USDA Promotes New, Voluntary “Product of USA” Label

(Washington, D.C., March 24, 2026) – Today, on National Agriculture Day, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of a national public awareness campaign to inform meat, poultry, and egg producers of the “Product of USA” voluntary labeling standard which went into effect on January 1, 2026, and increases consumer understanding of what the label means.

Victor Wembanyama gives 3 reasons he deserves MVP award: ‘My goal is to make sure there’s no debate’

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is in the midst of another fantastic season, one he hopes will earn him the NBA’s MVP award. While some players shy away from talking about individual awards, Wembanyama openly campaigned for the MVP on Monday, explaining that his goal was to “make sure there’s no debate” once the regular season ends.

As part of his campaign for the award, Wembanyama listed three reasons why he believes he deserves this season’s honors.

His three reasons were:

  1. Defense is an important and undervalued part of the award and he believes he’s the “most-impactful player defensively in the league.”

  2. The Spurs have “dominated” against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the regular season, winning four out of five games against them.

  3. Offense involves more than just scoring points.

Wembanyama isn’t wrong about that first point. By defensive win shares and defensive rating, Wembanyama ranks first this season. Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranks in the top-10 in both stats, but Wembanyama has him beat. Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić isn’t considered a strong defender.

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Wembanyama’s second point is mostly true, as the Spurs have gone 4-1 against the Thunder this season. Saying San Antonio “dominated” those games might be a stretch, though the team has three double-digit wins over the Thunder. That’s not nothing, though it’s unclear how much that should play into the MVP voting since wins are more of a team stat.

His final point likely has to do with Wembanyama’s offensive rebounding, where he outshines both Gilgeous-Alexander and Dončić. Though Wembanyama may have a point about offense being more than just scoring, it’s his weakest argument. As Gilgeous-Alexander has been a more efficient scorer and doesn’t turn the ball over as much.

Whether any of Wembanyama’s arguments sway voters remains to be seen. By the odds, Wembanyama is currently in third, per BetMGM. Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite, with Dončić in second.

While the odds aren’t everything, they do provide a good snapshot of the vibes around the league. If Wembanyama wants to change that narrative, he has 10 more regular-season games to accomplish his goal and truly end the MVP debate.

LeBron James on turning in scoreless first half in Lakers’ loss to Pistons: ‘It’s the role that I’m playing’

Things looked pretty bleak for the Los Angeles Lakers early in Monday’s game vs. the Detroit Pistons. By halftime, the team trailed 65-52, and star LeBron James had yet to put a single point on the board.

That changed in the second half. The team battled back and James started putting up shots. The Lakers rallied for a huge third quarter before just barely falling short on the game’s final play to lose 113-110.

After the team’s slow start, it wound up being an encouraging loss, one that spoke to the Lakers’ resiliency. Still, things might have been different had James been able to put some points on the board early.

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The 23-year veteran was asked about his scoreless first half after the game, saying it’s part of “the role that I’m playing.”

James’ full answer read:

“It’s the role that I’m playing for the ball club. In order for us to win ball games, it’s the role that I’m playing. And that’s just how the game was going.”

Going scoreless in the first half was a pretty rare occurrence for the 41-year-old James. It’s just the third time in his career he’s been held without a single point at halftime, and the first time he’s found himself in that situation since 2010.

James made those comments pretty matter-of-factly, though that won’t stop people from reading into his words. It’s easy to interpret James’ statements as bitter given his legacy within the game. He was essentially the third option for the Lakers on Monday — behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. That’s not a role James has played often in his career.

And yet, it’s worked well for the Lakers. Prior to Monday’s loss, the team was on a nine-game win streak. James is still capable as a scorer — as he put up 30 points in a March 18 win vs. Houston — but he’s excelled as a distributor as well. While he failed to score in the first half Monday, James nearly finished the game with a triple-double, scoring 12 points, dishing out 10 assists and pulling down nine rebounds.

At this point in his career, James likely values winning another championship over anything else. His current play style might be unusual — for him, at least — but it gives the Lakers the best chance at a deep playoff run.