Farm fresh food initiative for Americans' tables means a ‘renaissance of agriculture'
A new initiative is aiming to "ensure rural America is prosperous and healthy again," including lowering production costs for farmers, bringing down the cost of food, and making healthy, natural food more accessible to Americans.
The introduction of the "Farmers First Agenda" by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) comes as HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Sec. Brooke Rollins are pushing to bring farm-fresh foods to the homes and schools of Americans.
The agenda, obtained by Fox News Digital, aims to guide federal and state policies while also working with the private sector.
Listed among the goals is "generat[ing] responsible nutrition policy" as part of the effort to "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA).
Kip Tom, former Trump Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, serves as vice-chair of the "Farmers First Agenda."
Tom told Fox News Digital that AFPI welcomes a "renaissance of agriculture" as farmers want to help make America healthy.
"Farmers from across the country have been talking about the MAHA movement and they embrace it," he said.
"Today we have many choices at the grocery stores, more than we've ever had since when I was a child, but we need to make sure consumers understand the benefits of putting more red meat, more dairy, more vegetables and fruits into our diet," said Ambassador Tom.
Freedom Farms owner Dana Cavalea told Fox News Digital recently that amid today's Make America Healthy Again movement, he has seen more people wanting to "get back to finding out where their food comes from."
Cavalea shared that ever since he's been producing his own meat for his family, they can see the difference in quality.
"The color was different. The flavor was different. The taste profile was different. And then we said, 'Well, what have we been eating all of these years?'" said Cavalea.
Ambassador Tom told Fox News Digital, "American agriculture is still probably the safest food supply in the world because of the regulatory process we have in place."
He added, though, that "the regulations we have in this country have become very burdensome for the U.S. consumer and the farmers."
Fifth-generation farmer and Kentucky Agricultural Commissioner Jonathan Shell shared a similar sentiment.
"Right now, red tape and bad trade deals make it harder for us to get our food onto school lunch trays and family dinner tables," Shell told Fox News Digital.
Shell said, "We've got the land, the know-how, and the heart to feed this country. Farmers and ranchers across America are ready to grow and raise what our communities need — fresh fruits, vegetables and good, local meat."
Shell, alongside his father, Gary, owns and operates Shell Farms and Greenhouses in Garrard County. They raise cattle and grow flowers, corn, and pumpkins.
"When we think about bringing farm-fresh foods into our school systems across the country, it should be everywhere … It starts out with probably whole milk. It starts out [by] making sure we have access to fruits and vegetables that are fresh," said Tom.
He said that fixing the supply chain and supporting innovation is key to the U.S. returning as the primary supplier of the world's food, fiber and energy systems.
"We have the largest mass of quality, high-quality farmland in the United States. We have nearly 14,000 miles of navigable waterways," said Tom.
