Agribusiness Update for Monday 12/23/13

The Food and Drug Administration will propose revised rule language on two of the proposed rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act that affect farmers. FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael Taylor says the agency believes this decision was made in response to the careful consideration of many people involved in supplying our food and is critical to fulfilling a commitment to getting them right.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has completed its investigations into four separate incidents that resulted in bumblebee deaths this summer in Wilsonville, Hillsboro, West Linn, and downtown Portland. ODA's findings identified violations of the Oregon Pesticide Control Law and has issued six civil penalties totaling $2,886 in connection with the incidents.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day - the U.S. Forest Service will waive fees at most of its day-use recreation sites on January 20th. This date will mark the first of several fee waiver days offered by the agency in 2014. President's Day weekend in February, National Get Outdoors Day in June, National Public Lands Day in September and Veterans Day weekend in November are also scheduled fee-free days.

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