5@5: Court judges reject immediate dicamba ban | US honeybees are bouncing back

Court judges deny immediate halt to dicamba use

A panel of Ninth Circuit judges have denied a request from environmental and other groups to end the sale and use of dicamba immediately. This follows the Environmental Protection Agency's cancellation order of a previous ruling that effectively allows farmers to continue using the harmful herbicide through July 2020. Read more at Modern Farmer…

US honeybees are doing better after bad year, survey shows

The annual beekeeping survey is serving up uncharacteristically optimistic news about America's honeybee colonies. Beekeepers had the second smallest winter loss of bee colonies from October 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020, in 14 years. Honeybees are still, however, under siege by loss of food sources, mites, diseases and pesticides. Read more at AP News…

Earth Fare reopens in Asheville

After Earth Fare's private equity firm owners filed for bankruptcy, the natural retailer was effectively shut down across its 50 locations. But after Randy Talley acquired the Earth Fare name along with eight of its stores, the supermarket is receiving a makeover and beginning to reopen and rehire staff with a renewed commitment to “improving lives by making healthy food available to everyone." Read more at Mountain Xpress…

Why Twin Cities food co-ops haven't fared as well as supermarkets in pandemic

Co-ops experienced a 5.7% sales decrease nationally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which experts attribute to consumers' price sensitivity, desire for one-stop shopping and avoidance of lines. Because co-ops are often much smaller than big-box grocers, it's harder to admit a competitive amount of shoppers into the store while maintaining social distancing. Not to mention their online offerings such as pick-up orders or grocery delivery systems are markedly lacking. Read more at Star Tribune…

How food producers are preparing for the second wave of COVID-19

Food brands and suppliers have been in constant contact to ensure they can meet consumer demand if a second wave of COVID-19 cases prompts several more months of strict sheltering at home. Compressed consumer purchasing and supply chain volatility led to scarcity and price surges during the first wave of the pandemic, and the food industry is taking steps to provide affordable products reliably in the future. Read more at ABC…