AG News for Friday June 17, 2016

Prestage Farms Close to Selecting Iowa Site for Processing Plant

Prestage Farms is closing in on a new proposed location for a $240 million pork processing plant rejected by Mason City, Iowa voters. Meatingplace reports Prestage Farms has looked at nearly half of the 19 Iowa communities that contacted the company following the Mason City vote. Prestage Farms President Ron Prestage says the company wants to avoid a repeat of the situation it faced in Mason City, where several groups protested at public hearings, voicing concerns about the environmental impact and other issues that could result if the plant was built. The project is expected to create around 1,000 jobs for the community Prestage Farms selects. Communities in neighboring states have reportedly reached out to Prestage Farms as well expressing interest in the facility.

Coalition Pressing Congress to Reach GMO Agreement

The Coalition for Safe Affordable Food is urging Congress to reach an agreement on GMO labeling quickly. The coalition called on Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow to come to an agreement on legislation to set a national standard for the labeling of food products containing biotechnology. Joining the coalition in its plea to Congress, American Soybean Association CEO Steve Censky told reporters Thursday “the lack of Senate action really threatens the livelihoods of the farmers we represent.” Roberts and Stabenow have indicated that they continue to make progress toward a solution. However, only a handful of legislative working days remains before the Vermont law’s July first deadline. Agriculture groups, such as the American Soybean Association, say without a national standard that supersedes the Vermont law, states across the nation could adopt individual laws that differ, making compliance highly burdensome.

Source;  NAFB News