Agriculture & Agribusiness

Commentary: Another court rules against large-scale livestock farms

Agriculture & Agribusiness, USDA / By Gary H. Baise

The United States is home to 21,000 large-scale livestock farms or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations. According to an appeals court opinion handed down Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco once again ruled for the environmentalists against these farms. The case is no. 20-71554 and was brought by Food …

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OFW Law to co-host the 2021 Food Labeling Summit with the Food Institute next month

FDA, Agriculture & Agribusiness, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, USDA / By Kristin L. McGinty

Next month, The Food Institute kicks off its 3-day virtual training seminar on Food Labeling and Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC will be co-hosting the event. Each day has its own unique theme. On day one, attendees may expect to first learn the basics of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) and the U.S. …

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African Agriculture Forum

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Uncategorized / By Marshall L. Matz

The African Green Revolution Summit concluded and served as an introduction for the UN Food Systems Summit to be held at the UN in New York on September 23. Dr. Agnes Kalibata hosted the African Forum and will also Chair the UN Summit. The goal of the UN Summit is to drive an agenda that will …

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John Block Reports: Labor Day

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. Monday this week was Labor Day. Thank you to the hard-working men and women that carry the load of our great nation into a positive productive future. It has not been easy. Parts of Louisiana and the Northeast U.S. were hit by Ida’s destructive wind and rain. …

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USDA-FSIS Announces Updated Guidance for Controlling Pathogens in Beef and Poultry Operations

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, USDA / By John G. Dillard

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has recently updated several of its guidance documents addressing the control of pathogens in beef and poultry operations. These guidelines provide best practices for establishments on managing pathogens during pre-harvest, slaughter, chilling, storage, and processing. FSIS’ guidance is focused on assisting small and very …

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John Block Reports: Executive Orders

Agriculture & Agribusiness, USDA / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. Last week President Biden signed a broad Executive Order designed to ensure that we have more competitive markets. We have too many huge corporations. They keep buying up their competitors and just get bigger. Smaller companies compete at a disadvantage. Biden says, “Capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism. …

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FTC to Issue Final Rule to Combat “Made in USA” Fraud

Food Distribution & International Trade, Agriculture & Agribusiness, FDA, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, Government Relations, USDA, USTR / By J. Mason Weeda

On July 1st, the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to publish the final Made in USA Labeling Rule in the Federal Register. The rule is consistent with – and essentially codifies – its prior 1997 Enforcement Policy Statement on U.S. Origin Claims, and provides the agency with enforcement tools to combat fraudulent claims. The rule …

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John Block Reports: Issues of Today

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. It could change tomorrow, but at this moment nothing is getting done in this town. There are talks going on and ideas being evaluated. President Biden met with the Group of Seven in Europe and the NATO nations agreed to join together and challenge China’s behavior on …

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John Block Reports: Ransomware

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. Two weeks ago, Colonial Pipeline was shut down. On the East Coast we lost 45% of our gas and oil. Cars and trucks without fuel. Ransomware thieves were given $4.4 million to turn the oil faucet back on. I said in my program 2 weeks ago – …

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USDA to Provide Overtime Fee Relief to Small and Very-Small Establishments

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, USDA / By John G. Dillard

One of the major complaints of smaller meat and poultry establishments is the cost of USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) overtime and holiday inspection services. Meat and poultry establishments that are subject to mandatory inspection receive FSIS inspection services free of charge for each 8-hour shift the plant normally operates. Many plants only …

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John Block Reports: Budget

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. President Biden last Friday released a $6 trillion budget plan for our next fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021. The Administration has called it a “bold and responsible budget.” I conclude that it is “bold”, but the debt level that is projected will continue to grow every …

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John Block Reports: Trade

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

Share on linkedin By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. Politicians here in DC are always looking for someone to blame for all the problems that we face. China is at the top of that list. Congress is writing a powerful anti-China package of bills. There is no question about it. China has been …

