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The U.S. Agriculture Department must take immediate action to secure the benefits cards from which low-income families are being robbed of grocery funds, six Democratic senators urged in a letter. But unlike consumer credit and debit cards, SNAP EBT cards lack security features such as microchips or tap-to-pay technology. “It’s unacceptable that hackers and scam artists are stealing food benefits that low-income families rely on to put food on the table,” Wyden said in a statement to NBC News. California, set to start rolling them out in early 2025, is the furthest along, an Agriculture Department spokesperson said. “We’re calling on the USDA to stop dragging their feet and modernize EBT cards with the same technology we’ve used for years on credit and debit cards.”

Persons: Tom Vilsack, ”, Ron Wyden, John Fetterman, Amy Klobuchar, Peter Welch, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren, ” Wyden, Betsy Gwin, “, Vilsack, ” Crystal FitzSimons, hasn’t, we’ve Organizations: . Agriculture Department, Assistance, SNAP, Agriculture Department, NBC, Sens, NBC News, Agriculture, Reform Institute, Consolidated, cardholders, Food Research, Action Center, Department, USDA Locations: California, Alabama, Oklahoma, Massachusetts

The Summer EBT program provides $120 per child on electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, cards that low-income families can use to buy groceries when the school year ends. This summer, 37 states, including Tennessee, participated in the Summer EBT program, also known as SUN Bucks, according to the USDA. “Those summer meals only reach a fraction of the children who need them, and that’s why Summer EBT is so important,” Boone said. “The Summer EBT program was established in the pandemic-era to supplement existing food assistance programs in an extraordinary circumstance. Miller is trying to figure out what she will do if Tennessee’s governor doesn’t extend Summer EBT.

Persons: Jan, Bill Lee, ”, Kelsey Boone, ” Boone, Hurricane Helene, Helene, Bobbi Jo Miller’s, Miller, Chip Somodevilla, Lee doesn’t, “, doesn’t, ” Miller, she’s, “ I’m, Rhonda Chafin, Signe Anderson, it’s, ” Anderson, Elizabeth Lane Johnson, “ That’s, Marissa Spady, John Ray Clemmons, we’re, EBT, “ It’s Organizations: . Agriculture Department, SUN, Food Research, Action Center, Republican, FRAC, Summer Food Service Program, Tennessee Gov, Republican National Convention, Harvest Food Bank of Northeast, Tennessee Justice Center, NBC News, of Human Services, ” Locations: Tennessee, North Carolina, Unicoi County , Tennessee, Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, Nashville, Alabama

Low-income families who are robbed of their grocery funds may no longer get reimbursed if Congress doesn’t act by Sept. 30. Since late 2022, states have been authorized to use federal dollars to pay back victims of SNAP skimming thanks to a provision passed by lawmakers. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., who has advocated on behalf of SNAP skimming victims for years. “It’s frustrating and, frankly, very confusing that they don’t view this as a priority.”Despite the directive expiring, SNAP skimming continues to be a pervasive problem. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., proposed a bill in March that would require chip-enabled SNAP EBT cards and other safeguards, but the bill has yet to advance.

Persons: ”, “, Ruppersberger, Biden, Sen, Ron Wyden, ” Wyden, Daniel Acker, Cindy Long, ” Long, Ashley Burnside, ” Gina, Gina, Vicky Negus, Negus, ” Negus, “ It’s Organizations: Assistance, SNAP, U.S . Agriculture Department, C.A, state’s Department of Social Services, Oklahoma Human Services, Bloomberg, Getty, NBC News, USDA, for Law, Social, “ SNAP, Reform Institute, American, Human Services Association Locations: California, Oklahoma, Boston, Massachusetts, Washington ,

☆ U.S.D.A. Avocado Inspectors Will Start Returning to Mexican Packing Plants
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-22 | by ( Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | More About Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, announced on Friday that inspections of avocados and mangos made by U.S. Agriculture Department workers in Michoacán, a state in western Mexico, would “gradually” resume. It was not immediately clear when that would happen. And Mr. Salazar seemed to suggest that the security concerns that had prompted the suspension last weekend had not been fully addressed. “It is still necessary to advance in guaranteeing their security before reaching full operations,” he said in a statement, referring to the U.S.D.A. inspectors.

