External view of the U.S. Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 30, 2020. (File photo: Reuters/Andrew Kelly)

U.S. to crack down on child labour amid massive uptick

Food processing plants among alleged offenders

Washington | Reuters — The Biden administration in the U.S. announced measures to crack down on child labour on Monday amid a steep rise in violations and investigative reports by Reuters and other news outlets on illegal employment of migrant minors in dangerous industries. U.S. officials said the Labor Department had seen a nearly 70


Small U.S. meatpackers get further grants

Reuters – The Biden administration has awarded another US$12 million in grants to upgrade and expand three meat and poultry processing facilities in the U.S. Midwest, as part of a broader $1 billion effort to encourage competition in a highly consolidated industry. The three projects, funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, include a

chicken looking at camera

U.S. pitches rule on chicken contracts

Reuters – The Biden administration proposed a rule May 26 requiring U.S. meat packers to be more transparent in their dealings with contract farmers, in an effort to enhance competition in the highly consolidated industry. Farmers and consumer groups have argued for decades that consolidation in the beef, pork and chicken sectors, where four companies