"We need to create a renaissance again [so that] farmers have the opportunity to leverage those tools that our forefathers set us up for in the beginning."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Those who invested in LPL Financial Holdings (NASDAQ:LPLA) five years ago are up 437%
Buying shares in the best businesses can build meaningful wealth for you and your family. And we've seen some truly amazing gains over the years. Just think about the savvy investors who held LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LPLA) shares for the last five years, while they gained 422%. And this is just one example of the epic gains achieved by some long term investors. It's also good to see the share price up 11% over the last quarter. But this move may well have been assisted by the reasonably buoyant market (up 5.3% in 90 days). Now it's worth having a look at the company's fundamentals too, because that will help us determine if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. During five years of share price growth, LPL Financial Holdings achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 15% per year. This EPS growth is slower than the share price growth of 39% per year, over the same period. So it's fair to assume the market has a higher opinion of the business than it did five years ago. And that's hardly shocking given the track record of growth. You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). We're pleased to report that the CEO is remunerated more modestly than most CEOs at similarly capitalized companies. But while CEO remuneration is always worth checking, the really important question is whether the company can grow earnings going forward. Dive deeper into the earnings by checking this interactive graph of LPL Financial Holdings' earnings, revenue and cash flow. It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of LPL Financial Holdings, it has a TSR of 437% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! It's nice to see that LPL Financial Holdings shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 36% over the last year. That's including the dividend. Having said that, the five-year TSR of 40% a year, is even better. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with LPL Financial Holdings . If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: many of them are unnoticed AND have attractive valuation). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNBC
35 minutes ago
- CNBC
U.S. airlines face heightened risks as global carriers bypass Middle East after attacks on Iran
An organization that monitors flight risks warned on Sunday that U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region as airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East due to ongoing missile exchanges. But following a barrage of early morning Iranian missiles, Israel has reopened its airspace for six hours on Sunday to bring back those stranded abroad since the conflict with Iran began on June 13. Safe Airspace, a membership-based website run by OPSGROUP, said the U.S. attacks on Iran may increase risks to U.S. operators in the region. "While there have been no specific threats made against civil aviation, Iran has previously warned it would retaliate by attacking US military interests in the Middle East — either directly or via proxies such as Hezbollah," Safe Airspace said. Meanwhile, flight tracking website FlightRadar24, said airlines maintained flight diversions around the region. "Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week," it said on social media platform X. Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. They have chosen other routes such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if these result in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times. Missile and drone barrages in an expanding number of conflict zones globally represent a high risk to airline traffic. Since Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 13, carriers have suspended flights to destinations in the affected countries, though there have been some evacuation flights from neighboring nations and some bringing stranded Israelis home. In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar and United Airlines did the same with flights to Dubai. Safe Airspace said it was possible airspace risks could now extend to countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. "We continue to advise a high degree of caution at this time," it said. Israel's carriers, El Al Israel Airlines, Arkia, Israir and Air Haifa, said earlier on Sunday they had suspended rescue flights that allowed people to return to Israel until further notice. El Al said it would also extend its cancellation of scheduled flights through Friday and Israir said it had halted the sale of tickets for all flights through July 7. A spokesperson for Israel's airports authority said the country's main airport, Ben Gurion near Tel Aviv, was expected to reopen for rescue flight landings on Sunday between 1100 and 1700 GMT. The small Haifa Airport serving Israel's north would also be open from 1100 to 1700 GMT. Flag carrier El Al, along with Arkia, Air Haifa and Israir said they would operate at least 10 flights on Sunday starting at 1100 GMT. Tens of thousands of Israelis and others who had booked tickets to Israel are stuck abroad. At the same time, nearly 40,000 tourists in Israel are looking to leave the country, some of whom are going via Jordan's borders to Amman and Aqaba and others via Egypt and by boat to Cyprus. "In accordance with security directives, we are working to bring Israelis home as quickly as possible," Israel's Transport Minister Miri Regev said in a statement. Japan's foreign ministry said on Sunday it had evacuated 21 people, including 16 Japanese nationals, from Iran overland to Azerbaijan. It said it was the second such evacuation since Thursday and that it would conduct further evacuations if necessary. New Zealand's government said on Sunday it would send a Hercules military transport plane to the Middle East on standby to evacuate New Zealanders from the region. It said in a statement that government personnel and a C-130J Hercules aircraft would leave Auckland on Monday. The plane would take some days to reach the region, it said. The government was also in talks with commercial airlines to assess how they may be able to assist, it added.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
