Power Grid Worries and Brazilian Beef Talks

Power Grid Worries and Brazilian Beef Talks

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**"Since it's not a question of 'if' but 'when' the power grid will face significant physical and cyber threats, resiliency should be a priority for our electricity system."

That's what House Science Committee Chair Lamar Smith warned in opening his Resiliency: The Electric Grid's Only Hope hearing last week.

He tells Agri-Pulse, to deal with the proliferation of threats to the grid, including hurricanes, droughts, flooding, ice storms, human error, cyberattacks, and the crippling electromagnetic pulses, we should prioritize improving our electric grid.

**Still no end in sight for the U.S. ban on fresh Brazilian beef, but both countries are making progress on reopening trade.

U.S. government and industry officials tell Agri-Pulse, Brazilian food safety Reps and beef packers told the USDA they've made significant changes in the way they prepare beef prior to shipping, but U.S. officials still want proof.

**Commodity groups in Washington D.C. are preparing for what might be one more "in the weeds" conversations on the next farm bill as they look for the source of data for future legislation.

The farm bill uses data from surveys conducted by the National Ag Statistics Service to administer the Agriculture Risk Coverage-County program which decides which counties get a payment.

The debate also has the attention of Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue who wants to find out whether there is any preference for data from NASS or from the Risk Management Agency.

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