Family Farm and Food Bytes
MORE THAN 250,000 SERVINGS DONATED TO ILLINOIS FOOD BANKS - The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Illinois Corn Marketing Board and the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Checkoff Program donated 64,497 pounds of pork to food banks throughout the state in 2021 as part of Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign. Donations included to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank. Since its inception in 2008, the Pork Power program has generated over 986,000 pounds of pork- enough for over 3 million meals- for families throughout Illinois. (FarmWeekNow)
GMO LABELING NOT LIKELY TO IMPACT PURCHASE DECISIONS, STUDY SAYS - Most food products sold in the United States that are made with ingredients with detectable genetically modified DNA need to identify that on their labels. And though GMO labeling has been a hot topic of discussion for years, a new study indicates that there may not be much new consumer reaction to the required on-package disclosures. (Food Dive)
FARMER VETERAN COALITION SEEKS GRANT APPLICATIONS - The Farmer Veteran Coalition is accepting applications for its Fellowship Fund small grant program until Feb. 14. The nonprofit organization, based in Sacramento, California, awarded 138 grants last year. Grants were used for greenhouses and grow tents, walk-in coolers and cold storage units, milking systems, water filtrations, and honey extractors and even a mushroom substrate steamer and a copper still. For more information or to apply. (FarmWeekNow)Top of FormBottom of Form
FEDERAL PROGRAM ALLOWS SOME AMERICANS TO USE FOOD STAMPS FOR SELECT LOW-COST RESTAURANTS, PREPARED MEALS - In the past two years, six states have opted in to a little-used federal program that allows older adults to use their food benefits on select, low-cost restaurant meals. The Restaurant Meals Program is most widely available in California and Arizona, and newer entrants such as Maryland and Illinois are still ramping up their operations. (USA Today)
JOHN DEERE INTRODUCES IOWA-BUILT DRIVERLESS TRACTOR, TOUTED AS THE NEXT REVOLUTION IN AGRICULTURE - Touting it as the next revolution in agriculture, John Deere this week unveiled an autonomous tractor, slated to go into production later this year in Iowa. (Des Moines Register)
WEEKLY AGRICULTURE: USDA SENDS MORE DOLLARS FOR SCHOOL MEALS – USDA announced late last week that it will give schools roughly 25 cents more per school lunch this year. That might sound small, but it’s a big deal for school food operators struggling with increased costs, from food to labor and packaging, as well as upended supply chains. (Politico)
CHIPOTLE IS IGNORING BEYOND AND IMPOSSIBLE'S FAKE MEAT IN FAVOR OF CREATING ITS OWN, AND EXPERTS SAY IT'S A BRILLIANT MOVE – Chipotle just announced its vegan chorizo would expand to menus across the US. The chain developed its own plant-based meat, instead of working with an outside company. (Business Insider)
RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS HIRED THE MOST OF ANY INDUSTRY IN DECEMBER, LEAVING ECONOMISTS HOPING FOR 'LIMITED LABOR MARKET DAMAGE' FROM OMICRON – Restaurants and hotels saw the largest number of jobs added in December. With a gain of 53,000 in leisure and hospitality, that's a slightly better gain than the 41,000 jobs added a month before. Food services and drinking places added 42,600 jobs. (Business Insider)
GROCERY STORES STILL HAVE EMPTY SHELVES AMID SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, OMICRON AND WINTER STORMS – Shortages at grocery stores across the country have grown more acute in recent weeks as omicron continues to spread and winter storms have piled on to the supply chain struggles and labor shortages. (USA Today)
RENEWABLE DIESEL POISED TO POWER GROWTH IN SOYBEAN DEMAND – Soybean growers could see demand growth from the biofuels sector in the next decade, reminiscent of the ethanol boom that shifted into high gear in the early 2000s and pushed corn use to new heights. (Effingham Daily News)
WHERE ARE THE TRADE AGREEMENTS, MR. PRESIDENT, AFBF ECONOMISTS ASK – While everyone seems to be focused on higher crop input costs, the largest group of U.S. farmers wants to know when the Biden administration will work on trade talks. (Successful Farming)
OFF-SEASON 'COVER' CROPS EXPAND AS U.S. GROWERS EYE LOW-CARBON FUTURE – The purpose of cover crops is to restore soil, reduce erosion and to pull climate-warming carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. More and more U.S. farmers are planting cover crops, from grasses like rye and oats to legumes and radishes. (Reuters)
About Family Farm and Food Bytes: This is a collection of articles gathered from both mainstream and agriculture media and is designed to keep you informed as a member and leader within the Cook County Farm Bureau® organization. The articles summarized above are not intended to represent Cook County Farm Bureau policy or positions, but rather to provide members an idea of what is being reported regionally, nationally, and globally.