The U.S. House is set to work on a disaster aid bill that includes financial help for Midwestern and Southern farmers.
The Hagstrom Report states House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made the announcement last week as the House adjourned. Hoyer said the House will consider H.R. 2157, which is the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2019.
“The legislation would provide relief and recovery assistance to Americans that have been affected by recent natural disasters,” Hoyer said. “It includes an additional $3 billion to address serious needs that resulted from flooding in the Midwest and tornadoes in the South.”
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans said they have a plan that includes $300 million in additional aid to Puerto Rico, which Democrats want. They also said President Trump has agreed to support the bill.
Julie Anna Potts, the president and CEO of the North American Meat Institute, just made her first visit to two leading destinations for U.S. beef and pork-Japan and South Korea. She said she was especially impressed with the manner in which U.S. beef and pork were presented and merchandised in these markets.
“I really loved seeing in multiple retail locations how beautifully presented our beef and pork were,” said Potts. “What I observed in the store was incredible attention to packaging and presentation and signage.”
She added U.S. beef and pork producers are lucky to have the U.S. and Korea Free Trade Agreement in place and urges the U.S. to reach a similar agreement with Japan.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service launched an interactive website that provides livestock producers with important information.
The site contains web links for obtaining premises identification numbers and location identifiers within livestock producers’ respective states.
Federal PINs or state-specific LIDs are unique codes permanently assigned to a physical location. PIN and LID registrations – administered by the states – allow animal health officials to quickly identify and locate animals in the event of animal health or food safety emergency.
A PIN or LID is required to purchase official animal identification tags. A new interactive map is part of APHIS’ efforts to advance the Animal Disease Traceability program. ADT is a key component of the country’s domestic livestock disease programs. ADT is also critical to sustaining domestic and international trade.
President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on China on Sunday, threatening to hike tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
Trump’s comments, delivered on Twitter, came as a Chinese delegation was scheduled to resume talks in Washington on Wednesday aimed at resolving a trade war that has shaken financial markets and cast gloom over the world economy.
Trump turned up the heat by saying he would raise import taxes on $200 billion in Chinese products to 25% from 10% on Friday. Following the President’s tweets, China is now considering canceling its planned trip to Washington by the country’s top trade negotiator.
According to CoBank, the financial risks and costs associated with food safety are increasing and food suppliers will face continued increases in food safety costs over the coming years.
Until there is reliable traceability throughout the food supply chain, the advanced technology that enables faster identification of food safety issues is also increasing the likelihood of more broad-based food advisories being issued.
A new report explains why the stakes are rising for food suppliers in a landscape of continuously evolving food safety challenges, technologies and regulations.
While our ability to detect food-related outbreaks has increased, until traceability improves, this improved detection increases the risk of future advisories, such as the romaine lettuce advisories in 2018.
-Reported by Russell Nemetz/MTN News
