Ag News: USDA Waivers and Plant-based Dairy Wording
**Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the extension of three nationwide waivers, giving child nutrition programs the flexibility to continue to feed children while promoting social distancing and keeping families safe during the pandemic.
Perdue says “Extending these waivers throughout the summer ensures local operators can make plans that best suit their communities and keep children fed.”
Schools and local program sponsors have used flexibilities provided by USDA to find creative ways to feed kids, such as setting up drive-thru pick-ups and delivering meals on bus routes.
**Dairy groups object to Plant-Based Foods Association’s label wording standards.
The Plant-Based Foods Association has released standards for labeling non-dairy yogurt products that recommend using terms such as "plant-based," "dairy-free," or "non-dairy."
The National Milk Producers Federation dismissed the standards as insufficient, telling agrimarketing.com, putting forth a voluntary standard simply codifies illegal behavior and does nothing more than allow them to pick and choose whether they feel like following the law.
**The California Strawberry Commission has been working with field workers through its bilingual outreach to provide training during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The commission is working with growers and health officials, and has adopted standard operating procedures to reflect federal, state and local guidelines.
According to thepacker.com, the “I Pick Safety, For Me, For All” program covers recommendations for safety measure while at work and off the farm.