News & Insights
John Block Reports: Biden Picks Tom Vilsack to Return to USDA
By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. After the election we all read about President Trump challenging the results. ...
John Block Reports: The Biden Administration’s Transition
By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. The transition to a new President and new team to lead our...
John Block Reports: Thanksgiving Dinner in America During COVID-19
Home » Agriculture & Agribusiness » Election and More By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. We just celebrated another Thanksgiving. At least,...
HHS’s Last Ditch Policy Moves – What is the End Game?
Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a proposed rule that would require sunset dates...
Transition Update: “Ascertainment”
It’s official!! At this writing, GSA Administrator Emily Murphy has now notified President-Elect Biden that she is making available to...
Profile of Senator John Boozman
Senator John Boozman (R-AR) is in line to become the next Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and...
Transition Update: Moving Forward
At this writing, the administrator of the General Services Administration still has not issued the “ascertainment” finding needed to trigger...
John Block Reports: Climate Change Policy from the US to the EU
By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. With the Biden Presidency approaching, climate change has been elevated to talk...
Oh, SNAP! FNS Issues Final Rule That Discriminates Against Minority Retailers
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been frequently referred to as “The Last Plantation,” based on what has...
Transitioning to the 117th Congress
While so many are paying attention to the transition from the Trump to Biden Administrations, keep in mind that there...
John Block Reports: A Democratic President – What Happens Next?
By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. The election is behind us. There was no “blue wave.” After the...
Transition Update: Biden announces agency Review Teams
As anticipated in our most recent Transition “Next Steps” post from Monday, the Biden-Harris Transition team on Tuesday this week...
The Biden-Harris Transition: What’s Next
The decision desks have spoken and awarded Democrat Joe Biden enough states to claim 270 Electoral College votes and the...
John Block Reports: 2020 Presidential Election Commentary
By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. As I write this week’s commentary, we still don’t have all the...
The Future of SNAP (Food Stamps)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides valuable assistance to millions of Americans who need help because they have lost...
A Midnight Attack on Federal Employees?
Late last week, in the final days of a presidential election, President Donald Trump issued an innocuous-sounding Executive Order (EO)...
FDA announces enforcement discretion and 3-year delay in DSCSA Requirements for Wholesale Distributors and Dispensers
This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced release of a new guidance for immediate implementation that extends for...
World Food Program USA Honors Marshall Matz
The World Food Program USA (WFP USA) announced it is naming its boardroom the Marshall Matz Boardroom. Marshall founded the...
Transition Update 2020
With fewer than three weeks till Election Day, neither campaign wants to take its eye off the ball. All focus...
John Block Reports: World Food Program Wins the Nobel Peace Prize
By Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, John R. Block. The Presidential election battle rages on. Biden leads in the polls. ...
2020 Dietary Guidelines Near the End of Stage One
On Wednesday, June 16, 2020, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) hosted a public meeting to review their draft scientific...
QHC for Cranberry Products and Reduced Risk of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection in Healthy Women
FDA has published a letter of enforcement discretion, which it sent to legal counsel for Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., that authorizes...
2020 Food Labeling Seminar Hosted by OFW and The Food Institute
OFW and The Food Institute will be holding their annual Food Labeling Seminar on October 7, 8, and 9. The...
Policy Solutions to Climate Change through Agriculture and Forestry
The coronavirus has dominated the news cycle over the last five months and has disrupted nearly every industry, particularly agriculture...