A dairy farmer and mother of three says federal nutrition guidelines need to allow whole milk in schools. Amy Penterman Amy Penterman is a past Dairy Business Association president and farms with her husband Sander near Thorp, Wisconsin. She tells Brownfield limiting schools to skim and 1% milk is not meeting the nutritional needs of children. “Our kiddos at school are very hungry. I have three young boys in school. […]
With more than a quarter of a billion people facing acute levels of hunger and a large number of people on the brink of starvation, addressing food insecurity isn’t something that will happen overnight. Maximo Torero Cullen, the chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization says one area to focus on is strengthening social protection programs. AUDIO: Healthy Living on addressing food insecurity ...
WASHINGTON, May 10, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is taking additional steps as part of its commitment to strengthen the market for domestically grown organic goods, and to support producers seeking organic certification. These funding opportunities are part of the U.S.
An ag lobbyist says debt ceiling discussions continue to take the oxygen out of the room in Washington D.C. President Joe Biden met with Congressional leaders on Tuesday to negotiate and will meet again on Friday. Tom Sell with Combest, Sell and Associates says the path forward to raise the debt ceiling still includes updates to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. “To try and curb the amount of time or […]
Bipartisan legislation to scale back the Conservation Reserve Program is being introduced in the U.S. Senate. Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley says he and New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker are teaming up on the CRP Reform Act. “The bill will fundamentally change CRP from enrolling prime farmland in the program to enrolling more marginal farmland.” The bill would reduce the CRP acreage cap from 28 million to 24 million acres for […]
The Michigan Beef Industry Commission is evaluating how to improve its outreach to consumers. Registered dietitian Katie Serbinski tells Brownfield their annual Consumer Beef Tracker survey found about half of Michigan consumers say they are unknowledgeable about how cattle are raised. “We know that the Michigan consumer looks to beef as a nutritious and valuable protein,” she shares. “They’re a little unsure about how beef is raised, so animal welfare, […]
Consumer desire for renewable and sustainable raw materials is helping make soybeans an ideal ingredient for nonfood uses. In this episode, a farmer leader from Kentucky discusses nonfood uses, products, and partnerships. ...
Minnesota Pork has tabbed a former intern as its new director of communications. Bailey Ruen says she grew up on a pig farm near Lanesboro in southeast Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in agriculture communication and marketing. “I was an intern with Minnesota Pork in the summer of 2021, and when I saw the communications job opening I knew I wanted to get back […]
A Senate Ag Committee hearing is underway to confirm Xochitl Torres Small as the next deputy ag secretary for USDA. Testifying before the committee, Torres Small said her work as Under Secretary for Rural Development helped build her relationships with constituents and USDA employees. “The management side of the position would happily be front of mind for me every single day.” She says the deputy ag secretary serves as a […]