How Trump's trade war has forced me to rediscover my hidden superpower
Like many Americans, I've struggled with the whiplash of President Donald Trump's trade war. Amid the gut punch of Liberation Day, I worried whether to dip into savings to panic-buy bananas, avocados and Parmesan Reggiano. (Ultimately, I resisted, but did stock up on coffee — I'm only human). Since then, each head-spinning tariff update has reopened wounds of childhood material deprivation and pandemic scarcity. As a child, I skipped meals for lack of resources. I have since crafted my life to avoid ever worrying again about another bounced check or missed electric bill. But it's hard to feel empowered in the face of chronic economic chaos. Tariffs are already increasing the prices and availability of essential goods. The situation could become dire when tariffs start to impact access to medications that many Americans with chronic illnesses like me rely on. With my partner recently unemployed, I'm our household's sole earner. We're tracking every penny to make ends meet. To cope, the religious side of me recites the Serenity Prayer: 'God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.' As a sociologist, however, I search for opportunities for individual resistance, no matter how modest, to counter immense social forces. Yes, there's much we can't control. But we can always do something. And lately, I'm discovering that something may be nothing. I've resisted ransacking stores like a doomsday prepper, realizing that I possess a greater power than stuffing my shopping cart: my lifelong frugality. I refuse to let the world's most powerful bully — our president — drive my behavior, nor let billionaires like Mark Cuban or media commentators dictate what I 'should' do, advising me to buy more and buy now. I don't fault anyone's urgency to purchase that new phone, car or early Christmas gifts. But I'm buying as little as possible. And I invite you to join me. In the spirit of never letting a serious crisis go to waste, as former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel once wisely counseled, we shouldn't squander this crucial opportunity to modify our consumption habits and reassess what we need compared to what we want. We're overdue for a cultural reset when it comes to our dependence on cheap products and trends like fast fashion that pollute our environment by wasting huge amounts of water and energy while emitting greenhouse gases and leaving us choking on plastic. Those TikTok 'haul' videos come with a steep price. Younger me rolled my eyes at calls to dial back consumerism, such as when a decades-older college classmate lamented the difficulty of finding her son sneakers made without overseas exploited labor. But I grew up. Now I'm that older woman worried about the human and environmental cost of inexpensive goods flooding our marketplace. The truth is that some things shouldn't be so cheap. Years ago, I remember feeling mildly horrified at the mountains of toys in my sister's home. I surmised she'd bought her kids everything we lacked growing up. But visiting friends with young children has confirmed that drowning in toys is now the hallmark of a typical middle-class American childhood. Trump has made repeated statements about the number of dolls he thinks girls should have, saying, 'I don't think a beautiful baby girl that's 11 years old needs to have 30 dolls. I think they can have three dolls or four dolls.' Putting aside the ick factor of his patronizing language about gender, morally and logistically, I agree with reducing excess. But that's the only nod I'll give him. Kids will survive with fewer toys. But higher toy prices are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to China, or 'the country that makes all our stuff,' as comedian Stephen Colbert quipped. Imagine the absurd cruelty of telling older adults to survive on only a few of their prescription pills, which are also increasingly manufactured in China. As for the nonessential stuff, I'm proud of my working-class family's survival strategies that I still employ. Growing up, we stretched, scrimped, repaired and saved. Dad scavenged furniture and books from the trash. Mom scoured supermarket sales to feed our family of six, creating a complex shopping list organized around deals from weekly loss leaders. She made everything from after-school snacks to Barbie's outfits. I clumsily sewed my own dresses to wear. Neighborhood mothers donated bags bursting with clothes their kids had outgrown. Thrift stores supplied everything else. I have come to appreciate how this childhood spurred my imagination and creativity. Though we struggled financially, I still learned to be a magician. Thinking and dreaming cost nothing. I conjured images out of thin air and changed reality with the power of my mind. Library books taught me how to be an escape artist, whisking me to faraway worlds. Spending less, not due to necessity but choice, is a quiet yet powerful form of protest. The BuyNothing project, which aims to foster community through a gift economy, promotes a different form of wealth in the connections cultivated among neighbors. Right to repair laws and tool lending libraries can help protect us from obsolescence and forced replacement purchases. We gain more collectively by sharing and giving than accumulating things that clutter our homes and clog our landfills. One of my heroes, photographer Bill Cunningham, famously declined food and drink while working events, explaining, 'Money is the cheapest thing. Liberty is the most expensive.'
