Latest news with #TomVilsack
The Star
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
US commodities to avoid strict checks under EU deforestation law
European importers will face the minimum level of checks for products like timber coming from the United States. — Bloomberg WASHINGTON: US commodity producers will likely avoid strict checks under the European Union's (EU) rules to curb deforestation after months of lobbying, providing relief for the sector against the backdrop of a tariff war. The country will be classified as having a low risk of deforestation under rules set to be agreed by EU member states next month, according to a person familiar with the matter. That will mean that European importers will face the minimum level of checks for products like timber coming from the United States. All member states in the EU will also be considered 'low risk', while Brazil, a major exporter of key commodities like soybeans and beef, will fall under the 'standard risk' category, said the person, who asked not to be named speaking on sensitive discussions. Only countries covered by UN and EU sanctions will be labelled 'high risk', according to a guidance document published last year. Discussions are still ongoing and final decisions could still change, the person said. A spokesperson for the European Commission didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The United State's categorisation should alleviate any concerns in Washington that the EU rules to combat deforestation globally would add fire to a bitter trade dispute between the two sides. The regulation faced fierce pushback from American industry and government, contributing to a one-year delay to its implementation. US paper makers, for example, warned the EU that the law, which would require them to trace timber to its origins, risked disrupting US$3.5bil of trade, while raising prices of everyday products, like diapers. Officials under President Joe Biden's administration, including the former secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, said that there were 'critical challenges'. That all EU member states are classified as low risk – meaning just 1% of operators will face annual checks – should mean that they support the implementing regulation in a vote on May 12, according to people familiar with the matter. Still, the decision – based on the rate of deforestation in any country – will come as a blow to Brazil, which had also lobbied the EU heavily to delay and loosen the criteria. The country is set to host the United Nations' COP30 climate summit in November and has made protecting forests one of the key pillars, including through the creation of a US$125bil fund. The person declined to specify the categories in which other commodity-producing countries had been placed in. The EU aims to slash the 10% of global deforestation – and associated loss of biodiversity – linked to the bloc's consumption of commodities such as timber, beef, coffee and cocoa. The law will require every log, cow and bean entering the region to be traced to their origins to avoid hefty penalties. The EU Deforestation Regulation, or Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, aims to ensure that products sold in the EU are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation globally. The first compliance date for most companies is Dec 30, although there have been some delays and variations for different businesses. — Bloomberg
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tom Vilsack's election season message
Good morning, Iowa. Tom Vilsack has his eyes on 2026. No, not because he's interested in taking his old job back and succeeding Kim Reynolds as Iowa governor. The former U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary visited Indianola Tuesday to hold the first of what he hopes will be regular conversations with farmers and rural Iowans about agricultural policies. And he wants those issues to stay front and center on the campaign trail, but he's no longer looking at elected office. "I think I can sort of lay a marker down that as we begin a very important debate about our state and about our country, that this is a set of issues that ought to merit some conversation by those who do want to be a leader," he said in an interview. Brianne has the details. Another name in Iowa politics is out of consideration for the governor's race. 2nd District U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson officially ruled out a run for governor in 2026. "After much prayer and conversation with family and friends, I have decided to stay focused on my mission in Washington, working with President Trump to Make America Great Again," she said in a statement to the Register. Brianne has the full story. Democrat Angelina Ramirez made history Tuesday, potentially becoming the first Latina elected to the Iowa Legislature. Ramirez, a Cedar Rapids social justice advocate, defeated Republican Bernie Hayes, a retired systems engineer, to win election to the Iowa House District 78 seat in Cedar Rapids with 79% of the vote, according to unofficial results. That keeps a seat for Democrats after Sami Scheetz resigned April 1. Learn more about Ramirez in my story. ∎ Iowa GOP lawmakers sent a bill to Reynolds' desk that redefines bullying and harassment in schools, removing a list of specific traits like sexual orientation and race that bullies might target. Republicans say some schools misinterpret current law, while Democrats counter that the existing law already covers all bullying. ∎ Iowa lawmakers have approved a bill requiring schools to show students in fifth-12th grade a video of the stages of pregnancy that "depicts the humanity of the unborn child." The bill bans information from abortion providers or groups that refer patients for abortions. Democrats say that would preclude using information from medical institutions like the Mayo Clinic. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Tom Vilsack's election season message
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vilsack says farms, not farmers, should work harder to grow rural communities
Former Iowa Governor and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack chats with Iowa farmers in Warren County on April 29, 2025. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) WARREN COUNTY — Tom Vilsack, former Iowa governor and the U.S. secretary of agriculture during the Obama and Biden administrations, spoke Tuesday with farmers and rural Iowans about his ideas to grow rural communities. In the pine-paneled Middleswart Lodge, looking out over Lake Ahquabi State Park, Vilsack explained policies he started, and hoped would continue, that make a farm — rather than a farmer — work harder. This means programs like the Climate Smart commodities program, which pays farmers a premium for using sustainable agriculture tools, or practices that make use of other farm products, like an anaerobic digester that turns animal waste into renewable energy and a check for the farmer 'You could combine the marketplace and the private sector and government to do right by the environment and to do right by the small and mid-sized (farms),' Vilsack said. 'The farm would work harder, not the farmer.' Don and Mary Mitchell, Warren County farmers who attended the program, said they had 'never thought' of some of the ideas Vilsack mentioned. As farmers in their later years, the Mitchells said they wouldn't implement those strategies today, but would have benefited from such options earlier in their lives. 'We might have saved a lot of miles driving back and forth from our place to Des Moines,' Mary Mitchell said with a laugh. Don Mitchell was a farmer that had to 'work harder' to keep his family afloat when the small family farm wasn't enough. For him, that meant commuting to Des Moines for an off-farm job for many years. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show that the majority of farmers in the U.S. have off-farm income and small farms depend on non-farming income to survive. Vilsack said he realized after his first stint as agriculture secretary that the system was set for farmers to either 'get big or get out' which has led to a loss in the number of farms and dwindling rural communities. Vilsack said he's not 'bashing the big guys' but said he wanted to try and find a way to make it so small and mid-sized farms could also make it. He said the same solutions would also create a circular, rather than extractive, ag economy and support rural communities. 'So now you not only have more prosperous farms, you also have more jobs, you have more reasons for people to stay in that small town,' Vilsack said. Vilsack said some of these programs have been kept by the current administration though they might live under a different name. 'There's just an enormous opportunity here if our leaders understand that we need a creative option,' Vilsack said. 'This is not a situation where it's this as opposed to something — it's this in addition to something.' The Trump administration has cancelled Biden-era ag programs like the partnerships for Climate Smart commodities and a program that allowed schools to purchase food from local farmers. Other programs, like the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, have been restructured to better align with the Trump agenda. Vilsack said there's also an opportunity for the state, counties, cities, or philanthropic groups to step in when a federal program is cancelled. Even if it doesn't do as much as a federal program, it sends a message. 'The key here is to understand the significance of doing something, and then having the state officials understand and appreciate and communicate to federal officials,' Vilsack said. 'That's how you can change and impact and affect policy.' While the event was the start of a series of forums organized by the Iowa Democratic Party to highlight its plans to 'grow Iowa,' Vilsack said he spoke in his capacity as an Iowan, not a politician. 'This is not about any political stance that I may have,' Vilsack said. 'It is about my deep concern about our state and my deep, deep concern about the state of rural America.' Vilsack said he sees a way forward, and it might as well start in Iowa. 'It doesn't necessarily have to cost a lot of money, but it is a partnership between the government, farmers, universities, food companies, energy companies, utilities, conservation groups, environmental groups — it can bring all of this together instead of this, us or them kind of thing that we've got going on.' Iowa Democrats plan to hold similar forums, with other speakers, in different areas of the state, but have not yet released a schedule. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
USDA proposes ban on buying junk food with SNAP benefits
(NewsNation) — U.S. Department of Agriculture Chief Tom Vilsack has proposed that the 'Make America Healthy Again' commission consider banning junk food and sugary drink purchases using food stamps. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program should prioritize healthy food choices. However, many of those options are costly compared to cheap, ultraprocessed foods, and accessibility is an issue for low-income communities. The proposal follows Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s vow to remove soda from items eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. Last year, 41.7 million Americans received SNAP benefits, according to the USDA, which cost taxpayers nearly $94 billion. Each recipient received about $188 per month. Congress is currently considering two bills addressing SNAP benefits. One seeks to ban SNAP purchases of junk foods like cookies, cakes, pies and sodas, while the other aims to improve the nutrition and diet quality of food available to recipients. Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions Another economic argument favoring the ban is that taxpayers are indirectly paying twice: once to fund the purchase of junk food and again to fund medical costs resulting from chronic diseases linked to poor diets. Dr. Joel Warsh, a pediatrician, supports the idea of banning junk food purchases with food stamps but also believes the government needs a plan for incentives to support local farmers and fresh produce. He notes that the American diet, 70% of which is made up of ultraprocessed foods, is a key cause of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. He also highlighted a disturbing rise in type 2 diabetes in children. 'It's called adult-onset diabetes. It wasn't even something that you would have seen when I was a kid, in a child, but now we're seeing it in teenagers and even younger children,' Warsh said. 'Going back to diabetes, like one-third of kids are diabetic or pre-diabetic, that is not okay. We have to do something about that. It's not the same all over the world.' It's unclear when or how these proposed changes to the SNAP program will be implemented and whether they'll come through Congress or the 'Make America Healthy Again' commission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former secretary of ag Vilsack selected to run World Food Prize Foundation
Tom Vilsack speaks at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue at the Iowa Events Center Oct. 24, 2023. (Photo by Scott Morgan / World Food Prize Foundation) Tom Vilsack will return to Iowa as CEO of the World Food Prize Foundation, headquartered in Des Moines, following his role as U.S. secretary of agriculture during the Biden-Harris administration. Vilsack takes the place of Mashal Husain, who was named the president of the foundation following the retirement announcement of former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad from the position in November. Vilsack served as Iowa's 40th governor from 1999 until 2007, when he left to serve as U.S. secretary of agriculture during the Obama administration. 'The World Food Prize Foundation has a phenomenal and important history of advancing innovation to address global food security,' Vilsack said in a press release. 'I am honored to have the opportunity to build on that legacy, working closely with Mashal Husain and the talented team to extend the Foundation's impact worldwide.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX According to a press release from the foundation, Vilsack will focus on addressing global food insecurity and expanding the global network of the foundation. Husain, as president, will continue to lead programming for the foundation. Board Chair Paul Schickler called it an 'exciting' era for the Foundation thanks to the combination of Vilsack's 'diplomatic acumen' and Husain's innovative programming. 'Together, they will honor Dr. Norman Borlaug's legacy by addressing the most pressing global food challenges with bold action, strategic alliances and a commitment to equity and sustainability,' Schickler said in the release. The World Food Prize was started by Norman Borlaug, often called the father of the green revolution for his work developing a high yielding, disease resistant strain of wheat. Each year the prize honors work that has improved quality, quantity or availability of food. 'I look forward to forging new partnerships, helping bring to life new solutions in the fight against hunger and championing efforts to ensure a sustainable and equitable food system for future generations,' Vilsack said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
