BIDEN CAMP RAMPS UP RACIAL EQUITY DISCUSSION IN AG: Former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign on Friday hosted a webinar featuring former Agriculture Secretary and Democratic Senate candidate Mike Espy, with panelists from the National Black Growers Council, 100 Ranchers and others who discussed historical barriers farmers of color face in the industry. "There's not enough funding in order to have Black farmers and Black land owners have their land improve and produce at the level of our white neighbors," said PJ Haynie III of the National Black Growers Council. Haynie III called Biden's push for a Farm Land Purchase Assistance Program "essential" and wants Biden to look into improving loan programs. Espy praised Biden's plan to address racial inequities among Black, Brown and Native farmers. The document calls out USDA for historically neglecting farmers of color and outlines steps that, if elected, Biden would take to bridge the gaps. Espy argued Biden would be able to advocate on behalf of farmers of color to secure access to grants and improve market access. Biden's plan touches on preserving generational land, support for local farmers' markets, the inclusion of farmers of color in USDA research and a streamlined complaint process. A call for more diverse leaders: Espy noted minority farmers are less likely to hold power at the local and national level, which results in Black applicants being overlooked for loans and credit. "If there's one thing … Biden could do to elevate the capacity of African American farmers, young farmers, is make sure that in all of these 50 states that there is a minority state director or a state director with sensitivity to the minority," Espy said. YOUR POST-WEEKEND REFRESHER — Here's a quick recap of our top news and notes from last week: A key House Democrat introduced a bill that would make school meals universal this year. The legislation has broad backing from nutrition and education groups worried about rising rates of childhood hunger during the pandemic. The legislation builds on the list of nutrition policies House Democrats want to see in the coronavirus aid package that House and Senate leadership are currently negotiating. How the Central Valley in California became the state's worst hotspot: After surviving the early months of the pandemic relatively unscathed, the Central Valley has now surpassed Los Angeles as the state's worst coronavirus hotspot by some metrics, reports POLITICO California's Mackenzie Mays. Poultry workers and labor advocates sued to block the Agriculture Department's waivers that allow slaughterhouses to increase line speeds. United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and Public Citizen Litigation Group filed the challenge, which aims to block USDA from lifting limits on processing line speeds at poultry plants. The seafood industry is battling its own hotspots for coronavirus in states like Alaska. At sea, the tight quarters and long, isolated outings leave seafood workers especially vulnerable to infection, POLITICO's Ximena Bustillo reports. SUMMER READING: 'BILLION DOLLAR BURGER': MA alum (and now reader!) Chase Purdy has written a book about the burgeoning cell-based meat industry, going behind the scenes on the key players, and the money behind the tech race. "Billion Dollar Burger" is a super interesting and well-researched read, regardless of what you think about the technology. In case you missed it, the book has been getting great reviews, from NPR to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. | 
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