Agribusiness Update for Friday 8/1/2014

Agribusiness Update for Friday 8/1/2014

This is the Agribusiness Update...I'm Greg Martin...

Democratic Representative Rosa Delauro of Connecticut introduced a federal sweetener tax bill to congress Wednesday.  The bill would impose a one cent federal tax per teaspoon of caloric sweetener such as sugar or high-fructose corn syrup in sweetened beverages.  Deluaro said people want to be healthy but we are in the midst of an epidemic with obesity and diabetes afflicting our nation and the related health care cost. The bill is called the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Tax Act, or the SWEET bill.

On Wednesday, the Washington Farm Labor Association announced to its members that it has cancelled all upcoming Consulate appointments for farm workers seeking work visas due to the inability of the State Department to produce visas. The usually smooth two-day visa process declined in efficiency starting on July 8th, and has been at a complete stand-still since July 21st. As of today, a group of farm workers has been stranded at the border for nine days. WAFLA files approximately 80 percent of the H-2A applications in Washington State.

That's today's Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.

Previous ReportAgribusiness Update for Thursday 7/31/2014
Next ReportAgribusiness Update for Monday 8/04/14