Federal officials say one person has died from Salmonella Heidelberg poisoning that appears to be linked to eating ground turkey, but the government so far has declined to say who produced the meat or initiate a recall.
Seventy-six people in 26 states, including North Carolina and Tennessee, have been made sick from the same strain of the disease. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the strain is resistant to many commonly prescribed antibiotics. The CDC did not say where the person who died became sick and released no details about the death. For more on this story, click here...
Ag Dodges Washington Budget Cuts
For months, the White House and House GOP leaders sent signals that significant cuts in farm program spending would be part of any deal to raise the debt ceiling. Yet, the compromise announced Sunday night by President Obama and approved by the House 24 hours later leaves farm subsidies untouched in the 10-year 900-billion dollar deficit-reduction down payment that takes effect in fiscal 2012.
Gene Sperling is President Obama’s top economic adviser:
“There was decision made to just deal with discretionary savings, so issues involving any tax expenditures or farm subsidies were not part of the deficit reduction down payment that is in this agreement.”
The bill creates a bipartisan congressional committee to recommend by Thanksgiving up to 1.5-trillion dollars in additional savings over a decade starting in 2013 and agriculture spending is considered a priority target.
Economy Moving Forward at Snail’s Pace
The latest consumer spending numbers are only more proof the economy is barely growing. In June, Americans cut back on their spending, while their incomes gained by the smallest amount in nine months. Economist Nigel Gault says higher prices, the troubled housing market, and personal debt are impacting spending habits:
“Like being hit in the first half of the year by all kinds of increases in costs; gasoline, food. The underlying problem is still all the debts accumulated during the boom and the bust.”
Potential New Ammonium Nitrate Regulations
If the Department of Homeland Security has its way, people looking to buy, sell or transfer at least 25 pounds of ammonium nitrate, one of the most common farm fertilizers in the world, will be required to register with the government so they may be screened against terror watch lists. CBS News Senior National Security analyst Juan Zarate:
“This will raise not only concerns who use material legitimately but also from civil liberties and privacy advocates who will say this is the US government getting too much into the business of tracking individuals.”
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