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April 25 (Reuters) - Nearly one million Americans could find it harder to access federal food aid under a Republican proposal to expand the program’s work requirements, according to the Biden administration, which has promised to veto the plan if it passes Congress. The expanded work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were included in a plan released last week by Republican House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy to cut federal spending and raise the debt ceiling. Existing SNAP work requirements apply only to such adults up to age 50. The expansion could affect nearly 1 million people, said a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson. About 42.4 million people are receiving SNAP benefits this year, the agency said.

Four food banks told Reuters that demand is up between 46 and 125% since last spring, and that visits to their pantries are as high or higher than they were at the height of the pandemic. "But for food banks, we're still deep in a crisis." Food banks also feel the pinch: two organizations told Reuters their food costs are up 25 to 30% this year compared to last spring. Democrats in Congress negotiated a compromise with Republicans to end the benefits in exchange for a new summer food program for children. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in December that it would allocate an additional $1 billion to food banks to meet rising demand.

☆ A church fired a worker who raised concerns after finding rats and spiders in the kitchen of its childcare center, the Labor Department said
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Texas church fired a worker who spoke to health authorities about pests in its daycare center, per OSHA. The worker said he'd spotted rats, roaches, and spiders in the facility's kitchen and cafeteria. OSHA ordered New Mount Zion Baptist Church to rehire him and pay him $31,000 in back wages and damages. The next day, the worker was told he was being terminated based on a vote by the church's board, per OSHA. In a preliminary order, OSHA told the church to reinstate the worker and pay him more than $11,000 in back wages and $20,000 in damages.

☆ The FDA's power to approve drugs faces sweeping challenge in lawsuit seeking to pull abortion pill from U.S. market
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine asked a federal district court in Dallas late last year to declare the FDA approval unlawful and completely remove the abortion pill from the U.S. market. If the lawsuit prevails, women across the U.S. would lose access, at least temporarily, to the most commonly used abortion method. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk is hearing the challenge to the FDA's approval of the abortion pill. Lawrence Gostin, an expert on public health law at Georgetown Law, said it would be "highly irresponsible" and "reckless" for a judge to overturn the FDA approval of mifepristone. Under federal law, lawsuits against the U.S. government must be filed within six years of an agency action.

☆ In wake of baby formula crisis, critical report recommends major food safety changes at FDA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

It enforces food safety regulations, works with local governments on food safety information, promotes dietary guidelines, and develops food safety information and education, as well as overseeing nutrition labels on most food and being responsible for promoting good nutrition practices to the US public. Another would have the FDA develop a strategy to increase funding for the Human Foods Program, with help from Congress. “The current culture of the FDA Human Foods Program is inhibiting its ability to effectively accomplish this goal” of protecting public health,” the report says. “The work of these independent evaluators will help to inform a new vision for the FDA Human Foods Program,” Califf said in a news release. Some critics have suggested that food safety takes a back seat to the FDA’s regulations of drugs and medical devices.

☆ Investors will reap billions if Kroger takes over Albertsons. Workers and shoppers may not be as happy.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Gretchen Morgenson | Gretchen Morgenson Is The Senior Financial Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. A Former Stockbroker | She Won The Pulitzer Prize In For Her | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

Wealthy investors in Safeway’s parent, Albertsons Companies, have done better. And next week, they were slated to reap a $4 billion cash dividend in connection with a proposed $25 billion takeover of Albertsons by rival Kroger. Based on that stake and the amount of the dividend, Cerberus stands to receive roughly $1 billion of the dividend payout. Six of Albertsons’ 14 directors who voted for the dividend are affiliated with the major investors. This is the last, best and final hope for a truly unionized chain.”Nervous about the pensionThe proposed $4 billion cash dividend is large by many measures.

☆ Fact Check-Dietary supplement bill would not let FDA ‘ban’ supplements, herbs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A proposed bill that calls for dietary supplement manufacturers to list their products with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is being misconstrued online by users who claim it will give the FDA new power to approve or ban supplements. The FDA can take action to remove dangerous or illegal supplements from the market, but it cannot approve or ban products before they are marketed. “Currently, dietary supplement companies are not required to provide this information to FDA, leaving the agency - and consumers writ large - without vital information needed to ensure safety and transparency into the dietary supplement marketplace.”VERDICTMissing context. The proposed bill would require dietary supplement manufacturers to report information about their products to the FDA. It would not give the FDA a new power to approve or ban products before they are marketed.

☆ Feds charge dozens in Minnesota in alleged scheme to steal $250 million in pandemic aid
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Prosecutors say few meals were actually served, and the defendants used the money to buy luxury cars, property and jewelry. "This $250 million is the floor," Andy Luger, the U.S. attorney for Minnesota, said at a news conference. According to court documents, the alleged scheme targeted the USDA's federal child nutrition programs, which provide food to low-income children and adults. But during the pandemic, some of the standard requirements for sites to participate in the federal food nutrition programs were waived. Luger said the scheme involved more than 125 million fake meals, with some defendants making up names for children by using an online random name generator.

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