Congressional Research Service Reports - 307 Matching Results
Search Results
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2002, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
- Federal Food Assistance: Hurricane Katrina
- This report discusses the federal food assistance programs for those affected by Hurricane Katrina, making them automatically eligible for maximum benefits. It also is providing substantial amounts of direct food aid drawn from its commodity stocks.
- Food Labeling: Allergy Information
- Media attention to food allergies is the result of the recent tracking of food allergy sufferers and a clear rise in the number of affected individuals. Several efforts are underway to improve the ability of individuals who have a food allergy to avoid products that cause symptoms that can range from mild to serious. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Food Allergy Issues Alliance each have released guidelines to address the issues of labeling and cross-contamination. Nine state attorneys general have petitioned FDA for stricter rules, which are also supported by some consumer groups. The FY2002 agriculture appropriations bill directed FDA to address and report on cross-contamination; however, this report had not yet been submitted. Most recently, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-282) was enacted on August 2, 2004. This report will provide background on food allergies and review efforts to provide improved labeling information for food allergy sufferers; it will be updated to reflect legislative or other activity.
- The U.S. Farm Economy
- Report on the U.S. farms and their economic health, including examinations of crops, livestock, government payments, projected income, expenses, and more.
- Federal Food Assistance in Disasters: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
- This report discusses federal food assistance in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The Food Stamp program, child nutrition programs, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (the WIC program), and federally donated food commodities delivered through relief organizations provide major support in disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Existing laws authorize the Agriculture Department to change eligibility and benefit rules to facilitate emergency aid, and, in the short term, funding and federally provided food commodities are available without the need for additional appropriations.
- Livestock Price Reporting: Background
- Report on livestock price "to provide buyers and sellers with accurate and objective market information" (p. 1).
- Horse Slaughter Prevention Bills and Issues
- This report discusses the debate in Congress on whether to ban horse slaughter and the acceptability of this practice.
- Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods
- H.R. 2744, USDA’s FY2006 appropriation, again postpones rules requiring many retailers to provide country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for fresh produce, red meats, and peanuts — until September 30, 2008. Mandatory COOL for seafood was finalized on September 30, 2004. Some in Congress still strongly support mandatory COOL, and say they voted against final passage of H.R. 2744 because of the delay. Others counter that COOL should be voluntary. Several pending bills would alter the program including H.R. 2068, H.R. 2744, S. 135, S. 1300, S. 1331, and S. 1333.
- Importation of Prescription Drugs: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Current Law, S. 109/H.R. 328, S. 184/H.R. 753, and S. 334/H.R. 700
- This report discusses the sponsored legislation to permit the importation of FDA-approved drugs from less expensive foreign sources as the prices of prescription drugs has risen.
- Importing Prescription Drugs: Objectives, Options, and Outlook
- This report provides an overview about the Objectives, Options, and Outlook on Importing Prescription Drugs.it also examines the issues,spells out how they are treated from bill to bill, and refer to alternatives to important to ease the burden of prescription drug.
- Meat and Poultry Inspection: Background and Selected Issues
- This report discusses the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for inspecting most meat, poultry, and processed egg products for safety, wholesomeness, and proper labeling.
- The "Farm Bill" in Brief
- Federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Many of these laws periodically have been evaluated, revised, and renewed through an omnibus, multi-year farm bill. This report discusses the "farm bill" and it's components.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2006, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
- Sugar Policy Issues
- No Description Available.
- Federal Food Assistance in Disasters: Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
- No Description Available.
- Horse Slaughter Prevention Bills and Issues
- More than 90,000 U.S. horses were slaughtered for human food in 2005, mainly for European and Asian consumers. Congress voted to limit the use of FY2006 appropriated funds for such slaughter, but USDA anticipates that the practice will continue, funded by industry user fees. This report examines the debate, which has focused on the acceptability of horse slaughter, and how to care for and eventually dispose of such horses if they no longer went for human food.
- Animal Identification and Meat Traceability
- U.S. animal agriculture is seeking to improve its ability to trace the movement of livestock from their birthplace to slaughter. The livestock and meat industries are working with the U.S. government to develop a national animal identification (ID) plan for livestock disease tracking purposes. This report focuses on animal ID and, to a lesser extent, on meat traceability.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2002, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
- Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods
- This report briefly discusses the USDA's FY2006 appropriation, which postpones rules requiring many retailers to provide country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for fresh produce, red meats, and peanuts until September 30, 2008. The report also discusses related legislation.
- The “Farm Bill” in Brief
- Federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Many of these laws periodically have been evaluated, revised, and renewed through an omnibus, multi-year farm bill. This report discusses the "farm bill" and it's components.
- International Efforts to Control the Spread of Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus: Affected Countries' Responses
- This report examines the efforts of overseas governments to combat the spread of avian influenza H5N1 which first appeared in birds and humans in Hong Kong in 1997, causing 100 reported human deaths from Vietnam to Turkey and appearing in birds in Africa and Europe.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses the recent development in different programs administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the goal to promote agricultural exports and to provide food aid. These programs include direct export subsidies, export market development, export credit guarantees, and foreign food aid.
- Farm and Food Support Under USDA’s Section 32 Program
- This report provides information about the Farm and Food Support Under USDA’s Section 32 Program which is funded by a permanent appropriation of 30% of previous year' s custom receipts to support the farm sector.
- Federal and State Laws Regarding Pharmacists Who Refuse to Distribute Contraceptives
- No Description Available.
