Expect to see more eco-friendly food packaging this year

Several countries are looking at banning single-use plastics for produce, and it is a move that USDA warns could come to the states.

“We could see dozens of more states adopting sustainable packaging laws in the next few years. We’re going to see broader regulations that will require packaging to be recyclable, reusable, or compostable by the end of the decade,” said Andrew Stephens.

The move was met with opposition in the European Union. Fresh produce growers and exporters said the rules will have great consequences on food safety and waste, with some calling for the policies to be scaled back.

Related Stories
Analysts say poor crop conditions seen on the annual Hard Red Winter Wheat Tour, combined with cheaper overseas grain supplies, are weighing on the industry as the annual tour wraps up.
Mike Wilson says years of hard work and stewardship helped transform the farm for future generations.
Officials say the tool could give Florida citrus growers another option against a disease that has devastated production for decades.
Farmdoc economist estimates 2024 colony stock losses at roughly $175 million, with rebuilding and renovation costs near $161 million.
EU simplification may reduce some paperwork, but U.S. exporters still face costly traceability requirements.
ASFMRA’s Chad Hertz joins us to discuss farmland trends, economic pressures facing producers, and how outside influences are shaping today’s land market.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Raulston Acres Christmas Tree Farm in Rock Springs, Ga., has been in the same family for three generations.
Reed Marcum started hosting a toy drive in 2015. Since then, he has distributed thousands of toys across his home state of Oklahoma and in Texas and Arkansas. Now serving in the Army, Reed’s family and local 4-H chapter are running the event.
RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen explains the basics of Low-Risk Credit in Farming, and how an understanding of the farm credit landscape lets producers tactfully approach debt.
Mike Steenhoek, with the Soy Transportation Commission, shares his outlook on current grain stocks and transportation lines amid bumper crops filling bins across the United States.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.