Weekly livestock news: November 29, 2021

$1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act includes funding for climate-smart agriculture and USDA loan forgiveness

The $1.75 trillion Build Back Better Act passed two weeks ago by the House of Representatives includes $28 billion in conservation funding to combat climate change, $12 billion for USDA loan forgiveness and more money for agriculture research, Feedstuffs reports. “The Build Back Better bill is the largest effort in American history to combat the climate crisis and includes a focus on climate-smart agriculture,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “With significant investments in resources for farmers, ranchers and forestland owners, this bill provides a host of new tools to deploy important conservation practices and the research essential to inform them,” Vilsack said. The bill’s fate in the Senate remains uncertain.

USDA invests $32 million to improve meat processing efficiency

USDA is investing $32 million in grants to 167 meat and poultry slaughter and processing facilities to support expanded capacity and efficiency. The grants are being administered through the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant program. The funding aims to help processing businesses cover costs for improvements such as expanding existing facilities, modernizing processing equipment and meeting requirements necessary for a Federal Grant of Inspection or to operate under a state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. “Achieving a Federal Grant of Inspection or operating under a Cooperative Interstate Shipment program allows meat and poultry processors to ship products across state lines, pursue new market opportunities and better meet consumer and producer demand along the supply chain,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Contract producers to get $270 million in pandemic relief from USDA

USDA has begun issuing approximately $270 million in payments to contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry who applied for pandemic assistance. This comes after USDA’s Farm Service Agency identified gaps in assistance, the agency said. USDA in August launched an improved program for contract producers that aims to fill these gaps, providing support as part of the agency’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. “We listened to feedback from producers and stakeholders about impacts across livestock and poultry operations and made updates to be more equitable in the assistance we delivered,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “For contract producers, this meant expanding eligibility and providing flexibility such as considering 2018 or 2019 revenue when calculating payments and accounting for contract producers who increased the size of their operation in 2020 or were new to farming when the pandemic hit.”

Deere & Co. beats Wall Street expectations despite five-week worker strike

The five-week strike by thousands of Deere & Co. workers that ended November 17 doesn’t appear to have affected the company’s financial performance. Deere reported earnings of $1.28 billion from August through October, beating analyst expectations. The strike came as Deere, like other manufacturers, deals with supply chain disruptions, including difficulties getting steel and a shortage of truck drivers. The company told investors it expects challenges to continue next year, but it’s still able to pass costs on to consumers, the Des Moines Register reports. The new union contract, the third proposed in a series of negotiations, was similar to one previously rejected by workers. It includes a 10% wage increase this year, with a total increase of 20% over the six-year term, CBS News reports.