Governor Kemp Signs Two Ag Bills and Online Grocery Sales Jump
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Members of Georgia’s ag community gathered recently to witness Governor Brian Kemp sign two bills into law, pertaining to agriculture.
The first, according to www.gfb.org, was Senate Bill 222 making the pecan Georgia’s official state nut.
Kemp says making pecans Georgia’s state nut should provide the crop and its growers with new marketing opportunities.
The other, House Bill 693 gives the right-of-way to farm equipment, that follow state rules, on Georgia roadways, excluding U.S. interstates unless permitted by the
Department of Public Safety.
www.gfb.org/media-and-
publications/news.cms/2021/1015/laws-give-farm-equipment-right-of-way--make-pecan-state-nut
**The U.S. online grocery market finished March with $9.3 billion in sales, a return to January’s record spending levels.
This, as over 69 million households placed an average of 2.8 online orders during the month, according to Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Shopping Survey.
www.thepacker.com reports, the 43% jump in sales, versus last year’s $6.5 billion, quantifies the disruptive impact of the pandemic that continues to alter the way people get groceries.
www.thepacker.com/news/retail/total-us-online-grocery-sales-march-2021-43-versus-year-ago?mkt
**The USDA has issued a broad range of flexibilities to allow school meal programs and childcare institutions across the country to return to serving healthy meals this fall.
Several meal service flexibilities that enable social distancing are now extended through June of next year.
The waivers continue the Administration’s commitment to provide safe, healthy meals free of charge as the pandemic continues to threaten food and nutrition security.
