In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a virtual meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee. Agenda items may include, but are not limited to, administrative matters and consideration of recommendations pertaining to labor and production, food safety, infrastructure and sustainability, consumption and nutrition, and data reporting and analysis.

Docket Number: AMS-NOP-24-0023
Dates: An in-person meeting will be held October 22-24, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 6 p.m. Pacific time (PT) each day, and we plan to include a virtual broadcast.

Summary

• What checks will be made before a 4-bale module will be averaged?
  • The 4 bales must have the same color grade (e.g. all 11, all 21, etc.) and must be in the following list: 11, 21, 31, 41, 12, 22, 32, or 42. 
  • The 4 bales must pass the outlier tolerances for all 8 quality factors (e.g. micronaire, strength, length, uniformity, color Rd, & +b, trash % area, and particle count).
  • The 4 bales all either have or don’t have Extraneous Matter.
    • When EM is called it must all be the same EM.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 12 members to serve on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. The appointees will serve three-year terms, effective Nov. 1, 2024, through Oct. 31, 2027.

Newly appointed members are: 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of nine members to serve on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board. Eight of the nine appointees will serve three-year terms, effective immediately through June 30, 2027. The appointee for Region 13 will serve the remaining term of a vacant position, effective immediately and expiring June 30, 2026.

The newly appointed members are:

Contact:
Public Affairs (202) 720-8998
PA@usda.gov 

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced $334,000 in funding awarded to Vermont through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). Through this program, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) will fund projects that strengthen Vermont’s specialty crop industry through marketing, education, and research.