Agribusiness Update for Friday 3/1/13

This is the Agribusiness Update...I’m Greg Martin...

Congress is working on immigration reform. Both sides of the aisle agree farmers should be allowed to hire foreign workers more easily but they disagree on how to do so. So - ag industry representatives offered options to improve and reform the U.S. Workable Agricultural Guestworker program to the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security’s hearing.

The House voted 286-138 to pass the Senate’s bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which passed the Senate 78-22, now goes to the White House for signature. The Senate measure renews the Act for another five years, and includes vital protections for all victims of domestic and sexual violence. 

USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced more than 75-million dollars in research, education and extension grants for greater food security domestically and globally. Merrigan says millions of American households lack the resources to access sufficient food - and many of those children may go hungry at least once this year.

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