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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...

FDA’s Final Rule on Intentional Adulteration of Food: Public Meeting and Guidance

FDA has announced a public meeting to discuss its recent Draft Guidance for industry on the agency’s intentional adulteration of...

FDA Extends Compliance Date for The Produce Rule’s Agricultural Water Requirement

As initially announced last week by outgoing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., the compliance dates for...

President’s Budget

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Issues of the Day. The President’s Budget. If everything goes according to plan,...

Land Grab

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Did you know that Congress passed legislation authorizing the Land and Water Conservation...

China & N. Korea

By former USDA Secretary John R. Block. Priority government issues of the day would have to be trade negotiations with...