Farm bill ‘will need an extension’: Senate ag chair

Sen. Debbie Stabenow says she's received commitments from leadership to find additional funding for the bill, which is taking “longer than I would like.”

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 27, 2023

USDA strengthens animal welfare requirements for organic label

Livestock must have improved access to the outdoors in new rules aimed at creating consistent standards and aligning with consumer expectations.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 26, 2023

EPA gives guidance on anaerobic digestion’s role in addressing food waste

The agency is doubling down on its support for food waste prevention, donation or upcycling over industrial management pathways. 

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 26, 2023

USDA announces $2.3B for trade and food aid

The announcement comes after Senate agricultural leaders requested more help for exporters as lawmakers struggle to craft a farm bill with a limited budget.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 25, 2023

House Democrats mobilize to protect $20B in climate funding for farm bill

Money provided under the Inflation Reduction Act is among the most vulnerable to cuts as Republican negotiators battle severe budget constraints. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 24, 2023

California Gov. Newsom signs major climate disclosure bills but worries about ‘overall financial impact’

For food producers, the laws require large companies to disclose their supply chain emissions down to the farm level. Agriculture groups and other critics have raised concerns about the deadlines and the cost to businesses.

By Zoya Mirza • Oct. 19, 2023

Arkansas orders Syngenta to sell farmland over ties to China

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave the global seed company two years to divest its property in Craighead County before the state can take legal action.

By Nathan Owens • Oct. 18, 2023

Vilsack: Farm bill negotiations not ‘forward-looking’ enough

Lawmakers need to do more to encourage farmers to adopt climate-smart production practices and access new technology, the head of the USDA said.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 17, 2023

The slow road to retail: How consumers are dictating cultivated meat’s strategy

Consumer acceptance is a major challenge facing the space, and a big reason why Upside Foods and Eat Just are only available at exclusive restaurants.

By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 17, 2023

Energy firms, ag groups and allies reach deal to advance solar farms

The parties are working to address a variety of land use challenges, including the conversion of farm acres, wildlife habitats and tribal interests.

By Nathan Owens • Oct. 16, 2023

High interest rates are hitting agriculture industries the hardest: report

The U.S. is losing its competitive edge as other countries gravitate toward less expensive imports.

By Nathan Owens • Oct. 12, 2023

Meat snack maker fined $140K, faced shipping restrictions for child labor violations

The U.S. Department of Labor is ramping up enforcement activity and putting employers "on notice" as it reports a significant rise in the number of children illegally working at facilities.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Updated Oct. 13, 2023

US tomato tariff dispute becomes ripe with tension

As small farmers petition to terminate a longstanding trade deal with Mexico, NatureSweet and others are sounding the alarm about a potential spike in consumer prices.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 11, 2023

Canada’s 5 largest grocery chains pledge to stabilize food prices

Metro, Loblaws, Sobeys, Walmart and Costco made initial commitments after recently meeting with the country’s minister of innovation, science and industry.

By Peyton Bigora • Oct. 11, 2023

To save the Colorado River, farmers will be paid not to farm. Some are looking to cash in.

As states agree on a historic three-year deal to cut water use, some major agribusinesses are eyeing opportunities for new revenue streams while small producers worry about their livelihoods.

By Petruce Jean-Charles • Oct. 6, 2023

Missouri pressures Tyson to sell 2 poultry plants set for closure

Attorney General Andrew Bailey joins U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley in warning of devastating consequences to rural communities with the loss of factory jobs.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 6, 2023

US pea protein producers in ‘grave peril’ as consumer demand grows

Cheap imports from China have undercut ingredient players in the domestic market, according to manufacturer Puris.

By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 6, 2023

Biden admin expands funding for farms to tackle livestock waste

Producers that compost or improve feed management are now eligible to apply to USDA's increasingly popular climate-smart agriculture programs. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 5, 2023

Corteva lawsuit accuses gene-editing startup of stealing seeds

Inari Agriculture, led by former Bayer and Syngenta execs, allegedly engaged in intellectual property theft by taking "brazen efforts" to smuggle the crop science giant's products into Europe.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 4, 2023

The farm bill expired. Now what?

Lawmakers are racing to strike a deal before the end of the year, which is when major disruption to food prices and commodity markets would begin. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 2, 2023

Tyson, Hormel face class-action over worker compensation

Executives allegedly held secret meetings and “off-the-books” dinners to discuss worker pay rates, supporting a “plausible inference” of a conspiracy to suppress wages.

By Nathan Owens • Oct. 2, 2023

Federal lawmakers introduce legislation to cut food waste, expand USDA programs

The bill, which comes as farm bill negotiations ramp up, would establish an Office of Food Loss and Waste at the agency. A coalition of groups advocating for federal food waste legislation had proposed the idea.

By Jacob Wallace • Oct. 2, 2023

How a government shutdown will impact food safety, nutrition

Unless Congress reaches a deal on spending before Sunday, programs and services overseen by the FDA and the USDA could end or be curtailed in the coming days and weeks.

By Chris Casey • Sept. 29, 2023

Agri Stats sued by DOJ for role in meatpacking antitrust scheme

The department accused the data company of distributing reports so detailed that meatpackers could suppress competition and inflate prices, ultimately harming consumers.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 29, 2023

Agriculture spending bill fails to pass US House

Over two dozen Republicans joined Democrats in voting down a funding plan that included substantial cuts to USDA programs and proposals to restrict abortion access. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 29, 2023