Any hope that the U.S. Senate would confirm Jose Emilio Esteban as USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety before the late summer break is gone.
The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry has not scheduled a nomination hearing for Esteban. President Biden nominated him for the nation’s top food
Continue Reading Senate sits on Esteban nomination as USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety
The U.S. Senate is expected to confirm the nomination of Tom Vilsack on Feb. 23, clearing the way for him to serve as President Biden’s Secretary of Agriculture, just as he did for former President Obama.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, the new chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on
Continue Reading USDA headquarters expected to get the new (old) boss after Feb. 23 Senate confirmation vote
Annual hiring of an additional 240 agricultural specialists to strengthen U.S. borders and ports of entry and 200 agricultural technicians for administrative and support functions along with 20 new K-9 teams is now authorized by law.
President Trump has signed The Protecting America’s Food & Agriculture Act of 2019, bipartisan
Continue Reading U.S. beefs up border inspections with more agricultural, food safety expertise
Senators Pat Roberts, D-KS, and Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, were beaming Tuesday during the first agricultural committee hearing since the Farm Bill passed.
Roberts, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Nutrition, was so proud he kept asking to be reminded that the Farm Bill, now in conference, passed
Continue Reading Senate holds confirmation hearing, but not for key food safety post
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue thinks it would be an over-reaction for USDA to embargo Brazilian beef because of that country’s federal investigation of meat inspectors being bribed to overlook standards for exported meat.
Former Georgia Gov. Sunny Perdue testified before the Senate ag committee March
Continue Reading Near confirmation, Perdue says no to Brazilian beef embargo
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 is not pie-in-the sky dreaming. It’s a welcome reality — and a pleasant change in
Continue Reading Food safety plays part in urban agriculture bill
Just label It is throwing in the towel. The never-ending campaign by the organic industry’s top political players to force GMO labeling on the entire food industry says its time to move on. After a 63-30 vote late Friday for a national GMO labeling scheme that was opposed by Just
Continue Reading Just Label It takes a victory lap after losing; opts to move on
The Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Wednesday on country-of-origin labeling (COOL) and trade retaliation got something new to chew on. On the eve of the first Senate action since the House of Representatives voted to repeal COOL, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the ranking minority member on the committee, circulated a draft bill
Continue Reading Michigan Senator Offers Voluntary COOL Draft for Discussion Purposes
