Ag in the News

02/05/2008

Local

Storm packs 1-2 punch: Snow and rain
Winter weather walloped Arizona again on Monday, dumping up to a foot of snow on mountains in the northern and southern parts of the state and dousing the Valley with another dose of much-needed rain. MORE!

National and International

USDA budget proposes new fees for processing plants
The Agriculture Department plans to ask lawmakers to approve $96 million in new fees charged to federally inspected meat and poultry processing plants, the agency said in 2009 budget documents. MORE!

Hormel to finish Austin plant renovation by May
A $25 million renovation and expansion at Hormel Foods' Austin, Minn., plant will be complete by May, the Austin Post-Bulletin reported. MORE!

Wal-Mart adopts new food-safety standards for suppliers
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Monday announced a new initiative that will require the chain's grocery suppliers to have their plants certified against one of the internationally recognized Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards. MORE!

Former ConAgra exec settles SEC charge
A former executive of a ConAgra Foods unit has settled a lawsuit brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which alleged he overstated profits in 1999 and 2000. MORE!

Carolina Pride president dies
William A. "Bill" Barnette III, president of Greenwood, S.C.-based pork processor Carolina Pride Foods, died Saturday of a heart attack. He was 58. MORE!

Wrap Up

More signs on Korea beef. Talk continues in South Korea about a potential resolution to trade frictions between the U.S. and South Korea over beef. Korea's incoming president has pledged to resolve the situation prior to a potential U.S.-Korea summit in March. He has said his transition team will handle the beef issue "in February."

It's Super Tuesday. 24 states hold their presidential primaries today and it is expected to potentially settle the issue of who will be the GOP nominee but the Democratic side could remain cloudy unless one candidate scores decisive wins in today's contests.

Sifting through the budget. The $95 billion budget for USDA in the FY 2009 Bush budget plan has several mentions of funding for specific programs being dependent on a new farm bill. Jim Wiesemeyer looks at key highlights of the USDA budget in his Inside Washington Today dispatch found on the Pro Farmer page.

Senate farm bill conferees named. We're another step closer to a new farm bill as the Senate has named the members of that chamber who will be taking part in the House-Senate farm bill conference committee. Now the wait is on the House to name their conferees. Then, let the games begin!