to forego public comment and strike language from the rule related to the nexus test. In response, the Waters Advocacy Coalition, representing 45 organizations including farmers, sent a letter this week urging the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider their key interpretations of the WOTUS rule. MORE

Source: MBS



False Claims Should Doom Tinplate Steel Tariff Push

US lawmakers should reject a proposed tariff on tinplate steel imports because the proposal falsely claims imports harm domestic suppliers, when in fact domestic suppliers can meet only roughly half of the US' tin can needs, writes David Chavern, president, and CEO of the Consumer Brands Association. The tariff will drive up the cost of canned goods, costing 40,000 manufacturing jobs, Chavern writes. MORE

Source: CBA

US Economy Unexpectedly Accelerated to a 2.4% Growth Rate in April-June Quarter Despite Fed Hikes

The U.S. economy surprisingly accelerated to a 2.4% annual growth rate from April through June, showing continued resilience in the face of steadily higher interest rates resulting from the Federal Reserve’s 16-month-long fight to bring down inflation. MORE

Source: MN Chamber

Senate Votes To Bar Some Foreign Farmland Purchases

The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to bar investors from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying U.S. farmland and require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review land purchases by investors from any other foreign country totaling more than $5 million or 320 acres. MORE

Source: Constitution Partners



New Legislation Would Add Frozen Fruits and Veggies to SNAP Benefits

Congress is one step closer to making produce consumption easier for Americans by altering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., have introduced Senate bill S.2223, the Supporting All Healthy Options When Purchasing Produce Act, which would ensure that certain key nutrition programs include the promotion of fresh frozen produce for lower-income Americans. MORE

Source: CLFP

Biggest US Electrical Grid Operator Issues Energy Emergency Alert 

The largest electrical grid operator in the U.S. has issued an emergency energy alert for Thursday as customers look to stay cool in sweltering temperatures gripping parts of the country. PJM Interconnection issued two alerts as part of its early notification system that conditions might require the use of emergency procedures during the sweeping heat wave and that all generating resources are online or have been scheduled. MORE

Source: WMC



For U.S., Regional Ag Imports Are ‘a Story About Mexico’

Agricultural imports from Latin America and the Caribbean grew at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9% in the 12 years following the Great Recession, much faster than the global rate of 5.6%, says the USDA in a new report: “Primarily, this import growth was a story about Mexico.” MORE

Source: Constitution Partners

US Cattle Numbers Lowest Since Early 1970s

All cattle and calves numbers reported a 3% decline from the same time in 2022, the fewest beef cows since at least 1971, according to the July 1, 2023 inventory of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the US Department of Agriculture. The agency said 95.9 million head were on US farms, down from 98.6 million head on July 1, 2022.Beef cows stood at 29.4 million, down 3% from the same time last year. MORE

Source: MBS

U.S. Farmers Are Facing a Tough Economy: Lower Crop Prices and Higher Interest Rates

A slowdown in the agricultural industry is "going to put a strain on farmers." But analysts say the rural economy in the Midwest and Great Plains is still doing well. The United States' agricultural economy had a good couple of years, with crop prices at record or near-record highs. But this year, as interest rates rise, banks are lending less money to farmers and agricultural equipment sales are falling. MORE

Source: MBS

Dock Workers At Key Canadian Ports Reject Labor Deal, Creating Further Trade Uncertainty

West Coast membership of the International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union of Canada voted down a tentative deal late Friday in a two-day vote. The ILWU, Canada chapter is calling on the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association to come back to the table and negotiate. The 14-day strike has hit hard U.S. trade that is imported through the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert with rail delays in upwards of 78 days and over 80% of trade not coming in. Chemicals for drinking water, product manufacturing, holiday items and footwear and apparel are amongst the containers delayed. MORE

Source: Constitution Partners

How the Legalization of Marijuana Affects the Workplace in Minnesota

"The big one is seeking legal counsel, human resource counsel as appropriate to make sure how you are laying those out is as it needs to be and is in the best interest of their organization or business," said President of Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, Ryan Parsons. MORE

Source: MN Chamber

Wisconsin Joins USDA Partnership Tackling Lack of Competition in Agriculture, Food Industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the launch of the Agricultural Competition partnership last week. Kaul is one of 31 attorneys general participating in the new program, along with officials from Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota. The initiative will focus on identifying market structures and practices that are hurting competition among farmers, food processors, farm suppliers and other related industries. MORE

Source: WisPolitics

Gov. Evers and DATCP Commend USDA Secretary Vilsack for Natural Disaster Designations Relating to Drought Conditions

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) this week issued statements regarding the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretarial natural disaster designations due to recent drought-like conditions. To date, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has designated 27 Wisconsin counties as natural disaster areas due to drought. This designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters. SEE PRESS RELEASE

Surging Frozen Food Demand May Stress Critical Cold Storage Supply Chains

Americans love frozen food. Virtually all-American households purchase frozen food at least once a year, but without resilient cold storage supply chain infrastructure, the growth and safety of the massive $265 billion global frozen food market may be put at risk. MORE

Source: CLFP

Manufacturing Segments that Face the Greatest Cyberrisks

As cybersecurity awareness and capabilities are improving each year, the sophistication and number of cyber-attacks and the capabilities of cybercriminals are keeping pace. One example can be seen with the introduction of AI and machine learning tools into the mainstream. These tools are changing the cybersecurity landscape by allowing organizations to analyze immense amounts of data and scan intricate digital infrastructures to identify vulnerabilities within a system in a fraction of the time and cost that was done previously. MORE

Source: CLFP



Conagra CEO: US Shoppers are Reducing Food Spending

Instead of seeking less expensive alternatives to retail foods, US consumers are just going without and spending the money they're saving on travel and non-food-related categories, shared Conagra CEO Sean Connelly. MORE

Source: CBA

Sourcing Sustainable Ingredients

Sustainable has become a popular descriptor for food and beverage marketers. While not regulated, it is being used often, and it is only a matter of time before consumers and regulators start asking for data to support sustainability statements and claims. Manufacturers must do their due diligence and be ready to answer questions. MORE

Source: CLFP



DeLong Co. Celebrates Opening of $40 Million Export Facility

Clinton, Wisconsin-based The DeLong Co. held a grand opening celebration Tuesday for the $40 million agricultural maritime export facility that it has built at Port Milwaukee. The new facility, located on the west side of Jones Island, is one of the first on the Great Lakes. The export facility opens Wisconsin’s maritime and agricultural economies to new international markets for this and other products. The facility is expected to have a $60 million annual impact on the state’s economy. MORE

Source: WMC

View 2023 MWFPA Sponsorship Opportunities - HERE!

Upcoming 2023 Raw Products Committee Haltvick Meetings

• Hancock Snap Bean and Sweet Corn Trial - August 10
• West Madison ARS - September 7

SAVE THE DATE! October 10 - Sporting Clays Classic

Registration available - HERE

Woods & Meadow Hunting Preserve

Warrens, Wisconsin

https://www.woodsandmeadow.com

November 28 - 30 - 2023 Convention & Processing Crops Conference

Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells

• Booth/Exhibitor Registration is Live!
• General Attendee Registration Available August 15th
• Visit the MWFPA Convention Website

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