- Agricultural Biotechnology: Background and Recent Issues
- Since the first genetically engineered (GE) crops (also called GM [genetically modified] crops, or GMOs, genetically modified organisms) became commercially available in the mid-1990s, U.S. soybean, cotton, and corn farmers have rapidly adopted them. As adoption has spread, there have been policy debates over the costs and benefits of GE products. Issues include the impacts of GE crops on the environment and food safety, and whether GE foods should be specially labeled. Congress generally has been supportive of GE agricultural products, although some Members have expressed wariness about their adoption and regulation. The 109th Congress will likely continue to follow trade developments, particularly the U.S.-EU dispute, as well as U.S. regulatory mechanisms for approving biotech foods.
- Horse Slaughter Prevention Bills and Issues
- This report examines more than 90,000 U.S. horses which were slaughtered for human food in 2005, mainly for European and Asian consumers. Congress voted to limit the use of FY2006 appropriated funds for such slaughter, but the practice continues, funded by industry user fees. Debate continues on the acceptability of horse slaughter, and how to care for and/or humanely dispose of horses if they no longer went for human food. On September 7, 2006, the full House approved a bill (H.R. 503) to ban horse slaughter.
- Harvey v. Veneman and the National Organic Program: A Legal Analysis
- This report describes the OFPA, discusses those holdings where the court determined that a provision of the Final Rule was inconsistent with the OFPA, and analyzes the most recent legislative action as well as new regulations from the USDA.
- The Emergency Food and Shelter Program
- No Description Available.
- The “Farm Bill” in Brief
- Federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Many of these laws periodically have been evaluated, revised, and renewed through an omnibus, multi-year farm bill. This report discusses the "farm bill" and it's components.
- U.S. Assistance to North Korea: Fact Sheet
- This report summarizes U.S. aid to the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea (DPRK, also known as North Korea).
- Food Stamps and Nutrition Programs in the 2002 Farm Bill
- This report gives an overview of food stamps, nutrition programs, and activities covered in the 2002 farm bill.
- International Food Aid: U.S. and Other Donor Contributions
- This report provides three indicators of the U.S. contribution to global food aid: 1) shipments of major donors compiled by the International Grains Council, 2) U.S. contributions to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), and 3) the U.S. commitment under the Food Aid Convention (FAC).
- Department of Defense Food Procurement: Background and Status
- This report will describe the origin, authority, policy, and military food acquisition process.
- Emergency Contraception: Plan B
- On August 24, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of an application to switch to Plan B, an emergency contraceptive, from a prescription-only drug to an over-the-counter drug for women 18 years of age and older. This report contains information on the background of the emergency contraceptive, FDA approval, legal issues, state policies, and related information.
- Food Safety: Federal and State Response to the Spinach E. coli Outbreak
- This report details the events as they unfolded, and includes the number of cases, the detention of the first case, and the process by which relevant agencies acted as subsequent cases were reported.
- The “Farm Bill” in Brief
- Federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Although many of these policies can be and sometimes are modified through freestanding authorizing legislation, or as part of other laws, the omnibus, multi-year farm bill provides an opportunity for policymakers to address agricultural and food issues more comprehensively.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses the recent development in different programs administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the goal to promote agricultural exports and to provide food aid. These programs include direct export subsidies, export market development, export credit guarantees, and foreign food aid.
- Domestic Food Assistance: Legislative Issues in the 110th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Importing Prescription Drugs: Objectives, Options, and Outlook
- This report provides an overview about the Objectives, Options, and Outlook on Importing Prescription Drugs.it also examines the issues,spells out how they are treated from bill to bill, and refer to alternatives to important to ease the burden of prescription drug.
- Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods
- This report briefly discusses the USDA's FY2006 appropriation, which postpones rules requiring many retailers to provide country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for fresh produce, red meats, and peanuts until September 30, 2008. The report also discusses related legislation.
- The “Farm Bill” in Brief
- This report briefly discusses federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies are governed by a variety of separate laws. Many of these laws periodically have been evaluated, revised, and renewed through an omnibus, multi-year farm bill. These policies can be and sometimes are modified through free-standing authorizing legislation, or as part of other laws.
- The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer
- Numerous federal, state, and local agencies share responsibilities for regulating the safety of the U.S. food supply, which many experts say is among the safest in the world. Nevertheless, critics view this system as lacking the organization and resources to adequately combat foodborne illness, which sickens an estimated 76 million people and kills an estimated 5,000 each year in this country. The 110th Congress may face calls for a review of federal food safety agencies and authorities, and proposals for reorganizing them. Among the issues likely to arise are whether reform can improve oversight, and the cost to industry, consumers, and taxpayers. This report provides a brief introduction to the system and the debate on whether reorganization is needed.
- The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer
- No Description Available.
- Farm and Food Support Under USDA’s Section 32 Program
- No Description Available.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses the recent development in different programs administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the goal to promote agricultural exports and to provide food aid. These programs include direct export subsidies, export market development, export credit guarantees, and foreign food aid.
- Food Labeling: Allergy Information
- This report provides background information on food allergies and review efforts to provide improved labeling information for food allergy sufferers.
- Country-of-Origin Labeling for Foods
- This report details the information related to Country-of-Origin labeling for foods.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses the recent development in different programs administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the goal to promote agricultural exports and to provide food aid. These programs include direct export subsidies, export market development, export credit guarantees, and foreign food aid.
- Clinical Trials Reporting and Publication
- The central issue before Congress wit respect to clinical trial reporting and publication is how to balance the potential beneficial public health effects of requiring that clinical trial data be made public with the burdens that such requirements may place on companies and their own innovation.
- FDA Regulation of Tobacco Products: A Policy and Legal Analysis
- This report provides the policy and legal analysis of the FDA regulation of tobacco products.