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Bob Dole and George McGovern: A Nutrition Legacy that Continues

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Government Relations, Public Policy, USDA / By Marshall L. Matz

For many years in the Senate, Senator Bob Dole (R-KS) teamed up with Senator George McGovern (D-SD) to create a legacy of bipartisan leadership on nutrition. Working together in the 1970s, they completely reformed the Food Stamp Program (now SNAP); established the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations; with Senator Humphrey, created the Women’s Infants …

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John Block Reports: Farming Today

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. I have not been here at the farm in Illinois since last September when we started harvest. The global pandemic has shut a lot of us in, but I have my vaccine shots now and I feel a lot safer. My family members and farm team here …

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John Block Reports: Earth Day

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. Big Change – we can all remember that President Trump had no interest or concern about “climate change.” When elected he quickly withdrew the U.S. from the World Climate Accord. Thursday this week is “Earth Day” and President Biden will host a virtual climate conference with more …

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John Block Reports: Ag Day

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. President Biden declared March 23rd as National Agriculture Day. He said, “I call upon all Americans to join me in recognizing and affirming our commitment to and appreciation for our farmers, ranchers, farm workers, and those who work in the agriculture sector across the nation.” The President’s …

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John Block Reports: Issues

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. I want to have an open mind and be fair as I evaluate the policies advocated by President Biden and our new Congress. It is too soon to know where we are going on trade. There are a lot of disputes and not many easy solutions. We …

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CSPI petitions FSIS to implement enforceable Salmonella controls, supply chain requirements

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, USDA / By John G. Dillard

John Dillard, a principal attorney in the USDA – FSIS Practice Group, authored the following article on a recent citizen’s petition to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The article appears in The National Provisioner’s March issue. On Jan. 25, 2021, a coalition of food safety activist groups and individuals led by Center …

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John Block Reports: Equality

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. We all know or should know that we’re going to have a $1.9 trillion relief package. It does target the needy, the hungry, and unemployed. But there are billions and billions for others to buy political support. Enough on that subject. There are other developments that can …

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The UN FOOD SYSTEM SUMMIT: Upside and Downside for US Agriculture

Food Distribution & International Trade, Agriculture & Agribusiness, Government Relations, USDA / By Marshall L. Matz and Philip C. Karsting

The UN Food System Summit (FSS), to be hosted by Secretary-General António Guterres as a part of the UN General Assembly this September, is generating increased attention for several reasons: It’s fast approaching. Hunger is on the rise. The new Biden/Harris Administration is committed to international engagement and hunger reduction. US agriculture has much …

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John Block Reports: Trade

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. I know that the battle over how much we spend and what we spend the money on in the $1.9 trillion Relief Bill will dominate our Congress. But I want to talk about trade now. In agriculture we are expecting a good year after 4 or 5 …

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Packers and Stockyards Act: Cattle Sellers Gain New Protections with the Statutory Dealer Trust

USDA, Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John G. Dillard

John Dillard, a principal attorney in the USDA – Packers and Stockyards group, authored the following article on recent amendments to the Packers and Stockyards Act establishing a Statutory Dealer Trust. The article appears in Farm Journal’s mid-February issue. Cattle dealers play an integral role of the movement of livestock by buying cattle, creating …

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John Block Reports: A New Day

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. President Biden has a long list of priorities. Control of the Coronavirus heads the list. He has told us that he wants to work across the aisle, but if the Democrats run through Congress the $1.9 trillion relief package without some meaningful compromise, where is the shared …

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Carbon Labeling: Who is Ahead of the Game?

Agriculture & Agribusiness, FDA, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing / By Julia K. Johnson

With climate change discussions being elevated on a local, regional, and global scale, many individuals are considering how their personal choices, including foods they consume, impact the environment. This has translated to a resurgence of interest in carbon labeling food products. Now that we understand the basics of carbon labeling and what it means for …

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How Does Buying American Benefit U.S. Food, Agriculture, and Medical Products?

