Does not matter: Essential workers more likely to rely on SNAP — Food companies speak up on racial justice— Ag key to hope for U.S.-U.K. trade deal by Election Day

Jun 12, 2020

With help from Doug Palmer

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Quick Fix

—Workers deemed essential during Covid-19 are nearly twice as likely to be using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, according to a new analysis.

— Numerous food and beverage companies have publicly expressed support for racial justice efforts, including solidarity for the Black Lives Matter movement.

— The U.K. and the U.S. are pushing to reach a free trade agreement before the presidential election in November, a top British trade official said Thursday. Agricultural issues will be crucial in seeing how quickly the talks conclude.

HAPPY FRIDAY, JUNE 12! Welcome to Morning Ag, where your host has mixed feelings about drive-in concerts. Send tips to hbottemiller@politico.com and @hbottemiller, and follow us @Morning_Ag.

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Driving the Day

ESSENTIAL WORKERS MORE LIKELY TO RELY ON SNAP: More than 13 percent of people who work jobs deemed essential during the pandemic — in roles like grocery clerks and childcare providers — relied on SNAP benefits at some point in 2018, compared to nearly 8 percent of workers in jobs not deemed essential, according to an analysis released Thursday by the liberal Center for American Progress.

A grocery store worker | AP Photo

A grocery store worker. | AP Photo/LM Otero

The workers who help keep the food system churning are among the most likely to need food assistance, according to the analysis, which relies on 2018 American Community Survey data. Nearly 14 percent of grocery workers and just over 12 percent of agriculture workers reported using SNAP benefits at some point during the year.

Racial gap among essential workers: Black, Hispanic and Native American essential workers are all roughly twice as likely to rely on SNAP than White essential workers, according to the analysis. The disparity is even greater for women of color.

Long odds for SNAP increase: The report comes as anti-hunger advocates, food banks and Democrats press for a boost to SNAP benefits, a pitch that has not received much support from key Republicans so far. Brush up on that from yours truly.

BRANDS GROW VOCAL ON RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUES: Just two years ago, the Black Lives Matter movement was not supported by a majority of voters, but the cause has suddenly become so mainstream that major companies and brands like McDonald's and Coca-Cola have now publicly pledged their support.

A long list of other leading companies back it, including PepsiCo, Mars Inc., Mondelez, Kellogg's and spice giant McCormick. Many restaurant chains have also spoken out, including Subway, Taco Bell and Starbucks. (Starbucks received criticism after BuzzFeed News reported Thursday that employees weren't allowed to wear T-shirts or pins with "Black Lives Matter" while on duty, saying it could be "misconstrued and politicized to create more divisiveness.").

Ben & Jerry's was by far the most blunt, calling on the public to help "dismantle white supremacy." The Vermont-based ice cream company, known for activism on a wide variety of issues, publicly stated support for Black Lives Matter nearly four years ago. The brand doubled down on that support and called for a number of specific policy actions, including support for H.R. 40 (116) , a bill to set up a commission to study reparations for slavery.

Alcohol brands join the fray: Jack Daniel's, which recently began embracing the fact that its founder was taught how to distill by a slave named Nearest Green, teamed up with a new Black-owned whiskey company named Uncle Nearest to launch a $5 million fund to accelerate Black distillers and Black-owned distilleries. Separately, competitor Jim Beam said it would donate $150,000 to support Black-owned restaurants and bars.

What's next? As New York Times restaurant critic Tejal Rao wrote Thursday , there are a lot of questions about what these statements will amount to, if anything. Many of the same companies rely on low-wage workers who are disproportionately people of color.

"It will take more than donations and statements to support black Americans in this moment," she wrote. "It will require addressing issues of inequity, injustice and racism at every level within their own businesses."

Farming groups have chimed into the conversation, too — a notable change. The National Farmers Union got noticed after it issued a strong statement of support relatively early. Other groups -- including the National Family Farmers Coalition, the National Young Farmers Coalition and the Farmer Veterans Coalition and the National Black Growers Council — also spoke out. The Farm Bureau issued a statement as well, DTN reported.

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Trade Corner

OFFICIALS TRY FOR U.S.-U.K. TRADE DEAL BY NOVEMBER: Antony Phillipson, a top British trade official, spoke optimistically on Thursday about the U.S. and U.K. working to reach an agreement in the coming months, reports Pro Trade's Doug Palmer.

"We want to do this very, very fast. If possible, we want to get an agreement signed before the election," Phillipson said during a panel discussion hosted by the Washington International Trade Association.

Meetings on tap: Phillipson made the remarks ahead of the second round of talks between the two countries, which are slated to begin on Monday via video teleconference.

Agriculture a key issue: The British official borrowed a line from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to note that "agriculture is the locomotive" that pulls along the rest of any U.S. trade agreement. As Pro Trade reported early this year, American industries have heavily lobbied the administration to pressure the U.K. to accept American chlorinated chicken, standards on beef hormones and other regulations.

Too ambitious? Completing the talks, which formally began in May, in less than six months would be very fast, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer recently seemed to downplay expectations for a quick deal.

Important context: The two sides are negotiating amid the global coronavirus pandemic, as well as parallel negotiations between the U.K. and the European Union on the terms of their post-Brexit relationship.

Row Crops

— The Florida Department of Health reported a record daily number of Covid-19 cases on Thursday. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the increase was a result of outbreaks among farming communities and increased statewide testing, POLITICO Florida reports . There are growing concerns that migrant farmworkers are not only vulnerable to infection but could also spread Covid from region to region as they travel to different harvest sites, Pro Ag's Liz Crampton reported earlier this week.

— Meat processing capacity has bounced back from the depths of Covid-19 disruptions, but experts still expect meat prices will remain higher for some time as plants work through an extensive backlog of animals, the Associated Press reports.

— Menu labeling could help the country avoid thousands of cases of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, saving billions in health care costs, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The Counter has more on the research.

— Farmers in Oregon's Klamath Basin are struggling to get water for their crops as irrigation is limited this year to help protect endangered fish. In late May, a convoy of tractors, semi-trucks and cars in near Merrill, Ore., extended nearly 30 miles in protest, DTN reports.

— In the race to lead the World Trade Organization, Mexico's nominee, Jesús Seade, pitched himself as someone who can build bridges in an interview with Pro Trade's Sabrina Rodriguez. Pros can read the Q&A here.

— High salaries for food bank executives came under scrutiny in a Forbes article this week.

THAT'S ALL FOR MA! Drop us a line: rmccrimmon@politico.com; hbottemiller@politico.com; lcrampton@politico.com; jyearwood@politico.com and pjoshi@politico.com.