ERS: Nearly $ 58 billion to farmers in pandemic year When crop insurance indemnities and unemployment benefits are counted, the government sent $ 57.7 billion to farm operations and farm households in 2020, while the pandemic sent the U.S. economy into recession, said a working paper by USDA economists. It was the highest estimate yet […]
After pandemic pain, school meal programs brace for next year School districts across the country pared their menus, reduced staffing, and canceled equipment purchases because of the pandemic, but nearly half of them still lost money in the cafeteria during the past school year, said a survey released on Thursday by the School Nutrition Association. […]
Stronger protections needed for farm workers as pandemic stretches into second year, argue researchers Farmworkers face serious occupational risks that the pandemic has only exacerbated, and better policies are needed to protect them from exposure to heat, chemicals, and Covid-19, say two new related reports on social and health conditions in the sector. Hunger relief […]
Stabenow, Boozman urge Congress to make child nutrition a priority this year Debbie Stabenow, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and John Boozman, the committee’s ranking Republican, said on Thursday that Congress should apply the lessons learned during the pandemic to strengthen and expand key child nutrition policies this year. (No paywall) SNAP numbers down […]
Countdown begins for compliance with GMO food-labeling rule Four years after the thunder in Congress over labeling foods made with GMO ingredients, the deadline for compliance with the USDA labeling regulation is in sight — the end of 2021 — despite complaints that the rule is riddled with loopholes that exempt many foods. Biden: U.S. […]