There’s been much attention this year on the slow pace of Secretary Sonny Perdue’s confirmation and the filling of subcabinet positions at USDA. Earlier this month, Steve Censky and Ted McKinney were confirmed as deputy secretary and the newly-created undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, respectively. The following positions remain open:
The very last nominee confirmed in President Obama’s first term was the undersecretary for marketing and agricultural programs on 8 October; most were confirmed in spring 2009. President Trump pledged to “drain the swamp” once elected and, at one point, banned lobbyists from serving in his administration. He’s held firm at USDA, bringing in a com...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
