News & Insights

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Down on the Farm

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Here I am on the farm in Illinois. I will update you on...

Issues of the Day

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Hot issues of the day – Are we going to war with Iran?...

Oh, SNAP! The Supreme Court Holds Store Level SNAP Redemption Data is Confidential Under FOIA Exemption 4

In a major victory for grocers, the United States Supreme Court (in a 6-3 decision) held that store level SNAP...

FDA Publishes Draft Guidance For Sprout Seed Producers

Sprouts are associated with numerous foodborne illness outbreaks. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more than 2,600...

EPA and DHA – Qualified Health Claims for Conventional Foods and Dietary Supplements

FDA has issued an enforcement discretion letter that authorizes qualified health claims (QHC) that relate consuming eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and...

Added Sugars in Pure Honey and Maple Syrup, and Other Single-Ingredient Sugars and Syrups, and in Dried Cranberry and Cranberry Beverage Products

Today, FDA published notice of the availability of a final guidance for industry, entitled: The Declaration of Added Sugars on...

Uncertainty in Agriculture

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Agri-Pulse Daybreak reported “when asked if he could say when the U.S. and...

Did You Know

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Finally – my corn and soybeans are in the ground. However, as of...

Tariffs

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. We all have priorities. I was delighted when USMCA — our new trade...

Another Memorial Day Passed

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Over the last week with Memorial Day we have honored our service men...

Anxiety in Farm Country

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. I was on the farm last week. We did get some corn planted...

Crop Insurance Arbitration: Navigating the Landmines

Two years ago, a Kentucky farmer won an unusual $640,000 arbitration award against his Federal crop insurance AIP (approved insurance...

FARMERS: Yes, heavy spring rains can affect your FCIC crop insurance coverage.

It’s no secret that weeks of heavy rain and snow melt have wreaked havoc with farm operations across the Midwest...

U.S. Trade Representative Announces Increased Chinese Tariffs, Promises to Provide Exclusion Process

On Wednesday, May 8th, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced plans to increase tariffs to 25 percent on approximately $200...

Global Economy

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Is this a global economy or what? We have been in a trade...

Spring 2019

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Last Sunday former U.S. Senator Richard Lugar died. He served 36 years in...

What’s Ahead

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. This weekend I will be on my farm in Illinois. When I booked...

U.S. Trade Representative Requests Comments on Potential E.U. Tariffs

On Friday, April 12, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated an investigation to enforce the United States’ rights resulting from...

FDA Proposes New Fluoride Limits for Bottled Water

On April 3, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed rule that lowers the maximum amount of...

FDA Begins to Move on CBD Policy and Enforcement

Earlier this week, the FDA made significant movement on issues and policy involving cannabis and its components, including cannabidiol (CBD)....

Swine Fever & USMCA

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. What should we focus on today? Let’s start with African Swine Fever. ASF...

No Collusion

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. After 2 long years of distraction and political attacks, Special Counsel Mueller released...

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Moves Forward

Reauthorization of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 has been stalled since 2015. Even though the Senate Agriculture Committee...

Issues of the Day

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Let’s begin with hemp. When I was a little boy, hemp was growing...