On January 15, 2021, the Honorable Chief Judge David R. Jones, of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, signed and entered a Stipulation and Agreed Order (Order) between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which is serving as legal counsel of record for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Dean Foods.

The Order requires Dean Foods to pay within 30 days $29,082,182.26, which is 90 percent of its obligations to the USDA for milk marketed in April 2020 and May 2020.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees for the National Honey Board.  The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint individuals to succeed eight members and alternates whose terms expire Dec. 31, 2021. The deadline for nominations is June 1, 2021.

The board is composed of 10 industry members and 10 alternates. The board is seeking one first handler, one importer, one producer, one marketing cooperative representative and their alternates to serve three-year terms in office.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking eight nominees for the National Peanut Board to replace one producer member and one alternate for Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and the at-large region. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint individuals to succeed members whose terms expire on Dec. 31, 2021. Appointed members and alternates will serve three-year terms.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees to fill three producer member seats for the Mushroom Council. Nominations for these seats are due to the council by May 1, 2021.

The council will hold an election to select nominees for consideration by USDA to fill two seats representing U.S. producers in Region 2 and one seat in Region 3. USDA will appoint individuals to succeed members whose terms expire on Dec. 31, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Livestock, Poultry, and Fish Products, such as Beef, Chicken, Eggs, Farmed Hard Clams, Pork, and Turkey for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.  Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce.