5 New Disease-Resistant Strawberries & NCBA Opposition to PRIME Act

**Plant breeders at the University of California, Davis, are releasing five new strawberry varieties developed to resist the soilborne disease Fusarium wilt.

Researchers say this marks the first release from the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program where all cultivars have Fusarium wilt resistance.

They also say the new varieties have high yields and improved fruit quality.

In California, 1.8 billion pounds of strawberries are harvested each year.

**New data from USDA’s Economic Research Service shows meat processing and dairy product manufacturing are the largest components of food sector sales.

According to Department of Commerce data, the manufacturing plants accounted for nearly $267 billion or 16.8 percent of sales, shipment values, and revenue from all U.S. manufacturing plants in 2021.

Meat processing is the largest industry group in food and beverage manufacturing, with 26.2% of sales in 2021.

**The National Cattlemen's Beef Association once again announced opposition to the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption, or PRIME Act.

The legislation would allow beef processed in a non-USDA inspected facility to be distributed interstate, posing a threat to food safety and consumer trust in beef.

NCBA President Todd Wilkinson says, "While the PRIME Act is well-intentioned, allowing uninspected beef to enter the retail market is dangerous to consumers."