http://www.mail.com/people/2904-tom-vilsack.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.29/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/people/2904-tom-vilsack.html http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/2133338-horse-slaughterhouse-accuses-usda-irs-tactics.html ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A southeastern New Mexico company's plans to convert a cattle plant into a horse slaughterhouse has hit another roadblock, this time over an environmental dispute that the company's attorney blames on the Obama administration putting politics over policy. Blair Dunn, who represents Valley Meat Co. of Roswell in its more than yearl... Thu, 06 Jun 2013 09:53:13 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/2133338-horse-slaughterhouse-accuses-usda-irs-tactics.html 2013-06-06T09:53:13Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2128910-govt-works-to-reduce-food-waste.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans throw away more than a third of the food they buy — that's almost $400 a year per person, or more than an average month's worth of groceries. In 2010, an estimated 133 billion pounds of food from U.S. retailers, restaurants, and homes was tossed. Working with the nation's largest retailers and food companies, the Agriculture De... Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:28:30 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2128910-govt-works-to-reduce-food-waste.html 2013-06-04T18:28:30Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2106718-rules-labeling-meat-us.html MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shoppers in the U.S. will soon have more information about where their meat comes from after new federal labeling rules went into effect Thursday. The rules require labels on steaks, ribs and other cuts of meat to say where the animal was born, raised and slaughtered. Earlier U.S. Department of Agriculture rules only required that countri... Thu, 23 May 2013 23:13:34 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/2106718-rules-labeling-meat-us.html 2013-05-23T23:13:34Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099480-senate-votes-to-small-cut-to-food-stamps.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Tuesday to keep a $400 million annual cut — or roughly a half of 1 percent — to the food stamp program as part of a major five-year farm bill. Food stamps now cost almost $80 billion annually and are used by 1 in 7 Americans. The House and Senate have differed sharply on how much the domestic food aid should be cut, with... Tue, 21 May 2013 21:51:40 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2099480-senate-votes-to-small-cut-to-food-stamps.html 2013-05-21T21:51:40Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2098798-white-house-farm-subsidy-cuts-needed.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Monday it wants to see more cuts to agriculture subsidies in a massive farm bill moving through the Senate this week. The bill would cost almost $100 billion a year over five years and would set policy for farm programs and food aid. The legislation would cut about $2.4 billion annually from overall farm spe... Mon, 20 May 2013 22:14:44 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/2098798-white-house-farm-subsidy-cuts-needed.html 2013-05-20T22:14:44Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2054024-apnewsbreak-nm-horse-slaughter-plant-to-open.html ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The southern New Mexico plant that has been fighting for more than a year for permission to slaughter horses will open soon, unless Congress reinstates a ban on the practice, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday. In a telephone interview Tuesday, Vilsack said the department is working to make sure the process is handled ... Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:09:35 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2054024-apnewsbreak-nm-horse-slaughter-plant-to-open.html 2013-04-30T19:09:35Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2024208-usaid-head-food-aid-changes-urgent.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the Obama administration's international food aid efforts says a proposal to shift the way food is delivered abroad could help an additional 4 million starving people. But there doesn't appear to be much support for the idea on Capitol Hill. Rajiv Shah, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said ... Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:12:57 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/2024208-usaid-head-food-aid-changes-urgent.html 2013-04-17T02:12:57Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/2023478-rural-elderly-lose-rental-assistance.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says 15,000 low-income elderly and disabled people in rural areas could lose rental subsidies because of across-the-board budget cuts that went into effect earlier this year. USDA's rural rental assistance program helps low-income tenants live in government-funded housing. Vilsack said the money for that... Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:31:53 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/2023478-rural-elderly-lose-rental-assistance.html 2013-04-16T17:31:53Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1980558-iowa-governor-holds-hearing-releasing-killer.html IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa's governor has called a rare public hearing Wednesday to gather input on whether he should free an inmate widely credited with turning his life around while serving 38 years in prison for a 1974 murder. Rasberry Williams, 66, is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder after shooting a neighbor over a $30 gambling debt o... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:40:59 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1980558-iowa-governor-holds-hearing-releasing-killer.html 2013-03-26T18:40:59Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1979306-usda-expanding-program-to-fight-rural-poverty.html COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A federal program intended to reduce poverty and improve life in rural areas through better access to federal funding is expanding to six states, officials said Tuesday. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack traveled to South Carolina to announce the expansion of the so-called StrikeForce initiative, which already operates in 10 state... Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:34:30 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1979306-usda-expanding-program-to-fight-rural-poverty.html 2013-03-26T17:34:30Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1967580-senate-vote-85-billion-cuts-avert-shutdown.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate approved legislation Wednesday to lock in $85 billion in widely decried spending cuts aimed at restraining soaring federal deficits — and to avoid a government shutdown just a week away. President Barack Obama's fellow Democrats rejected a call to reopen White House tours scrapped because of the tightened spending. Federal mea... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:38:13 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1967580-senate-vote-85-billion-cuts-avert-shutdown.html 2013-03-20T23:38:13Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1966542-gop-pillories-administrations-sequester-prep.html WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are accusing the Obama administration of poorly preparing for the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts while at the same time scaring people about their potential impact. "Agency after agency acts surprised that a law signed by the president 19 months ago actually meant what it said," Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., the ... Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:41:08 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1966542-gop-pillories-administrations-sequester-prep.html 2013-03-20T06:41:08Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1961132-bills-seek-to-farm-animal-abuse-videos.html SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — An undercover video that showed California cows struggling to stand as they were prodded to slaughter by forklifts led to the largest meat recall in U.S. history. In Vermont, a video of veal calves skinned alive and tossed like sacks of potatoes ended with the plant's closure and criminal convictions. Now in a pushback led by the... Sun, 17 Mar 2013 19:13:52 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1961132-bills-seek-to-farm-animal-abuse-videos.html 2013-03-17T19:13:52Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1940160-federal-workers-brace-furloughs.html WASHINGTON (AP) — First there was a two-year pay freeze. Now furloughs loom, as federal agencies make personnel costs a prime target for across-the-board budget cuts that went into effect last week. The result: anxiety and low morale in a workforce often envied for its job security. "It would certainly put a strain on things," said Jonathan Schweizer, 61,... Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:06:11 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1940160-federal-workers-brace-furloughs.html 2013-03-08T20:06:11Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1931980-military-leaders-welcome-house-gop-budget-bill.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A massive House Republican measure to keep the government operating would ease some of the pain of automatic spending cuts slamming the Defense Department, the nation's senior military leaders told Congress on Tuesday. Members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff painted a dire picture of construction projects on hold, limits on aircraft carrier... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:05:57 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1931980-military-leaders-welcome-house-gop-budget-bill.html 2013-03-05T21:05:57Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1933330-meat-inspector-furloughs-months.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has acknowledged that it will be "several months" before meat inspectors are furloughed as part of across-the-board spending cuts that took effect March 1. Vilsack detailed how the Agriculture Department will move forward on the furloughs at a House Agriculture Committee hearing Tuesday. He said each mea... Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:20:38 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1933330-meat-inspector-furloughs-months.html 2013-03-05T18:20:38Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1926012-farm-bill-would-save-than-thought.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Farm bills passed by the Senate and a House committee last year would save far less money than previously thought, according to a new estimate released Friday. A report from the Congressional Budget Office says a Senate-passed farm bill would save $1.3 billion annually, as opposed to the $2.3 billion per year in savings estimated last ye... Fri, 01 Mar 2013 23:08:52 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1926012-farm-bill-would-save-than-thought.html 2013-03-01T23:08:52Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1922448-iowa-meatpacking-town-fears-impact-federal-cuts.html COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (AP) — Automatic federal budget reductions set to take effect Friday could fall like a meat ax on the small Iowa town of Columbus Junction, where a sprawling Tyson Foods hog processing plant dominates the economy. The White House has warned that 6,300 meat and poultry plants could slow production or temporarily shut down under the ... Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:31:16 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1922448-iowa-meatpacking-town-fears-impact-federal-cuts.html 2013-02-28T19:31:16Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1884322-white-house-warns-food-safety-cuts.