ROCKINGHAM - As part of the ongoing mission of the Richmond Observer to provide expansive coverage of current events, we offer the following links to allow ease of access to breaking news and/or items of immediate interest garnering attention across the nation.
Current Events Warrant Attention Across the Nation
1- The House farm bill passed 213-211 yesterday, in its second-try vote. A few Republicans who had reservations about the bill and voted against it on May 18 were swayed to vote for it this time around. Agri-Pulse
House passes 2018 Farm Bill: Critical legislation to aid farmers and ranchers, offer opportunities to SNAP recipients U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
2- One of two House immigration bills in the works fell in a vote yesterday, and a vote on the other bill has been postponed until next week. However, President Trump tweeted this morning that Congress should just set aside immigration reform until after November. CNN
NCFB President Larry Wooten on immigration reform YouTube
House vote on compromise immigration bill delayed until next week CBS News
3- In the meantime, the number of agricultural workers hired through the H-2a program is up 159 percent since 2011, even though farmers say it isn’t the best program. Bloomberg
4- President Trump has been talking this week about how he wants to see the federal government reorganized, and one of his ideas is to move the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which USDA currently oversees, to a renamed department of Health and Human Services. SFN Today
Trump wants a single federal food safety agency put under USDA Food Safety News
5- Peach season is here, and the crop is looking fair-to-good, growers report. Peaches should be available until Labor Day, despite some reports of early season losses. NCDA & CS
6- The start of summer is also marking the peak of farmers’ market season, and in addition to four state-operated markets, there are more than 200 local markets across the state. In the Field
Herb grower: Small farms have big impact in Iredell Mooresville Tribune
7- There’s a battle over patents in the farm machinery world. Deere &Co. is suing rival AGCO Corp. over claims that some of AGCO’s gadgets infringe on Deere patents, and the case highlights just how fast equipment-makers are moving to get automated products to market. AgWeb
8- There’s concern that the invasive plant Giant Pigweed, which was in the news earlier this week for turning up in Virginia, could make a return to North Carolina. The plant can cause blisters, scars or even blindness, and officials advise how to spot it and what to do if you encounter it. WSOC TV
9- The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that states may collect sales tax on a broader range of online sales. WRAL
