Produce - General

Kennedy Says U.S. to Announce New Dietary Guidelines in December

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 19:18:49 GMT

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration will release new dietary guidelines in December aimed at reducing high rates of obesity and changing the country’s food culture, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Thursday, Nov. 6.

“We’re about to release dietary guidelines that are going to change the food culture in this country,” Kennedy told reporters during an event in the Oval Office, where Trump announced a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cut the price of weight loss drugs. “We’re releasing those in December.”

Kennedy says the new guidelines would change the kind of food served to military service members and children in schools, but gave no details on the new recommendations.

“If we want to solve the chronic disease crisis, we have to tackle obesity,” Kennedy says. “Obesity is the No. 1 driver of chronic disease.”

Fifty percent of the adult U.S. population is obese or overweight, Kennedy says, adding that it’s driving costs up for diabetes care and cardiac diseases.

The updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which influence school lunches, medical advice and nutrition standards, have been anticipated since summer. The new guidelines are expected to address saturated fat, found mainly in meat and certain oils, and ultra-processed food, along with modified suggestions related to dairy consumption, sources familiar with the process told Reuters in June.

The Department of Health and Human Services and USDA publish the guidelines jointly every five years.

The current dietary guidelines recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total calories consumed daily, and do not address ultra-processed food. The definition of ultra-processed food is hotly debated by the food industry, while the report describes it as industrially manufactured products.

The guidelines recommend limiting consumption of alcoholic beverages to one drink a day for women and two for men, or not drinking.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Rural America is Facing a Mounting Labor Crisis

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 21:01:26 GMT

The American labor market is reaching a critical turning point that could tighten labor availability in rural industries and slow growth across the U.S. economy. A new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange warns that demographic shifts and recent policy changes may start impacting businesses as soon as late 2025.

From livestock and crop operations to food processors and rural cooperatives, this labor shortage is becoming especially noticeable in the heart of America’s farmland. Many producers are already struggling to fill roles, and the challenge is expected to intensify in the coming months.

“Barring an unforeseen change in labor force participation rates or immigration policies, the pool of available workers is set to shrink sharply in the next few years,” says Rob Fox, director of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “The problem will be even more serious in states with slower population growth in the Upper Midwest, Corn Belt and Central Plains.”

Demographic Pressures Mount

Fox says the warning signs have been building for years. Labor force participation has steadily declined, birth rates have dropped and immigration policy has become more restrictive.

Between 2022 and 2024, nearly 9 million immigrants arrived in the U.S., driven by global humanitarian crises and relaxed federal rules. While that influx temporarily eased labor constraints, Fox says it only masked deeper, long-term trends.

U.S. fertility rates have fallen from 2.12 children per woman in 2007 to 1.62 in 2023, meaning fewer young people are entering the workforce just as the last of the baby boomers retire. In addition, labor force participation has slipped from a peak of 67% in 2000 to 62% today. Nearly 2.5 million working-age Americans have left the labor force in the past eight months alone.

“There is no single reason people are stepping away,” Fox explains. “It’s a combination of rising caregiving responsibilities, job skill mismatches, mental health challenges and higher disability rates. These are complex issues that won’t be resolved overnight.”

Shrinking Workforce Hits Agriculture Hard

The effects are already being felt across rural America. Farms, food processors, equipment dealers and cooperatives are struggling to find and keep the workers they need to maintain daily operations. Seasonal labor has become harder to find and full-time positions, especially those requiring specialized skills or long hours, are increasingly difficult to fill.

In regions with slower population growth, such as the upper Midwest and central Plains, the challenge is even more acute. These areas often lack the population inflows that help offset workforce losses elsewhere in the country.

While labor has been tight for several years, Fox warns that conditions are poised to deteriorate further.

“What we are facing is not just a cyclical labor issue; it’s a structural one,” he says.

Border encounters have dropped sharply since August 2024, signaling a steep decline in immigration. Combined with rising political pressure to increase deportations, the agricultural labor pool could shrink even more in the months ahead.

“Immigration has long been a key pillar supporting the rural workforce,” Fox notes. “Without a steady flow of new workers, farms and agribusinesses will have to get creative, either by increasing wages, automating tasks or changing how they manage production.”

Technology Offers a Path Forward

In response, more agricultural businesses are turning to technology to help offset the labor gap.

“The key to addressing labor scarcity always lies in innovation,” Fox says. “AI and robotics are no longer limited to the factory floor. They are increasingly being used in fields, dairies and food plants.”

A recent Gallup poll found that nearly one in five workers already uses artificial intelligence in some form each week. At the same time, the cost of robotics has dropped by nearly half in the past decade, making automation more accessible for a broader range of farms and agribusinesses.

CoBank’s report notes that many farm supply customers are using new tools to increase efficiency, improve decision-making and free up time for employees to focus on higher-value responsibilities.

Planning for What Comes Next

As producers look toward 2026, a combination of labor constraints, volatile input costs and shifting policy landscapes will continue to shape decision-making. Fox thinks adaptability will be essential.