Persons: Ken Salazar, mangos, Mr, Salazar, ” Organizations: U.S . Agriculture Department, U.S, Embassy, Plant Health, Service Locations: Mexico, U.S, Michoacán, United States

☆ Co-defendant in Sen. Bob Menendez corruption case pleads guilty
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Jose Uribe leaves the Federal Court, after a hearing on bribery charges, in New York City, U.S. September 27, 2023. A co-defendant in the criminal corruption case against Sen. Bob Menendez pleaded guilty in New York federal court on Friday and agreed to cooperate with the prosecution of the New Jersey Democrat. Menendez's co-defendant Joe Uribe pleaded guilty to seven counts, including conspiracy to commit bribery, honest services fraud, and obstruction of justice. The other defendants in the case — Menendez, the senator's wife Nadine, and two other New Jersey businessmen — are scheduled to stand trial beginning May 6 in Manhattan federal court. The Clifton, New Jersey, resident and other two businessmen men were accused of having a "corrupt relationship" with Menendez and Nadine Menendez.

Persons: Jose Uribe, Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez's, Joe Uribe, — Menendez, Nadine, —, Uribe, Menendez, Nadine Menendez, Wael Hana Organizations: New, New Jersey Democrat, Mercedes, Benz, Agriculture Department, Senate Foreign Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, New Jersey, Jersey, Manhattan, Clifton , New Jersey, Egypt

☆ Southeast Asia a high priority market: U.S. agriculture official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSoutheast Asia is an 'extremely high priority' market for us: U.S. agriculture department officialAlexis Taylor, under secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, says China will continue to be an important market even as the U.S. pursues diversification.

Persons: Alexis Taylor Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture Locations: Asia, U.S, China

☆ Analysis: Bumper US corn harvest sinks prices, pushes global supply to surplus
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Mark Weinraub | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A bumper harvest will strain storage capacity and hold down prices of the world's most traded commodity crop. Already corn prices are trending near three-year lows at a time when some food prices are rising due to tight supplies of other staples like rice, stoking inflation worries. Just 16 months ago corn prices were at their highest in a decade as the war in Ukraine disrupted supplies from the Black Sea breadbasket. USDA forecast that domestic corn supplies would jump 55% to 2.111 billion bushels in the 2023/24 marketing year, helping push the global stockpile to a five-year high by September 2024. Some growers need to take out loans to fund their operations as they wait and hope corn prices will rise.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Steve Pitstick, Pitstick, Stephen Nicholson, Bill Roenigk, Harold Wolle, Wolle, Tom Polansek, Caroline Stauffer, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Agriculture Department, Brazil, Rabobank, Corn, Maine Foods, U.S, Growers, Thomson Locations: Kelley , Iowa, U.S, PARK , Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, Ukraine, Cal

☆ USDA Proposes Expanding School Meal Programs in Low-Income Areas
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Kristina Peterson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

School administrators have to balance different dynamics in deciding how to fund school meals. WASHINGTON—More schools would be eligible to offer free breakfast and lunch to students in low-income communities under a new proposal from the U.S. Agriculture Department. The USDA on Wednesday said it planned to lower the threshold of a program aimed at making it easier for schools and school districts in low-income areas to offer free meals to all students, without requiring their parents to apply for the benefits.

☆ U.S. farmers plan to go 'heavy on corn' in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Mark Weinraub | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Plans for the upcoming season were made even as doubts mounted about demand and price gains for soybeans outstripped corn late last year. 2 U.S. cash crop, soybeans. Hunnicutt cited the reliability of corn yields as a key reason to go big on corn in 2023. DEMAND WANESU.S. farmers alternate between soybeans and corn in a bid to maintain soil health. Last year's harvest shortfall left corn supplies at their lowest since 2013 and made farmers hopeful that prices would rally in the coming months.

