3-21 NWR Purdue Confirmation

3-21 NWR Purdue Confirmation

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
This is your Northwest report for Tuesday, March 21 I'm David Sparks and agri-pulse.com is reporting that by this time next week the Department of Agriculture may be a little closer to having an official leader. Next Thursday, Ag Secretary nominee Sonny Perdue will have his confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee. The extended wait for a new Secretary comes after a nomination that came just one day before Pres. Trump's inauguration. Despite the delay, Perdue looks to be headed for confirmation. Ethics concerns have come forward from his time as Georgia governor but the broad support of the agriculture industry and many on Capitol Hill will likely help Perdue along. House Agriculture committee chairman Mike Conaway does not get a vote on Thursday but he thinks Purdue would do a good job.

Elsewhere, particularly in the Northwest where the locavore movement is so strong, it probably pays to read labeling carefully. The National Farmers Union has blasted retailers, including Tesco, for using fake farm brands such as 'Willow Farms' and 'Boswell Farms' to sell products which have sometimes been imported from abroad.

 

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