A broad coalition of 219 farm, food, rural, faith, and consumer advocacy organizations have delivered a letter to Congress endorsing food and agribusiness merger moratorium bills introduced in both chambers.
The Food and Agribusiness Merger Moratorium and Antitrust Review Act of 2019 would put a moratorium in place on large agriculture, food and beverage manufacturing, and grocery retail mergers to allow time to assess the impact corporate consolidation has on farmers, workers, consumers, and communities. It also recommends improvements to antitrust enforcement.
National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says lax antitrust enforcement has greatly reduced competition in the industries that supply and buy from family farmers and ranchers, saddling them with higher input costs, fewer choices, and less innovation.
Attorneys representing R-CALF USA filed court documents this week challenging the constitutionality of the Beef Checkoff Programs in 15 states.
The group contends the state councils in those 15 states are private corporations that have been keeping half of the mandatory beef checkoff assessments they collect. States named in the suit include Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The lawsuit accuses state Beef Checkoff executives of using the money to fund “private speech,” which R-CALF claims is a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The filing says that statute prohibits the government from compelling cattle producers and other citizens to subsidize private speech.
The Montana Farm Bureau will debut its centennial video, “100 Years of Community, Unity and Education” June 12th during the MFBF Summer Conference in Bozeman. The video, featuring MFBF President Hans McPherson, covers the history of Farm Bureau, the importance of unity and the bright future of agriculture.
McPherson, a diversified farmer from Stevensville, says it was an honor to be in the video and talk about how Farm Bureau was formed as well as the grassroots structure.
Riley Slivka, AgriStudios creative director, says it was great to be able to go to the Bitterroot Valley, an area that he had never been before, and talk to McPherson about the Farm Bureau organization and the future of agriculture.
Memorial Day kicks off the official start of summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to remind you to prevent foodborne illness before you light up that grill and pack up the cooler.
If running water is not available, bring soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer or moist towelettes. Avoid cross contamination by using clean plates and utensils. Don’t place cooked food on a plate that once held raw meat or poultry. Bring a couple of portable coolers – one for perishable foods and one for beverages– filled with ice. And don’t forget the food thermometer! Cook meat and poultry to the safe internal temperatures.
Foodborne illnesses can be prevented by properly handling food at home or outdoors. Make sure to follow these four simple steps – Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill – to food safety all year and during special occasions like this Memorial Day holiday. To learn more, visit here.
-Reported by Russell Nemetz/MTN News
