EPA to ban use of pesticide chlorpyrifos

The Environmental Protection Agency will ban the use of chlorpyrifos, a highly effective insecticide, on all food crops. Studies into the toxicity of chlorpyrifos over the past few decades indicate that exposure to it can cause significant developmental issues. However, Modern Farmer notes that it can still legally be used in non-food-related settings including cotton fields, golf courses and more.

For dairy cows, where there’s smoke, there’s less milk

Researchers and farmers are uncovering some pretty dire ways that wildfire smoke negatively affects dairy cows' health and milk production, because they spend the majority of their time outside and exposed to this kind of pollution. Preliminary results show higher incidence of disease and increased risk of mortality among calves when wildfires elevated the level of fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, in the air. Researchers also found changes in immune cells and signs of inflammation in the cows studied. The Counter reports.

Some companies are mandating vaccines—but not for frontline workers

U.S. businesses have thus far been much more enthusiastic about requiring vaccinations of white-collar workers than of frontline workers, many of whom were declared “essential” during the pandemic; Vox points out that this yet again drives home the divisions and inequities exposed among America’s workforce during the pandemic. For example, Walmart will require all of its corporate and regional staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 4, but is merely offering store associates and warehouse workers a $150 incentive for getting vaccinated as well as paid time off.

What climate change might do to your favorite wine

Extreme weather is changing the very nature of the terroirs your favorite wines are sourced from, and this spells changes for the winemaking process as well. This is because human intervention in the form of diversifying grape varieties, picking earlier and altering irrigation practices will likely become the norm. On the positive side, The Wall Street Journal writes, rising temperatures mean new regions can begin producing excellent wine.

Thanksgiving turkeys could be in short supply

The turkey industry is struggling, according to The Food Institute, and chicken shortages are also becoming more widespread. Cargill previously announced that the current poultry shortage was a result of “continuing to manage tight labor markets while working to keep employees safe from the impacts of COVID-19 in the communities where they operate.” U.S. turkey eggs in incubators totaled 26.8 million on Aug. 1, 2021, down 1% from the previous year, which is raising alarm bells for upcoming Thanksgiving festivities.