Aaron Kiess, Braswell Distinguished Professor in NC State University’s Prestage Department of Poultry Science, took the helm as interim department head effective Jan. 2. Prior to joining NC State in 2021, Kiess spent 13 years as a faculty member in the Department of Poultry Science at Mississippi State University, where he worked with poultry companies to address pre- and post-harvest food safety issues.
Continue reading »
Senators voted yesterday to confirm four Trump administration nominees responsible for overseeing key agriculture programs and negotiations. The picks were confirmed in a 53-43 vote on a batch of more than 90 nominees spanning several federal agencies. Senate Republicans changed the chamber’s rules earlier this year to allow for block votes on certain nominees. Dr. Mindy Brashears was confirmed to serve as USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety, returning to a role she held during President Trump’s first term. Senators also approved Dr. Julie Callahan to serve as the Office of the United States Trade Representative’s Chief Agricultural Negotiator.
Continue reading »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently announced an update to its guidelines for label approval that focuses on clarifying the requirements for voluntary U.S.-origin label claims on FSIS-regulated products. The agency summarized the revisions to the recently updated label approval guidelines in a regulatory notice.
Continue reading »
Updated research, supported by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was released this week quantifying the U.S. poultry industry’s on-farm antibiotic use. The updated report shows continued improved antibiotic stewardship and commitment to disease prevention within poultry production. As part of its commitment to a transparent and sustainable food supply, the poultry industry works to balance the responsible use of antibiotics considered “medically important” to human health with the need to maintain healthy poultry flocks.
Continue reading »
A University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research team has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to participate in a retail surveillance program that monitors meat products for resistant bacteria. This project supports the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) by expanding retail food antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in Illinois.
Continue reading »
Consumer loyalty and rewards app Fetch is releasing its first full-year Fetch Finds Report, revealing the unexpected ways Americans shopped and dined in 2025. Despite rising grocery costs, Americans brought meat back to the menu. Fresh beef (+13%), chicken (+12%) and pork (+12%) sales rose, while refrigerated plant-based alternatives (-11%) fell, signaling that the meatless movement lost some of its sizzle in 2025.
Continue reading »
The staff at NCC wishes you and your families a very Merry Christmas, the Happiest of Holidays and a Blessed New Year. The NCC Washington Report will resume on January 9, 2026.
Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Wednesday introduced legislation to allow hatcheries to use pasteurized eggs in egg products, like cake mixes, salad dressings, and other grocery products. The Lowering Egg Prices Act of 2025 will help increase the egg supply for consumers by cutting bureaucratic red tape that forces hatcheries to discard hundreds of millions of safe, useable eggs each year.
Continue reading »
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Monday it will make $12 billion available in one-time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs. The package includes $11 billion in one-time payments to crop farmers through a new USDA bridge payment program and the remaining $1 billion will then go to specialty crops not covered by that program. It does not include livestock and poultry.
Continue reading »
