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On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) formally approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal, which is the latest in a long string of agribusiness mergers, will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and crop chemicals […]

Posted on May 31st, 2018 by Debby
Filed under: Agriculture, DOJ, Government Agencies | No Comments »

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Post has been updated (see bold insert below) Not even this Congress can avoid the reality that its game plan for an end-of-the-year home stretch has been severely altered. America’s appetite for petty politics has been washed away by a merciless tempest. Providing federal aid to rural and urban areas shattered by Hurricane Harvey is […]

Posted on September 5th, 2017 by Rural Outlook
Filed under: Agriculture, Climate Change, Economy, Environment, Environmental disaster, Federal Programs, FEMA, House of Representatives, Senate, Uncategorized, US Government | No Comments »

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It raises a red flag whenever Washington tells us it plans to cut our taxes, because in the end it simply means the federal government will not be sending more of our hard-earned money back home to the states. So America if you want the services you have come to expect or need, you better […]

Posted on May 23rd, 2017 by Rural Outlook
Filed under: Agriculture, Economy, Elections, Government Agencies, Health Care, Rural Issues, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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Putting the fat back into America’s food policy is a loud and clear priority for the new majority in Congress this year.  First Lady Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” initiative in February 9, 2010.  A widely acclaimed first step to taking on childhood obesity, the First lady hasn’t been shy about wielding her considerable […]

Posted on January 2nd, 2015 by Debby
Filed under: Childhood obesity, Farm-to-School, FDA, Food, Nutrition, US Congress, USDA | No Comments »

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Heads up from New England Farmers Union! The Senate will begin voting today on a list of amendments to the farm bill. There are some very good things in this bill for New England and at least two amendments that would make it even better. Please call your Senators TODAY and ask them to support […]

Posted on June 19th, 2012 by Debby
Filed under: Agriculture, Farm Bill 2012, Farms & Farmers, Federal Programs, Food, Senate, Uncategorized, US Congress, USDA | No Comments »

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The Senate began consideration of a farm and food bill yesterday. The biggest issues on the threshing floor of the Senate is separating wheat from chaff between Northern and Southern farmers over safety net programs and the question of costs for the federal food stamp program, which makes up about 80 percent of the $100 […]

Posted on June 6th, 2012 by Debby
Filed under: Agriculture, Community Gardens, Farm Bill 2012, Farm to School, Farm-to-School, Farmers Markets, Food, Rural Urban Partnerships, Senate, USDA | No Comments »

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USDA request for applications (RFA) are now available for the new Farm to School grant program. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 is in its first funding cycle for grants planning or implementing new or expanded Farm to School programs. USDA expects to award up to $3.5 million to support access to local foods […]

Posted on April 18th, 2012 by Debby
Filed under: Buy Local, Farm to School, Farm-to-School, Nutrition, Rural Urban Partnerships, USDA | No Comments »

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By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson I checked with the USDA today to see what programs and services will continue to operate if a budget compromise isn’t achieved by Friday night. The agency official I spoke with, who asked that I identify him that way, told me plans are not final, but that “in the event of […]

Posted on April 7th, 2011 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: USDA | No Comments »

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By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was on NPR’s Weekend Edition recently, talking about how agriculture fared in 2010 and what’s on his mind as work begins on the 2012 Farm Bill. Speaking with host Liane Hansen, Vilsack said 2010 saw a 34% increase in net farm income, thanks largely to exports of […]

Posted on January 11th, 2011 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Agriculture, Farms & Farmers, USDA | 1 Comment »

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By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson The big guys in the dairy industry, The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), have their long knives out for rural dairy farmers who sell raw milk locally. We needn’t be surprised. We’re seeing the convergence of two social trends: a growing concern among people […]

Posted on October 17th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Agriculture, FDA, Food Safety | 2 Comments »