Agribusiness Update 07/15/14

Democrats are warning of a looming highway shutdown - comparing it to the government shutdown of 2013 - as the Highway Trust Fund faces a 10-billion dollar shortfall. Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden says progress is being made - but Republicans say the Democratic view of avoiding a highway shutdown is over the top - and that even if Congress fails to reach a deal on the Highway Trust Fund - people won't be barred from driving. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee says the highways aren't going to shut down. Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska says Republicans have no intention of risking political momentum heading into the midterm election with a standoff over transportation funding.

Last week - Ben & Jerry's promoted its new, special Food Fight Fudge Brownie flavor on Capitol Hill in support of labeling mandates for genetically modified food. Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield says the flavor will appear this month in Vermont Ben & Jerry shops - and one-dollar of each purchase will go into a legal fund to defend against challenges to Vermont's GMO labeling mandate - which passed in April.

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