Ag Headlines, Monday August 31, 2015

CDC Report: Most Schools Working to Meat Lunch Standards

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows most schools are working to reach lunch standards set by first lady Michelle Obama. In a report this past week, the CDC said in the last 14 years the number of schools implementing at least five of the nine school nutrition service practices recommended has dramatically increased, according to The Hill. The report found 79.4 percent of schools were offering two or more vegetables a day, up from 61.7 percent in 2000, and that 78 percent were offering two or more fruit options, up from 68.1 percent. The Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act also mandates schools reduce sodium content in meals by hitting two target levels, one in 2012 and another in 2017. The CDC said the majority of schools, 54.1 percent, are working to meet those lower levels, Critics of the standards, however, have asked Congress to leave sodium levels where they are until research proves further reductions would benefit children, and to do away with the requirement to make each student take a half-cup of fruit or vegetables with every meal.

St Louis Fed: Market Action Should Not Delay Rate Hike

Reuters reported Friday that the recent market turmoil should not delay the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates in September. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard told Reuters he still favored hiking rates at the Fed's next policy-setting meeting, though he added the U.S. central bank would be hesitant to do so if markets were still volatile at that time. Fears remain over the health of China’s economy and if those fears continue through September, that volatility will likely remain in the market. Federal Reserve Bank of New York President William Dudley said “the case for raising rates in September now seems less compelling,” following the roller-coaster ride the markets saw in the last week.

Majority of U.S. Doesn’t Benefit from WOTUS Injunction, Yet

One of three injunction request granted will delay the Environmental Protection Agencies Waters of the U.S. rule for 13 states, but implementation started Friday for the rest of the county. A North Dakota Judge granted the injunction late Thursday afternoon for 13 states, but the EPA confirmed implementation for the rest of the nation. Federal judges in West Virginia and Georgia denied injunction request in separate lawsuits. For those 13 states, the injunction delays implementation for at least 9 months while the court reviews the lawsuit. It court documents, the judge stated “Delaying implementation to allow a full and final resolution on the merits is in the best interests of the public.” The EPA has argued the North Dakota Federal District Court has no authority over the rule. Georgia and West Virginia agreed with the agency that legal challenges to the rule could only be brought in the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit and therefore denied the requests for preliminary injunction, according to the Hagstrom Report.

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