“Technology will be critical to agriculture’s future,” he says. “AI and robotics can help farmers do more with fewer workers, boosting efficiency and margins. But investment decisions must be made carefully, especially in this uncertain economic environment.”

Until clearer policies emerge on trade, labor and energy, rural America will need to prepare for continued pressure.

“This is a pivotal moment,” Fox concludes. “Farms that plan ahead, embrace innovation and stay flexible will be best positioned to succeed.”

Firefighters battle blaze at F&S Produce plant in New Jersey

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 07:40:56 GMT

Management and employees at Vineland, N.J.-based F&S Produce Co. Inc. are recovering today from a fire on Tuesday at the west end of its Rosenhayn processing plant in South New Jersey.

It’s unclear at this time how the fire started, but no employees were injured during the incident, according to The Daily Journal .

“We are currently in the process of assessing damages and recovery,” Lori Maddalena, F&S chief financial officer, told The Packer Wednesday.

“Our primary concern was the safety our employees. Our evacuation protocols that we have in place enabled us to safely evacuate all of our employees from the plant without injury,” according to a company statement released at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Firefighters were continuing to battle the blaze until at least three hours after it broke out shortly after noon.

“We are grateful for their efforts during this devastating event,” according to the statement. “In the coming days, our management team will be assessing the damages and working to place our employees in alternate positions at one of our other plants. We would like to thank our community for their outpouring of concern and support at this time.”

The company has three plants: a retail production plant and main office in Vineland, an industrial fresh production plant at 913 Bridgeton Ave. in Rosenhayn and an industrial frozen production plant on 730 Lebanon Road also in Rosenhayn, according to its website.

This fire was possibly in the frozen production plant.

The company’s 125,000 square feet of facilities process more than 100 million pounds of fresh-cut produce annually for retail, food service and industrial customers, according to the website.

UPDATED: Trump adds $1 billion to food box program

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 18:06:45 GMT

(UPDATED Aug. 27) President Trump has added $1 billion to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box Program and extended it beyond the end of October.

The White House announced the development Aug. 24 when Trump, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and presidential advisor Ivanka Trump toured Flavor 1st Growers and Packers, River Mills, N.C. The company has been packing and distributing food boxes through the program.

“From day one, my administration has been determined to protect our nation’s incredible farmers,” Trump said in a news release about the $1 billion addition.

The program originally authorized $3 billion for the boxes and is expected to spend a total of $2.67 billion from mid-May through the end of August, covering the first two rounds of the program. The application process for a third round for $500 million to $700 million was announced July 24, and those contracts go through Oct. 31.

As of Aug. 27, 74.5 million boxes had been distributed, according to the USDA.

The boxes of fresh produce, dairy and meat have gone to more than 10,000 food banks and nonprofit organizations. In addition, the White House said thousands of jobs have been saved or created, according to the release, including more than 5,000 in the food distribution industry.

On Aug. 25, the USDA published a list of companies whose Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs) have been approved for the third round of awards. All of the 47 companies plan to pack combination boxes of produce, milk/dairy products and cooked meat; the USDA said it would allow produce-only boxes but would place a priority on the combination boxes.

The BOAs are part of a two-step process for USDA approval in the program, and are designed to ensure the distributors and intended food bank/nonprofit recipients have agreements about how the distribution will take place. It will also ensure that regions of the country that didn’t receive adequate food boxes will be prioritized.

“PMA applauds the commitment from the administration to extend funding to the program and will share more details about the program as they become available,” Richard Owen, vice president of global membership and engagement at the Produce Marketing Association, said in a news release.

In a LinkedIn update to members, United Fresh Produce Association president and CEO Tom Stenzel praised the move.
“We commend the administration for taking this important step to continue this win-win-win program for farmers, distributors and families in need,” Stenzel said in the statement.

Related stories:

USDA accepting proposal for third round of food box program

Food box readies for sudden start

Packer Insight - Food Box Program plus creativity at retail

UPDATED: Ag leaders discuss NAFTA importance with House leaders

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 02:16:52 GMT

(UPDATED, Nov. 9) With the next round of North American Free Trade negotiations set to start in Mexico City Nov. 17, House Agriculture Committee leaders convened a round-table discussion that stressed the importance of the trade agreement to farmers.

The Nov. 7 round-table discussion featured eight U.S. agriculture leaders, including Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association.

Stenzel was out of the office and unavailable for comment, but Robert Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for the United Fresh, said in an e-mail that participants in the closed-door discussions agreed that any modernization of NAFTA should do no harm to current agricultural trade relations between the three countries.

Guenther said the panel urged also urged Congress to take an active role in ensuring that the U.S does not pull out of the agreement

For produce specific issues, Stenzel focused comments on the importance of strong science-based sanitary and phytosanitary requirements, Guenther said. He said Stenzel also stressed that the produce industry could not afford to erect protectionist barriers for certain sectors that can be used to retaliate against others.

Members of Congress asked panelists about sanitary and phytosanitary issues, the impact on agriculture if the U.S. pulls out of NAFTA and the perishable and seasonal provision the U.S. is currently pushing, he said.

