Antibiotic-laden cow pies affect soil composition, research shows
A study from Virginia Tech University found that cow manure from animals treated with antibiotics did not help soil retain carbon. In fact, it caused the soil to release more carbon. Besides not working to fertilize plants, that carbon contributes to climate change. Read more at Scientific American…
Coalition works to end sexual harassment on big farms
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, based in Florida, is visiting farms around the country to educate farmworkers about sexual harassment and how to end it. It's part of the organization's Fair Food Program, a human-rights initiative that connects like-minded suppliers and buyers, including Whole Foods Market and Chipotle. Read more at Civil Eats…
USDA allows states to waive new SNAP rules during coronavirus crisis
Sonny Perdue, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told a House subcommittee today that states can waive new SNAP rules, scheduled to go into effect April 1, that would cause 700,000 people to lose the benefit formerly known as food stamps. He also said that his agency will do what it can to ensure people get food during the coronavirus crisis, but that Congress will probably have to act. Read more at The Fence Post…
As oceans warm, fish move toward the poles—and that will hurt fisheries worldwide
When fish decide the ocean is too warm, the fish relocate to cooler waters. In the United States, familiar species would move north and new fish would come in. But in tropical areas such as northwest Africa, no fish will replace those that leave; nearly 60% could move out of the area by 2100. Such migration could complicate international law and trade agreements. Read more at Grist…
Climate change is a bigger threat than coronavirus, says UN Secretary General
The rapid spread of coronavirus—declared a pandemic today by the World Health Organization—has led to a drop in greenhouse gas emissions. But the virus isn't going to have a long-term effect on climate change, says UN Secretary General, António Guterres. The world is "way off track" for meeting global warming limits set in Paris in 2015. Read more at Treehugger.com…
