According to a recent study by Bruce Babcock, an Iowa State University (ISU) economist, the federal government’s continuing subsidy of the biofuels industry is no longer warranted.

Congress will take up a bill to expand food recalls to more actively target consumers with the information. The bill, introduced by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, earlier this week would expand the information passed to consumers after a recall is issued.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently appointed four members to the Lamb Promotions, Research, and Information Board. All appointees will serve three-year terms, beginning immediately.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.0 million head on January 1, 2010. The inventory was 2 percent below January 1, 2009.

Cooperatives Working Together announced today they would start accepting bids this month for a third dairy herd retirement. The program is working to remove cows from production in an effort to prop up sagging prices for dairy products due to a sharp decline in demand.

The Food and Drug Administration will extend by 60 days the April 27 effective date of the agency's enhanced ban on high-risk cattle material in feed for all animals, according to industry sources.