Oceana County Economic Alliance’s Post

Mexico's New Agricultural Plan, looks like Government Interference to Me Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled a new agricultural plan on Tuesday, aiming to boost food production and distribution, with a focus on staple foods like beans and corn. The plan seeks to increase self-sufficiency in food production, a concept known as "food sovereignty." The plan harks back to the 1980s, when Mexican meals were dominated by tortillas, beans, instant coffee, and cheap hot chocolate, often sourced from government-run stores stocking basic goods. Sheinbaum aims to revive these stores and continue efforts towards food sovereignty. Beans, in particular, are a key focus. Sheinbaum expressed a preference for bean tacos over potato chips, indicating her commitment to promoting this staple food. The Agriculture Secretary, Julio Berdegué, outlined plans to guarantee prices for corn farmers and reduce tortilla prices by 10% following recent price increases. The plan aims to enhance food security and support local farmers, while also acknowledging the importance of modern agricultural practices and technology. Government run stores = State control look how it is working in Cuba for example 🤦🏻

The United States’ fruit and vegetable production, as well as the number of farms in the country, has been declining for decades while it increasingly relies on other countries to fill in the gap, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. “We have nearly a billion acres of farmland, we have a population of just 330 million people, yet we’re not feeding ourselves, and we’re increasingly reliant on imports for our key foods,” said President and Co-Founder of Farm Action Angela Huffman. Fruit production is down nearly 36% in 2024 from 2003, while vegetable production is down 6.3%, according to the USDA. Imports make up a growing share of fresh produce availability, with 60% of the total fruits and 38% of vegetables in the U.S. supplied by other countries in 2021, with Mexico as the largest supplier. https://lnkd.in/gWGrGVhx #unitedstates #fruit #vegetableproduction #farms #declining #impact #foodproduction #increasing #reliance #foodimports #foodsecurity

💡NEW: The Plant Based Foods Association and Plant Based Foods Institute recently submitted comments in response to the USDA’s request for information on the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Initiative (SCCI), highlighting opportunities to strengthen agricultural production of the key ingredients for plant-based food. The plant-based food industry has an important stake in shaping specialty crop programs to build sustainable ingredient supply chains from farm to fork. Lean how and why on The Digest: https://lnkd.in/gVqx3Pxr

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) have introduced a new levy on the import and export of food crops, set to take effect from July 1, 2024 https://lnkd.in/dQhiQpQQ #afa #regulatorybodies #fruitsandvegetables #marketupdate #MiddleEast #Africa #global #superfoods #innovation #FreshExports #sustainableagriculture #foodsafety #supplychain #foodsecurity

The Changing Landscape of Potato Production: Balancing Quality, Yield, and Market Demand As schools reopen after the summer break, the demand for potatoes in the retail sector is rising, providing a much-needed boost for growers. However, despite this improvement in market conditions, the 2024 potato season has brought a set of challenges for farmers in both the UK and Ireland. According to the latest Irish Farmers’ Association

Protecting our Produce Act Ask any farmer as to the cause of depressed pricing for fruits and vegetables, and the subsequent financial struggles they face, and their #1 answer is ‘foreign imports’ – primarily from Central and South America. Broadly, these countries are not saddled with the same labor and environmental requirements and can dump all sorts of specialty crops into our market at prices the American farmer just cannot match.  As reported by the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), Senator Jon Ossoff (GA) and Congressman Sanford Bishop (GA-02) just introduced the Protecting Our Produce Act to boost resources for farmers facing unfairly priced imports. The Act sets up a five-year pilot program to provide support for certain crops – blueberries, squash, bell pepper, cucumber, asparagus – when the price falls below the five-year national average caused by cheap foreign imports. If this pilot proves successful, it could expand to where the real volume lies – tomatoes.  Key to any business is stable pricing at a level where hard work and know-how can lead to success. And that’s all the American farmer wants – a fair playing field. If this Act can help level the field, then the American farmer has a chance.

The United States' fruit and vegetable production, as well as the number of farms in the country, has been declining for decades while it increasingly relies on other countries to fill in the gap, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. "We have nearly a billion acres of farmland, we have a population of just 330 million people, yet we're not feeding ourselves, and we're increasingly reliant on imports for our key foods," said President and Co-Founder of Farm Action Angela Huffman. Fruit production is down nearly 36% in 2024 from 2003, while vegetable production is down 6.3%, according to the USDA. Imports make up a growing share of fresh produce availability, with 60% of the total fruits and 38% of vegetables in the U.S. supplied by other countries in 2021, with Mexico as the largest supplier.

Washington, DC - May 1, 2024 (Farm Bill Analysis) In a positive move Democrats in the United States Senate included in their version of the Farm Bill, language on hemp. Specifically, "Sec. 10015. Hemp Production • Defines “industrial hemp” and lowers regulatory barriers for farmers who are growing industrial hemp for grain and fiber. • Eliminates the ban on persons who were previously convicted of a felony relating to a controlled substance from participating in the program or producing hemp." https://lnkd.in/eJyjZkRP The National Industrial Hemp Council has been lobbying for language that reduces the regulatory burden on farmers who are growing hemp and expanding the number of laboratories that test hemp products. Unfortunately, House Agricultural Committee Chair, GT Thompson only reased language on the Title's being covered by the Farm Bill - with no details in regard to hemp. https://lnkd.in/exNctFkV The House and Senate Agriculture committees continue to draft sections of their respective reauthorization bills but full drafts are unlikely to be released before September, leaving few legislative days for floor time to pass a Farm Bill. One of the main issues is funding of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) which accounts for 80% of the USDA budget.

Ensuring Traceability: The Journey of Potatoes from Field to Plate This article highlights JEPO - Jepuan Peruna Oy / Jeppo Potatis Ab's dedication to transparency and traceability in potato production. It emphasizes the importance of knowing the origin of food and how JEPO ensures that their potato products can be traced back to the contract grower's field. By prioritizing traceability, JEPO not only builds trust with consumers but also fosters continuous improvement in agricultural practices, leading to a more sustainable potato industry. https://lnkd.in/eRiyjFDz