It has been periodically charged that USDA has a bias in favor of farmers over consumers, and the agency’s local effort is evidence of the difficulty serving the needs of both.
Reacting to a Tampa Bay Times story (“Farm to Fable”) about restaurants making false claims regarding the sourcing of the foods they serve, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack reportedly said, “As this industry matures and grows there’s going to be the need for standardization for what it means by local and regional.” The “local” food movement has been nurtured by USDA in an effort to boost the income of smaller farms, particularly those nearer to urban centers. It is consistent with the government’s efforts since the 1...
What You Need to Know Today: After a period of limited activity, USDA reported a sizeable 613 KMT in soybean export sales, including 330 KMT to China and 283 KMT to unknown destinations, potentially also China. The purchases represent a meaningful pickup in demand and bring China closer to ful...
Key Takeaways: Consumer spending is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the latest retail sales data indicate that spending remains robust despite inflation. In September, total retail and food service sales rose more than 6 percent year-over-year, with food service spending up 7 percent and...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
