Congress has unveiled a spending bill to keep the government running that also weighs in on plenty of food policy issues.
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When lawmakers — and lobbyists — use the budget bill as a vehicle to slip in new policies or upend regulations, it reminds me of my kids at the grocery store.
They ask for Nutella. I say “No.” But when I’m not looking, they slip it into the cart. And it’s only the next day I see it slathered on toast.
So, here are some examples of food and agriculture provisions that have been slipped into the omnibus budget bill just unveiled by congressional leaders. So far, this is just a draft. But the bill appears likely to pass in both chambers of Congress, and President Obama has indicated he’s inclined to sign it into law.
One provision would give grocery stores and other food retailers more time to comply with regulations that will require them to post calorie information on menus. This provis…