☆ A TikTok creator’s homemade pickled products have sparked online conversation surrounding food safety
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

A TikTok creator’s recent apology after people accused her of improperly packaging her homemade pickled products before selling them online has sparked discourse surrounding influencers and whether they should be allowed to promote and sell homemade food items on the app. Britanny Saunier, executive director of the nonprofit organization Partnership for Food Safety EducationSocial media creates "enthusiasm" around homemade products, said Britanny Saunier, the executive director of the nonprofit organization Partnership for Food Safety Education. The backlash toward PickleMeEverything’s products comes several months after another viral product raised eyebrows over similar food safety fears. He said he’s concerned about the growing number of TikTokers who don’t know or use food safety while promoting food products. Food Science Babe pointed out in her video that several popular creators had promoted PickleMeEverything’s products.

The majority of states have declined to reimburse SNAP skimming victims. If Congress’ massive $1.7 trillion funding package passes, a provision tucked inside it would require states to replace SNAP benefits stolen in October or later. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., who introduced a bill last month to help SNAP skimming victims get their benefits reinstated. Washington, D.C., also reimburses SNAP skimming victims. Current regulations prohibit federal funds from being used to replace stolen SNAP funds, according to the Agriculture Department.

Federal dollars are also not an option for reimbursement because regulations prohibit federal funds from being used to replace stolen SNAP funds. SNAP participants say they cannot wait that long after a month or more of stolen benefits plunged them into financial turmoil. Washington, D.C., also reimburses SNAP skimming victims. In the meantime, anti-hunger advocates say there’s no reason states can’t fill the gap for SNAP skimming victims. How states can helpCalifornia, one state that restores stolen benefits, has a law allowing state funds to be used that dates back to 2013.

☆ Cotton-Price Decline Could Cushion Apparel Margins
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jinjoo Lee | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Rising cotton and freight costs didn’t unravel the apparel industry on the way up. The reversal of those costs could help pad their margins on the way down next year. Cotton prices, which surged through 2021 and reached an 11-year high in May of this year, have been on a steady decline and are now 47% below that peak. Unfavorable weather—severe flooding in Pakistan and drought in the U.S.—badly hit cotton-harvest forecasts this year, helping push cotton prices up initially. In the nine months through September, China’s cotton yarn imports, which the U.S. Agriculture Department views as a bellwether for global cotton-consumption growth, have fallen by nearly half from the same period a year earlier.

Last month, the Food and Agriculture Organization's global rice price index rose 2.2% to hit an 18-month high. "The international market has gone up and it will go up further," said Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India's rice business. Reuters GraphicsVietnam's unmilled rice output is forecast to hold flat to last year's 43 million tonnes, according to government data. Neighbouring Thailand is aiming to export 7.5 million tonnes this year, up about 7% from its previous target of 7 million tonnes, said Anucha Burapachaisri, a government spokesman. Meanwhile, Pakistan cannot capitalise on India's export curbs after severe flooding ravaged its crop.

☆ Black Farmers Skeptical About Loan Aid After Discrimination
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Kristina Peterson | Photographs Timothy Ivy For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—Last month, President Biden signed into law a spending bill intended to reckon with what courts and government investigations have repeatedly found to be a history of discrimination by the U.S. Agriculture Department against Black farmers. But for many Black farmers and their advocates, they will have to see the money to believe it.

☆ Black Farmers Skeptical About Aid After Biased Lending
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Kristina Peterson | Photographs Timothy Ivy For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

But this summer, the food stamps couldn't keep up with the grocery store's rising prices, sending her in search of a food donation for the first time. Some advocates argued for spending more on food stamps or cash distribution, which give people more choice than food handouts and also benefit local businesses. He doesn't qualify for food stamps, and has noticed when the pantry runs low on some items. While food supplies shrink, inflation is pushing more Americans toward food pantries for the first time. Food stamps made up less than 2% of U.S. government spending in 2022, according to U.S. Treasury data.

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