Agriculture

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2024 – United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai today announced that the United States has prevailed in its dispute under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) challenging certain Mexican biotechnology measures concerning genetically engineered (GE) corn. The USMCA panel agreed with the United States on all seven legal claims, finding that Mexico’s measures are not based on science and undermine the market access that Mexico agreed to provide in the USMCA.

Originally reported by the USDA.

Originally reported by the USDA.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the final approximately $300 million in assistance to distressed direct and guaranteed farm loan borrowers under Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act. Over the past two years, USDA acted swiftly to assist distressed borrowers in retaining their land and continuing their agricultural operations. Since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law in August 2022, USDA has provided approximately $2.5 billion in assistance to more than 47,800 distressed borrowers.

Originally reported by the USDA.

Originally reported by the USDA.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is soliciting nominations for membership to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF).

Originally reported by the USDA.

Originally reported by the USDA.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2024 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a $4.5 million investment to create three additional USDA Nutrition Hubs. The hubs will support effective, translatable and scalable approaches to advance food and nutrition security and reduce the burden of diet-related chronic diseases, especially in underserved, at-risk communities.

Originally reported by the USDA.

Originally reported by the USDA.

RAMSEY, Minn., Dec. 19, 2024 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced awards for more than $4.37 billion in clean energy investments through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) Program. Rural electric cooperatives will use the funding to support thousands of jobs, lower electricity costs for businesses and families and reduce climate pollution by millions of tons each year.

Originally reported by the USDA.

Originally reported by the USDA.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the second round of Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) grants, which is intended to allocate $300 million to 67 partners once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied, expanding American food and agricultural exports in emerging global markets. This latest investment brings total RAPP funding to $600 million in 2024.

Originally reported by the USDA.

Originally reported by the USDA.