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Impending across-the-board budget cuts could mean fewer government food safety inspections and higher prices for meat at the grocery store. A White House memo released late last week said that one of the consequences of the federal budget cuts, known as sequestration, would be 2,100 fewer food facility inspections by the Food and Drug Ad... Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:19:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1884322-white-house-warns-food-safety-cuts.html 2013-02-11T19:19:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1865376-proposed-agreement-squashes-us-mexico-tomato-war.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A proposed agreement on fresh tomatoes imported from Mexico would strengthen anti-dumping enforcement and reset minimum wholesale prices, the Commerce Department said. The agreement with Mexico's tomato industry would suspend an investigation initiated after Florida tomato growers complained that Mexican producers were selling fresh toma... Sun, 03 Feb 2013 19:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1865376-proposed-agreement-squashes-us-mexico-tomato-war.html 2013-02-03T19:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1863700-rules-aim-to-rid-junk-foods-schools.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Most candy, high-calorie drinks and greasy meals could soon be on a food blacklist in the nation's schools. For the first time, the government is proposing broad new standards to make sure all foods sold in schools are more healthful. Under the new rules the Agriculture Department proposed Friday, foods like fatty chips, snack cakes, nac... Sat, 02 Feb 2013 07:18:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1863700-rules-aim-to-rid-junk-foods-schools.html 2013-02-02T07:18:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1856680-reset-familiar-faces-obamas-2nd-term-team.html President Barack Obama is much of the way through completing his second-term Cabinet and top White House staff. For many of those chosen so far, it's been a game of musical chairs. Same faces, new places. He nominated Jack Lew — his chief of staff and earlier his budget director — to be Treasury secretary. To fill the chief-of-staff opening, the presiden... Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:55:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1856680-reset-familiar-faces-obamas-2nd-term-team.html 2013-01-30T15:55:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1822386-usda-offers-loans-to-farmers-who-grow-locals.html MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — With interest in locally grown food soaring, the federal government said Tuesday it has created a small loan program to help community farmers who might not be able to borrow money from banks. Call it seed money. The low-interest "microloans" of up to $35,000 are designed to aid startup costs, bolster existing family-run farms and he... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:03:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1822386-usda-offers-loans-to-farmers-who-grow-locals.html 2013-01-15T21:03:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1819992-obama-deflects-criticism-lack-diversity.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Deflecting criticism about a perceived lack of diversity in his second-term Cabinet, President Barack Obama on Monday urged Americans not to rush to judgment about who he will appoint to replace departing members of his team. In a declaration tinged with the rhetoric of his re-election campaign, Obama asserted: "We're not going backwards... Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:34:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1819992-obama-deflects-criticism-lack-diversity.html 2013-01-14T23:34:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1792858-deal-will-prevent-spike-milk-prices.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A potential doubling of milk prices will be averted as part of the compromise that White House and congressional bargainers reached on wide-ranging legislation to avert the "fiscal cliff," a leading senator said late Monday. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., told reporters that negotiators had agreed to ex... Tue, 01 Jan 2013 04:32:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1792858-deal-will-prevent-spike-milk-prices.html 2013-01-01T04:32:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1792374-deal-reached-stopping-spike-milk-prices.html WASHINGTON (AP) — The top leaders in both parties on the House and Senate Agriculture committees have agreed to a one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill that expired in October, a move that could head off a possible doubling of milk prices next month. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., indicated the House could vote on the b... Mon, 31 Dec 2012 01:14:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/finance/1792374-deal-reached-stopping-spike-milk-prices.html 2012-12-31T01:14:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1791878-obama-wants-gun-violence-measures-passed-2013.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Barack Obama pledged to put his "full weight" behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence. Obama voiced skepticism about the National Rifle Association's proposal to put armed guards in schools following the Dec. 14 tragedy a... Sun, 30 Dec 2012 20:58:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1791878-obama-wants-gun-violence-measures-passed-2013.html 2012-12-30T20:58:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1791962-ag-secretary-sees-common-ground-gun-control.html WASHINGTON (AP) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the Newtown school shootings have changed the gun control debate and that rural America is ready to be part of a national conversation that he believes could bring people together. Vilsack says the debate has to start with respect for the Second Amendment right to bear arms and a recognition that hu... Sun, 30 Dec 2012 13:45:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1791962-ag-secretary-sees-common-ground-gun-control.html 2012-12-30T13:45:00Z