The Democratic National Convention heads into its second day today in Chicago. Former President Barack Obama will headline the evening’s slate of speakers.
Monday evening, the delegates approved a 91-page platform that affirms key Biden administration policies, including the president’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
By the way: The platform also calls for eliminating stepped-up basis, calling it a “loophole for the wealthiest Americans.” Farm groups argue stepped-up basis is critical for keeping family farming operations together.
Harris thanks Biden in surprise appearance at DNC
The convention Monday night featured a surprise appearance from Vice President Kamala Harris. She was welcomed with cheers and delivered a few short remarks, thanking Joe Biden for his “historic leadership.”“We are forever grateful to you,” she said, before telling the crowd, “We all have so much more in common than what separates us.”Delegates during President Joe Biden’s address Monday night at the Democratic National Convention.
By the way: House Ag Committee member Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, got in a reference to the farm bill in a speech Monday night. She blamed Trump’s “MAGA” supporters in Congress for blocking border security measures, aid to Ukraine, and “even the farm bill.”The farm bill has never been put on the House floor and only received four Democratic votes in committee.
Immigration advocate: Take the deportation pledge seriously
The U.S. should offer visas to immigrants who plan to work in essential food supply chain jobs, an advocate for immigrants said at a DNC event Monday.
Andrea Flores, vice president for immigration policy and campaigns at fwd.us, and other representatives from the group, also emphasized the need to create pathways for immigrants to obtain legal status.
“The public wants border security and border control,” Flores said. “They also want policies that protect undocumented immigrants and that give immigrants better legal pathways to come to the U.S.”
She called the convention “an unprecedented moment … where immigration has actually risen to a major issue in a presidential election,” noting the issue was not as important to voters from 2008 to 2020.
Deportation? Flores also said Americans need to “take seriously” former President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport undocumented immigrants, although any plan to do so would likely take some time to implement.
Trudeau pushed to head off rail strike
U.S. farm groups are appealing to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to head off a railroad strike that could disrupt grain shipping this fall.“
A lockout or strike would lead to shutdowns or slowdowns of rail-dependent facilities resulting in harmful consequences for Canadian and American agricultural producers, the agricultural industry, and both domestic and global food security,” says a letter signed by the National Grain and Feed Association, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition and other groups.
The letter goes on to say that a “strike would be particularly severe on bulk commodity exporters in both Canada and the United States as trucking is not a viable option for many agricultural shippers due to their high-volume needs and the long distances for many of the movements.”
A strike could begin as soon as this week, if the Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City railways can’t reach an agreement with their unions.
Lawmakers push ‘strategic initiative’ for bird flu
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing USDA to create a strategic initiative for avian influenza similar to what the department has done in the past for deadly E. coli bacteria.
Such a unit within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service could coordinate research on issues such as vaccines, as well as advanced biosecurity measures and wild bird deterrents, according to a letter the lawmakers sent to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
“Unprecedented times require action, and establishing an initiative that brings the brightest minds together to discover effective methods to combat HPAI will be essential to eventually eradicate this disease and protect our farmers,” says the letter led by Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, and Jim Costa, D-Calif.
In a statement to Agri-Pulse, a spokesman for the department outlined the steps that have been taken to address the latest outbreak in cattle and birds. “USDA has forged many strategic partnerships across our own agencies, with other federal and state partners, and with researchers all over the country. These collaborative efforts have allowed us to protect farmworkers and farmers, the health and welfare of livestock animals, and reaffirmed the safety of the food supply,” the statement says.
Milk, dairy leaders appeal to agencies on dietary guidelines
Leaders of milk and dairy organizations are concerned that the advisory committee for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans isn’t exercising proper transparency in drafting its 2025-2030 recommendations.
The president and CEO of both the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Milk Producers Federation have written to USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to express their concerns with the guidelines process.
Specifically, the two worry the current process lacks transparency in why certain scientific studies are included to inform conclusion statements.
Additionally, the organizations are concerned with the apparent emphasis on food pattern modeling, which they wrote cannot track the long-term health benefits and costs of various foods.
On dairy issues, the groups are concerned that DGAC appears to be focusing on plant-based, dairy alternatives that are “not nutritionally equivalent.”
The authors of the letter, Michael Dykes of IDFA and Gregg Doud of NMPF, urged against guidelines that result in the avoidance of dairy. The DGAC is set to hold a final meeting in September before submitting its recommendations. However, HHS and USDA have the final word on the guidelines.
Final word: “I think no matter what happens, there’s going to be people in both parties that are going to want to make sure that we don’t upset the reasonable expectations of farmers and ranchers about their ability to pass their farm and ranch to the next generation.” – Senate Ag Committee member Michael Bennet, D-Colo., when asked by Agri-Pulse about his party’s proposal to eliminate stepped-up basis.