His campaign for President was brief, but Tom Vilsack is one of longest serving Secretaries of Agriculture in U.S. history. He held the post for the 8-year Obama Administration, and he’s close to another four
Continue Reading Letter from the Editor: Vilsack gone?Farm Bill
Groups seek president’s attention to food safety in upcoming Farm Bill
This is an excerpt from a letter sent to President Biden earlier this month by a coalition of 150 groups. The topic of the letter was the upcoming negotiation of the Farm Bill, which includes…
Continue Reading Groups seek president’s attention to food safety in upcoming Farm BillThe new reality of USDA catfish regulation
Not since April 30, 2014, when USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) obtained the primary regulatory oversight for catfish and catfish products from the Food and Drug Administration, have there been any victory laps.…
Publisher’s Platform: Revive the MDP
Hundreds sicken and hospitalized, dozens with kidney failure and 7 deaths from romaine in the last 12 months in the U.S. and Canada and the response from industry and government has been what? Please put…
Continue Reading Publisher’s Platform: Revive the MDP
Senate might not buy King’s amendment to open all states to all American farm products
Representative Steve King, R-IA, has succeeded in attaching his “Protect Interstate Commerce Act (PICA) of 2018” to the House version of the now 641-page “Farm Bill” and senators are pushing back.
A conservative Republican, King…
Continue Reading Senate might not buy King’s amendment to open all states to all American farm products
USDA grants through NIFA include food safety research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced support for research, education, and extension projects that promote a safe, nutritious food supply. The funding is made possible through NIFA’s Agriculture…
Continue Reading USDA grants through NIFA include food safety research
States want ‘robust partnership’ with Washington D.C. on ag
Policy goals for 2017 are being set this week by one of the nation’s smallest, but most powerful agricultural groups. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is meeting for its Winter Policy…
Continue Reading States want ‘robust partnership’ with Washington D.C. on ag
Storms and stability ahead for food safety efforts in 2017
Food safety in 2017 will be dependent on our “complicated bureaucracies” that exist to get through transitions and times of change. Both USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug…
Continue Reading Storms and stability ahead for food safety efforts in 2017
Food safety plays part in urban agriculture bill
Imagine walking down the street in your city neighborhood and stopping by a garden, planted in what used to be a vacant lot, to buy some vegetables or fruit for supper. For many people, this…
Continue Reading Food safety plays part in urban agriculture bill
House leaders asked not to vote on Senate resolution to end USDA catfish inspection
A bipartisan congressional group mostly representing the Gulf states, but also including food safety advocate Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), has asked the House leadership not to take up the recently passed Senate resolution which would…
Continue Reading House leaders asked not to vote on Senate resolution to end USDA catfish inspection