A Capitol Hill source source says that Senate Democrats will not produce a budget this year. The news is expected to come from Senator Patty Murray’s office at 3 p.m. today, as part of a Friday afternoon news dump. Murray is chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
Senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama released this statement. “Senate Democrats are required by law to produce a budget,” wrote Sessions.
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At A Political Statement, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by A Political Statement and how it is used.
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Like many other Web sites, A Political Statement makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user"s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.
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BEIJING — China will sever the link between produce prices and government subsidies to build price mechanism that benefits both both customers and farmers, China’s top economic planner said.
The reform will subsidize consumers when the market price is too high while giving farmers allowances when the market price is below the target , the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in one statement.
The pilot reform will be applied to certain kinds of farm produce in selected regions to allow the market to play the decisive role in pricing. The target price will factor in overall cost, margins for farmers and price gaps between domestic and overseas markets.
Currently China sets the grain price by deciding the floor purchase price and adjusts it according to conditions. The policy raised the cost of government purchases and brought risks to grain circulation.
The “No1 Central Document”, the central government’s first policy document of 2014, decided to build a target price mechanism for farm produce and establish new agricultural management systems.
A shopper selects produce at a Wal-Mart in Deptford, N.J.
Matt Rourke/AP
The nation’s largest retailer announced Monday that it will be delivering produce from farms to stores faster by buying fruits and vegetables directly from growers.
The plan is to source about 80 percent of fresh produce directly, explained Jack Sinclair, executive vice president of the food business for Wal-Mart U.S., during a conference call that we participated Monday morning.
In many instances, Sinclair says it will be possible to “cut out the middleman,” but he added that local wholesalers will continue to “play an important role for us in the areas we serve.”
The announcement comes on the heels of complaints that Wal-Mart isn’t staffing its stores with enough employees to stock shelves efficiently or manage produce, resulting in complaints about the freshness of fruits and vegetables on display. As The New York Times reported in April, internal Wal-Mart memos showed the company struggling with “low customer confidence in its produce and poor quality.”
To address such concerns, Sinclair says, Wal-Mart will launch Fresh Produce School training for 70,000 associates. Managers and employees will be taught, for example, to identify fruits and vegetables that should no longer be on the shelves — and in general, they’ll learn more about handling of produce.
And if Wal-Mart shoppers aren’t happy with the quality of a peach or pear, the retailing giant is reinforcing its commitment to a 100 percent money-back guarantee.
Sinclair says there’s no need to return the food item: Just bring in a receipt and the store will refund shoppers for the full amount, “no questions asked.”
Sinclair said Wal-Mart is on target to meet its commitment to increase the amount of local produce found in retail stores by the year 2015 (a pledge made in 2010). There have been complaints, however, that some small farmers aren’t benefiting from the initiative.
And with the goal of making nutritious food more affordable, Sinclair says Wal-Mart is open to new opportunities. One incentive program I wrote about in March, where health insurers nudge shoppers to buy broccoli instead of brownies by offering rebates, is an example of attempts to incentivize healthy choices.
