New guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture about what can—and can't—be in school lunches take effect as students return to class this fall.  The guidelines were initially proposed last January by first lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The first Agriculture Committee meeting of the 112^th Congress held a public forum on January 21, 2011 to unofficially review and discuss the regulatory approval process on biotechnology, specifically Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) Roundup Ready Alfalfa, which has been at the center of recent debates.