Beavers Don’t Just Build Dams, They Build Nations Beavers are doing more for watershed restoration than most government programs, slowing water flow, recharging aquifers, and creating habitat for hundreds of species. A closer look at how one animal shapes entire ecosystems. Learn more at Nautilus
The USDA Fired Its Experts on Seed Industry Concentration. Then, It Proclaimed It Was Working on the Issue. The USDA eliminated the staff who were studying corporate control of the seed supply, then announced it was taking the problem seriously. Learn more at Investigate Midwest
Pesticide Use Around Homes and Farms Linked to Childhood Leukemia, Brain Tumors New research links pesticide exposure near homes and farms to childhood leukemia and brain tumors. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that the chemicals most commonly used in American agriculture and lawn care carry serious health risks for children. Learn more at US Right to Know
Remote Work Is Making Americans Lonelier and Sadder, New Study Suggests A new study finds remote workers are reporting significantly higher rates of loneliness and declining mental health compared to people working in person. The findings raise real questions about what we’ve traded away in the shift away from shared workplaces. Learn more at Scientific American
Why Drinking Alcohol May Make You Reach for Chips and Pizza: New Research New research suggests alcohol doesn’t just lower your inhibitions around food, it may actively trigger hunger signals in the brain, making it harder to make healthy choices after a few drinks. Learn more at EurekAlert
No, Rolling Back These Environmental Rules Won’t Lower Your Grocery Bill The argument that environmental regulations are driving up food prices is being used to justify gutting protections that have little to do with what you pay at checkout. Grist breaks down what is actually behind grocery inflation. Learn more at Grist
Farmland for Farmers Act Reintroduced to Stop Corporate Farmland Grabs Corporate investors and foreign entities are buying up American farmland at an accelerating pace, driving up land prices and pushing working farmers out. The Farmland for Farmers Act would put real limits on who can own the land that feeds us. Learn more at National Family Farm Coalition
Data Center Boom Leaves Rural America Shouldering the Costs The rapid expansion of AI data centers is landing hard on rural communities, drawing heavily on local land, water, and power grids while returning very little to the people who live there. Learn more at Farm Action
Vermont Enacts Baby Food Testing and Labeling Law Targeting Heavy Metals Vermont has passed a first of its kind law requiring baby food manufacturers to test for and disclose heavy metal content. It is a meaningful step toward safer food for the most vulnerable, and every state should be watching. Learn more at Daily Intake Blog
Trump Moved to Eliminate Chemical Safety Board Before Deadly Spill Killed 11 The administration had already been working to shut down the federal agency responsible for investigating chemical disasters before a spill killed 11 people. The Chemical Safety Board was one of the few bodies with the independence to hold industry accountable when things go wrong. Learn more at Truthout
We Saw What AI Data Centers Don’t Want You to See AI data centers are consuming staggering amounts of water and energy, and the industry has worked hard to keep the public from seeing the full picture. This documentary got inside. Learn more at Rocky Mountain PBS
Europe’s Aversion To Eating Insects May Have Deep Ecological and Evolutionary Roots Before insect protein gets fully embraced as the future of sustainable food, researchers are taking a closer look at why so many cultures have long avoided eating bugs, and whether that instinct might be telling us something worth listening to. Learn more at Phys.org
Trump Stock Purchases Include John Deere and Major Food Companies Civil Eats reports that the president holds personal stock in John Deere and several major food companies while making agricultural and trade policy decisions that directly affect their bottom lines. Learn more at Civil Eats
Meat Plant Spreads 1000s of Gallons of Blood on Fields, Fouling PA Town’s Water A Pennsylvania slaughterhouse has been spreading thousands of gallons of animal blood on nearby fields, and residents say it is ending up in their drinking water. Spotlight PA follows one community’s years long effort to hold the plant accountable. Learn more at Spotlight PA
Trump SNAP Funding Restrictions in NJ, Other States Halted by Judge A federal judge has temporarily blocked the administration’s attempt to restrict SNAP funding in New Jersey and several other states, keeping food assistance in place for millions of people while legal challenges move forward. Learn more at AOL News
Trees Belong in the Regenerative Agriculture Story Regenerative agriculture conversations tend to center on soil health and cover crops, but trees may be one of the most powerful and underused tools we have. This piece makes a strong case for putting agroforestry at the heart of how we think about farming’s future. Learn more at Sustainable Harvest