Guenther said that Stenzel indicated to members of Congress that there needs to be other ways than the seasonal protection provision to address the challenges some of the southern U.S. growers are facing with competition from Mexico.

“All parties today were on the same page — NAFTA is important to agriculture and agriculture must remain a top priority in the negotiations,” Rep. Micheal Conaway, R-Texas and chair of the House Agriculture Committee, said in a news release.

Conaway said agricultural leaders are eager to conclude the NAFTA negotiations and also put in place new trade agreements to expand trade for U.S. agriculture.

Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn. and ranking member of the committee, said any new agreement should not cause harm to agriculture markets.

The round-table discussion occurred at a time when there is uncertainty about the fate of the trade pact. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. will withdraw from NAFTA if an updated trade agreement does not benefit the U.S.

Meanwhile, Mexico and Canada have objected to several proposals from the U.S., including proposed anti-dumping protection for seasonal domestic producers of perishable crops, a sunset clause that would terminate the trade deal if it is not renegotiated every five years, and a proposal seeking minimum levels of U.S. content for autos.

Other participants in the discussion were:

Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation;
John Bode, president and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association;
Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association;
Shawna Morris, vice president for trade policy at the National Milk Producers Federation;
Nick Giordano, vice president and counsel, global government affairs for the National Pork Producers Council;
Tom Sleight, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council; and
Charles Jefferson, vice president of federal relations for the Wine Institute.

Food Box Idea Draws Criticism

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:49:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is pushing what it calls a “bold new approach to nutrition assistance": replacing the traditional cash-on-a-card that food stamp recipients currently get with a pre-assembled box of canned foods and other shelf-stable goods dubbed “America’s Harvest Box.”

Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney likened the box to a meal kit delivery service, and said the plan could save nearly $130 billion over 10 years. But the idea, tucked into President Donald Trump’s 2019 budget, has caused a firestorm, prompting scathing criticism from Democrats and nutrition experts who say its primary purpose is to punish the poor.

“The main goal is to alleviate food insecurity, and the reason SNAP is so successful is because it gives low-income families the autonomy and dignity to make their own food choices,” said Craig Gundersen, a professor in agricultural strategy at the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Gundersen said people will leave the program as a result of the shift.

SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — is the official name for the food stamp programs.

“All of a sudden you’re saying, ‘we don’t trust you to make the right decisions for your family.’ It’s demeaning and it’s patronizing. This is pro-hunger, because people will leave the program,” Gunderson said.

Under the proposed plan, households that receive more than $90 in SNAP benefits each month — roughly 81 percent of households in the program, or about 16.4 million — would be affected.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue called the box “a bold, innovative approach to providing nutritious food to people who need assistance feeding themselves and their families.”

But the proposal doesn’t include any concrete details about how much the program would cost or how it would be implemented, saying only that states will be given flexibility to distribute the boxes “through existing infrastructure, partnership, and/or directly to residences through commercial and/or retail delivery services.”

Lawmakers say they aren’t even sure where the idea came from.

Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the ranking member of the House nutrition subcommittee, called the proposal a “cruel joke” that came out of nowhere. He said despite having numerous hearings on SNAP, Monday’s budget was the first time he’d heard of the food box proposal.

“I don’t even know how to implement it. Who would distribute these boxes?” he said. “How would we do this? Do they anticipate recipients getting them at supermarkets? In addition to being a cruel and demeaning and awful idea, it’s just not practical.”

A spokeswoman for House agriculture committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, said the committee has held 21 hearings and invited 80 experts to speak about SNAP in its preparations of the forthcoming farm bill, and the idea of a food box was not once discussed.

An Agriculture Department spokesman said the idea was developed internally, but didn’t provide further details on the brainstorming process. Mulvaney credited it to Perdue.

Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, top Democrat on the Senate agriculture committee, said the food box idea “isn’t a serious proposal and is clearly meant to be a distraction from this Administration’s proposed budget that fails our families and farmers.”

The proposal is part of a broader plan to gut the SNAP program, reducing it by roughly $213 billion — nearly 30 percent — over the next decade. The plan also proposes tightening work requirements for recipients.

Matt Knott, president of hunger relief network Feeding America, called it “an unworkable solution in search of a problem.”

“SNAP is an efficient program that already utilizes a grocery system,” Knott said. “It’s a program that expands and contracts as the economy expands and contracts as well. It’s flexible, timely and efficient, and converting a sufficient portion of it to an antiquated program where boxes are delivered is simply unworkable.”

Copyright 2018, The Associated Press

Sowing Seeds of Discontent

Sun, 08 Nov 2020 17:26:17 GMT

In case you missed it you can now share the -8-25-20 evening of absurdity with nationally-syndicated cartoonists Leigh Rubin, creator of the comic strip “Rubes,” and Wisconsin State Journal editorial cartoonist Phil Hands. This odd couple riffed off each other’s cartoons, demonstrated how the twisted minds of two different cartoonists work. If you’ve ever wanted to learn from a professional smart-aleck or full-time doodler, now’s your chance!

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/DMKXBYXOkHQ