Georgia Peanut Referendum Reaffirmed and Food Spending Down
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**The Georgia Peanut Commission's referendum got reaffirmation with a vote of 94.43%, the highest in its nearly 60-year existence.
Georgia law requires the state's peanut farmers vote on the commission every three years.
GPC’s executive director, Don Koehler tells www.agrimarketing.com, our staff is humbled by the support of Georgia peanut farmers, who invest $2 per ton annually to the commission to be used for research, promotion and education.
www.agrimarketing.com/s/136190
**The USDA awarded more than $15 million to fund grant proposals to develop and expand the use of wood products, strengthen emerging wood energy markets and protect community forests.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement while visiting prescribed fire and wildfire recovery areas near the Roosevelt National Forest Northern Colorado Front Range landscape.
The funding will support 60 projects covering a diverse range of activities from the development of affordable housing to expanding markets for mass timber, biochar, wood energy and other emerging wood products.
**A nearly 20% decline spent eating out contributed to a 5% decline in food spending in 2020.
In a USDA report on food expenditures, www.thepacker.com reports, 2020 U.S. spending on food totaled about $1.56 trillion, 5.3% lower than 2019.
Last year was just the second time in 25 years that annual total food expenditures decreased. The last time was during the 2009 recession.
www.thepacker.com/news/retail/covid-19-pandemic-drags-down-total-spending-food-2020-usda-reports?mkt
