farmdoc dailyA major rupture in U.S.-China relations may be a matter of when and not if. Trump seems to be distancing himself from the phase one trade deal, and advisers and lawmakers are pushing for action aimed at Beijing. (Politico)
Visit almost any grocery store and you’ll see how that food chain has been disrupted during the coronavirus pandemic. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has been talking up part of the federal response: a $3 billion plan to distribute food to families, called the Farmers to Family Food Box Program. (NPR)
The coronavirus pandemic is spreading from cities to rural communities that have a higher share of older, at-risk residents, a trend that has implications for the stress it may put on local health-care systems as well as the push by many governors to ease economic restrictions and reopen for business. (Wall Street Journal)
COVID-19 outbreaks at meat processing plants across the country continue to disrupt how much product is making its way to grocery stores and butcher shops, despite large facilities beginning to resume operations on a presidential order to stay open during the pandemic. Some stores said they are limiting the number of meat products customers can buy or raising prices as they struggle to get their usual selection. (Chicago Tribune)
On top of coronavirus outbreaks at slaughterhouses across the country, state attorneys general are now asking the Justice Department to investigate potential price manipulation by big beef processors. (Politico)
BUT WE’RE RESILIENT – Kate Huffman is a sixth-generation Illinois farmer. Despite the economic uncertainty right now, she said farmers will come through. (WBEZ)
