-The Hagstrom Report
Michael Regan, secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality in North Carolina and President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to be Environmental Protection Agency administrator, called National Corn Growers Association President Jon Doggett after the announcement of his nomination, AgWeb reported.
Doggett quoted Regan as saying he knows the importance of the Renewable Fuel Standard to the corn industry.
“That was really good to hear,” Doggett noted.
American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings said, “We congratulate Secretary Regan on his nomination to be EPA administrator and look forward to working with him to get the Renewable Fuel Standard back on track, clear regulatory hurdles to E15 and higher blends, and ensure corn ethanol is part of the solution to new policies designed to tackle climate change.
Agricultural groups and farm state lawmakers are pleased that the new COVID relief package passed by Congress last night includes help for producers excluded from previous aid legislation.
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) says relief includes the Paycheck Protection Program for Producers Act. “The bill also includes funding to allow the Department of Agriculture to provide additional assistance to ag producers who were dealing with a tough economy before the pandemic hit,” said Thune.
Many farmers and ranchers who were previously left out will now qualify for assistance, including livestock and poultry producers who were forced to euthanize animals during the initial wave of the pandemic. They will receive 80% reimbursement for losses due to premature euthanization or canceled orders. Nearly $1 billion will support a dairy donation program and supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage payments for small and medium-sized producers. More help will be made available to specialty and non-specialty
By Kevin Bessler - Illinois Radio Network
Meat industry groups are urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to prioritize the COVID-19 vaccination for the men and women who work in the meat and poultry industry.
Nationally, nearly 50,000 meatpacking employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 253 have died.
The first wave will include health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. Essential workers will be considered next, but with limited vaccine doses and a lot of workers considered essential, the jockeying is underway on which ones should go to the front of the line.
Federal guidelines consider almost 70% of Americans to be working in essential industries. So there are now a large group of companies and trade groups making their cases to federal and state authorities.
WASHINGTON (Dec. 21, 2020) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) secured critical wins for cattle producers today through the latest government funding and COVID-19 relief packages. The deal includes additional Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) support for cattle producers, expanded resources for state-inspected meat processors through inclusion of the Requiring Assistance to Meat Processors for Upgrading Plants (RAMP UP) Act, certainty that cattle producers can recoup payment losses by establishing a dealer trust, funding for agriculture quarantine inspection services and an extension of Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR). NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued the following statement:
“We are grateful to leaders on both sides of the aisle and both sides of Capitol Hill for working diligently to deliver this year-end package that provides vital relief to U.S. cattle producers. This package addresses many of NCBA’s year-long
Tyler Harris
CONSUMER TRENDS: Shawn Darcy, director of market research for the National Cattlemen s Beef Association, will discuss consumer trends, marketing efforts to reach consumers and changing dynamics of what consumers prefer. Virtual conference will address consumer perceptions of beef, and programs helping to create and sustain demand for beef.
Dec 22, 2020
The 2021 virtual Driftless Region Beef Conference on Jan. 26-28 will feature discussions on “What consumers say they need and want” beginning with a presentation from speaker Shawn Darcy, director of market research for the National Cattlemen s Beef Association.
Darcy will talk about consumer trends, marketing efforts to reach consumers and the changing dynamics of what consumers prefer. His presentation will offer insight into consumer buying trends and campaigns that focus on keeping beef on the plate.