Agriculture & Agribusiness, FDA, Food Distribution & International Trade, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, Government Relations, Public Policy, USDA / By Tish Eggleston Pahl, Kristin L. McGinty, & Julia K. Johnson

President Biden recently issued an Executive Order (EO) to harness the federal government’s purchasing power to bolster domestic manufacturing. The “Strengthening Buy American Provisions, Ensuring Future of America is Made in America by All of America’s Workers” intends to support American industry and American workers. Overall, this EO looks to close loopholes in existing “Buy American” policies …

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John Block Reports: Stimulus Package

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. When you hear this radio commentary, we will have a new President. Joe Biden will face a long and difficult list of challenges. Topping the list will be the Coronavirus and a $1.9 trillion stimulus to lift our economy. That huge spending bill has not passed the …

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employees cutting meat at a processing facility

CDC to Host Webinar on COVID-19 Vaccination for Food and Agriculture Workers – January 21st

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Food Distribution & International Trade, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing / By John G. Dillard

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will host a webinar to provide updates on COVID-19 vaccine implementation for food and agriculture workers on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 3:00 PM Eastern. The webinar will also discuss vaccine safety and confidence as well as recommendations for vaccine prioritization. The panelists for the webinar …

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NIAA: What to Expect for Animal Agriculture in a Biden Administration

Agriculture & Agribusiness, Food Distribution & International Trade, Food Manufacturing, Processing, and Marketing, Government Relations / By John G. Dillard

The National Institute of Animal Agriculture invited Chelsea Good, Vice President of Government & Industry Affairs at Livestock Marketing Association and John Dillard, Principal Attorney in the USDA Practice Group at OFW Law to provide insight on the incoming Biden Administration and what it will mean for the animal agriculture industry. From the Barn to …

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John Block Reports: President Biden’s Opportunity

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. I am so tired of these “peaceful” rallies that end up destroying property, looting, and burning flags and signs. We had a dozen of our large cities face this last summer and fall, but by far the worst is the assault on our own Capitol last week. …

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John Block Reports: Using Farmers to Fight Global Warming

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. We have our federal government funding bill passed and signed by President Trump and a generous relief package also. Now is the time to give up on the election challenges. However, I would stress that we need to make sure that future elections are fair and honest. …

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John Block Reports: Christmas Time… Definitely – Pandemic Relief… Maybe

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. It’s Christmas. And the New Year is almost upon us. This year has been one for the books. The Coronavirus has upset everything. Millions of jobs have been lost. Some families can’t pay their rent. Small businesses are going bankrupt. New virus cases are surging. One piece …

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John Block Reports: Biden Picks Tom Vilsack to Return to USDA

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. After the election we all read about President Trump challenging the results. However, we also are reading about President-Elect Biden’s possible nominees for his cabinet. We know they are all important, but for agriculture and rural America, the choice for Secretary of Agriculture has been at the …

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John Block Reports: The Biden Administration’s Transition

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. The transition to a new President and new team to lead our country is in process. However, Joe Biden will not step into the White House until January 20th. In the meantime, there is still work to be done. The federal government will shut down on December …

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John Block Reports: Thanksgiving Dinner in America During COVID-19

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

Home » Agriculture & Agribusiness » Election and More By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. We just celebrated another Thanksgiving. At least, I hope we celebrated it. I know these are chaotic times. The worst problem is that the coronavirus has us isolated and shut down. Also, it may not be on your mind right now but …

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John Block Reports: Climate Change Policy from the US to the EU

Agriculture & Agribusiness / By John R. Block

By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. With the Biden Presidency approaching, climate change has been elevated to talk and perhaps even action which will affect agriculture and rural America. Powerful voices in our ag industry are forming the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance. The groups involved include the American Farm Bureau Federation, Environmental …

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