California Potatoes Recover and Protecting Future Farmland Act

**After a four-year decline in potato production nationwide, this season’s crop appears ready to buck the trend, spurred by strong demand and better water supplies.

Higher processing contract prices are driving much of the increased acreage.

California’s fall and spring fresh-market potato crops

typically enjoy prices two to three times those of Idaho russets because they fill specialty markets and hit a market window when other states aren’t harvesting.

**Senator Josh Hawley introduced the Strengthening Antitrust Enforcement for Meatpacking Act.

The Missouri Republican’s bill would empower antitrust enforcers to break up giant meatpacking and poultry monopolies.

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard says they applaud the Senator’s novel approach to addressing the market concentrations faced by America’s cattle and sheep producers.”

The Hawley bill would establish two thresholds for determining the market concentration in the meatpacking industry.

**Senators Tammy Baldwin and Chuck Grassley introduced the Protecting Future Farmland Act.

The legislation supports farmers’ land stewardship efforts as many choose to deploy solar energy on their land.

Grassley says we must be certain that embracing solar doesn’t damage our most valuable commodity: our rich soil.

About 83% of new solar projects are installed on farmland and ranchland, with almost 50% placed on the most productive, versatile, and resilient land.