Almond drink? Soy juice? Some lawmakers want to crack down on what can be sold as ‘milk’

A group of more than 20 U.S. legislators sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration demanding it require the makers of soy milk, almond milk and rice milk to drop "milk" from the label of anything that doesn't come directly from an animal. In the latest salvo in a nearly two-decades-old fight over what should and shouldn't be called milk, a group of more than 20 U.S. legislators sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration demanding it require the makers of soy milk, almond milk and rice milk to drop "milk" from the label of anything that doesn't come directly from an animal.

USDA Blog: ‘Minneapolis School Embraces Family-Style Dining’

"What if school lunchtime was more than just a wait in line and a race to find a seat and eat, but instead was more like a traditional family meal a time when friends gather to enjoy their food, engage in meaningful conversation, build relationships and gain important life skills?" That's the question posed by the principal of a Minneapolis public elementary school in a blog posted Tuesday on the Agriculture Department website. The principal explains that her school decided to abandon the typical chaotic and impersonal lunchroom experience and create a family-style dining program.

USDA will allow lemon imports from Argentina

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Dec. 20 that it would publish its final rule allowing lemon imports from areas of Argentina into the U.S. Its pest risk assessment and three site visits, most recently in September, led the agency to conclude that a systems approach requiring registration, monitoring, treatment and traceability protocols for production and packinghouses, among other measures, would reduce the risk of introducing Argentine pests into the U.S. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sent the rule to the Federal Register, to take effect 30 days after publication.

Electoral College Members Meeting Across the Country to Cast Votes

But in cases where breast milk is not available from an infant's mother, getting access to saf... - The 538 electors are meeting Monday to cast their votes in the last step of the presidential election. But what is usually a formality has taken on new significance this year with Donald Trump's election and calls for electors to defect.

Cornucopia Institute Calls For Investigation Of USDA’s National Organic Program

In a letter to the USDA's Office of Inspector General, The Cornucopia Institute has requested an independent audit of the National Organic Program , charging a multiplicity of illegal actions and inactions. The Wisconsin-based farm policy research group alleges that the National Organic Program has failed to enforce the laws governing organic agriculture, thereby allowing multinational corporate agribusinesses to squeeze out family-scale farmers, compromising the integrity of the organic label.

US Court of Appeals: States and counties can ban GMO crops despite federal laws

The entire organic community of the United States just won a massive victory that many may not yet even realize. Even though the DARK Act was passed by Obama and some Senate goons to prohibit labeling of GMOs nationwide, the US Court of Appeals just passed a law that enables states and counties to completely ban genetically engineered crops from ever being planted in the first place.

Five Things We’ve Learned From Trump’s Cabinet Picks So Far

First Read is a morning briefing from Meet the Press and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter. President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet selections are now almost complete -- save for that secretary of state position, as well as Agriculture, Energy, and Interior.

Branstad picked for post in China

It may seem odd for the governor of a lightly populated agricultural state to be chosen as U.S. ambassador to China, especially amid escalating talk of a trade war with the major U.S. trading partner. But Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad boasts a 30-year relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the most powerful Chinese leader in decades.

Trump’s choice for top China diplomat has long ties to Xi

It may seem odd for the governor of a lightly populated agricultural state to be chosen as U.S. ambassador to China, especially amid escalating talk of a trade war with the major U.S. trading partner. But Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad boasts a 30-year relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the most powerful Chinese leader in decades.

USDA offers new loans for portable farm storage, handling equipment –

Attention Bell, Clay, Harlan, Knox, and Whitley County producers - Farm Service Agency will provide a new financing option to help you purchase portable storage and handling equipment. County Executive Director Megan Moore explains, "The loans, which now include a smaller microloan option with lower down payments and attractive interest rates, are designed to help our producers grow their businesses and markets.