Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued two top pesticide manufacturers for allegedly entering into exclusive contracts with distributors that kept prices paid by farmers […] Read more

U.S. trade commission sues pesticide makers, alleging price scheme
U.S. further funds food system
Reuters – The Biden administration will spend more than US$2.1 billion in funding to shore up weaknesses in the country’s food supply system exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of […] Read more

U.S. seeks to protect contract chicken growers
Biden administration proposes rule to improve treatment, transparency and price guarantees
Reuters – The United States government has proposed a rule requiring meatpackers to be more transparent in their dealings with contract farmers in efforts to enhance competition in the highly […] Read more

U.S. sheep herders’ suit alleges cartel-like wage suppression
Reuters –– Sheep herders in the U.S. West have banded together to sue their employers, accusing them of operating an illegal cartel that artificially suppresses their wages, according to court […] Read more

Food, farming, forestry must be transformed to curb global warming, UN says
Earlier draft of panel report called for reduced intake of meat
Reuters — Protecting forests, changing diets, and altering farming methods could contribute around a quarter of the greenhouse gas cuts needed to avert the worst impacts of climate change, according […] Read more

USDA opens inquiry into fertilizer, seed prices
Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is opening an inquiry into the impacts of concentration in the fertilizer, seed and retail markets. The inquiry stems from the Biden administration’s […] Read more

Biden unveils plan to boost competition in U.S. meat industry
Reuters — The United States will issue new rules and US$1 billion in funding this year to support independent meat processors and ranchers as part of a plan to address […] Read more

Farmers ask U.S. Justice Department to probe fertilizer price spikes
Reuters — Farmers have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether recent spikes in fertilizer prices are attributable to market manipulation by fertilizer companies, according to a letter […] Read more

Coronavirus infections at U.S. meat plants far higher than previous estimates, House subcommittee hears
Cases and deaths from COVID-19 among workers at the leading U.S. meatpacking plants were three times as high as previously estimated, according to a report by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus […] Read more