🥩 Meaty Debate + A Broken Bridge, Almonds' Ascent, and more...

The discussion over alternative meat marketing is sizzling as Texas lawmakers ruminate on a bill that limits the meaning of meat.

House Bill 316, approved by the Texas House of Representatives, would block any insect, plant, or cell-based meats from using the labels “meat,” “pork,” “poultry,” or “beef.” Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi have similar bills in place, which are experiencing legal challenges for violating free speech.

While pushback on the bill comes from alternative meat companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat, proponents say the restrictions would benefit meat eaters and meat avoiders alike.

“Our goal here today with this bill is to have clear and accurate labeling, so the consumer has no doubt what they’re purchasing,” said Rep. Brad Buckley, who introduced the bill. “The most frequent call I’ve gotten is from vegetarians that are for this bill.”

Timing is everything. The bill comes as Impossible Food’s “We Are Meat” campaign hits national TV with the message that their plant-based product isn’t like meat; it is meat.

It’s raising eyebrows - and questions - about whether the application of the word “meat” without a plant-based modifier meets the Federal Trade Commission’s framework for deceptive marketing.

Tangent: In the midst of all the ‘meat’ meaning hoopla, Memphis Meats is rebranding as “Upside Foods.” You know what they say about coincidences…

Upside Foods says the new name represents the meat they are creating has only the upside - none of the downsides they associate with animal-based meat.

→ Behind closed doors… Representatives from groups including R-CALF, U.S. Cattleman’s Association, NCBA, and others met last week in private sessions to discuss the price imbalances between packers, feedlots, and ranchers.

→ Go green for growth. Agtech scaleup Solinftec secured $26.6 million in bond funding via a first-of-its-kind Green Agribusiness Receivables Certificate that will focus on regenerative technologies.

→ Chocolate outage. Power shortages along the Ivory Coast have slowed cocoa grinding and could reduce output by half - 25,000 tonnes - in May, with more deficits to come in June.

→ Vilsack’s #2 is good to go. The Senate confirmed Dr. Jewel Bronaugh of Virginia as USDA Deputy Secretary to run the department’s day-to-day operations. She’s the first female African American to hold the role.

→ Chile loves its pizza. U.S. dairy exports to the South American country have tripled over the past decade, reaching 69.4 million pounds, thanks to a growing mozzarella cheese appetite.

→ Chinese ag data goes dark. Cofeed, a Beijing-based insights provider, quit updating its website and data feeds that provide traders and analysts vital information on China’s commodity supplies and more.

→ Hawkish tech moves. Precision ag leader Raven announced that it will now classify all of its driverless technology under the OMNi brand moving forward.

Last Friday, we failed to note one itty bitty bridge-sized reason why commodity prices nosedived other than a semi-wonky WASDE report.

In case you missed the Commodity Corner in Friday’s newsletter, all you need to know is the arrows were red, and prices were down. Way down. Enter, bridge probz.

What bridge? The Hernando de Soto Bridge, of course.

Ok...we had to look it up, too. It carries I-40 across the mighty Mississippi between Memphis and eastern Arkansas.

On Tuesday of last week, crews found an alarming crack in the bridge structure and immediately stopped all traffic, both on the bridge and below it. That began a barge traffic jam for the ages.

Nearly all grain exported by river in the U.S. passes under the de Soto bridge as it sits downstream of many major river terminals. So news of commodities cut off from their Gulf of Mexico launchpad left the markets in a bit of a tailspin.

By Thursday, there were over 1,000 barges backed up on the river. Fortunately, further inspections found it was safe for vessels to venture under the bridge, and that got grain moving again by Friday, on its way to foreign destinations.

Let’s cut straight to the facts: Greater Des Moines is 100% open and 100% awesome.

From conventions and trade shows to company meetings and customer trips, Des Moines is ready and waiting to serve you and your company.

And in the middle of cornfields and pig barns, who else would be better set to serve the booming ag industry?

Just take it from the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop or the World Pork Expo: two great examples of the ag industry setting up shop in the ‘Hartford of the West.’

With businesses implementing new sanitation practices, safety policies, and expanded outdoor options, you are ensured a great, relaxing experience. Come join us in a safe, inclusive, and fun destination that is ready to welcome you responsibly.

Curious to learn more? Contact Katie Stien to talk about bringing your event to Greater Des Moines.

If almonds could talk, we bet that their hot take on 2020 might sound like “...what pandemic?”

The popular stone fruit crop had a stellar year, and the USDA estimates that 2021 will be another one for the record books. Harvest is predicted to be up 3%, reaching 3.2 billion pounds.

A warm, dry February and March provided excellent pollination conditions and has set almond producers up for their record year.

But what about the drought?

“Water availability will be the principal concern on growers’ minds as they continue to grow this crop,” noted Richard Waycott, President and CEO of the Almond Board of California.

And the mega-water problem: It ain’t cheap or easy to come by. In Western Fresno County it could go for $1,200 an acre-foot. It was $285 an acre-foot in 2019.

While we’re here: Growers in Central Valley California are testing out a new variety, Urasani. This is the golden nut of almonds.

It’s not only golden in color, but also larger, so it commands a bigger premium. Growers can plant more in a compact area, and harvesting Ursani involves less dust, so it’s a win-win-win.