5@5: How Trump changed food and farming | Producers thwarted by post office

How 4 years of Trump reshaped food and farming

President Trump has made some notable political moves over the past few years that ultimately favored large corporations over workers, stalled projects working against climate change and loosened up both nutrition standards in schools and federal oversight in food processing facilities. The Trump administration also essentially dissolved the Economic Research Service, which is an agency tasked with publishing objective research that can be used to track the impact of policies. Head to Civil Eats to read more, and don't forget to cast your ballot!

Many food producers pivoted to online sales during the pandemic. Post office problems threw a wrench in their plans

Small farmers and food producers were particularly hard hit by the UPS and USPS mail delivery slowdowns because of the perishable nature of their goods since the start of the pandemic. And while some say that deliveries are becoming more consistent with time, many others have switched to far more expensive forms of delivery or reduced the scope of their operations to exclusively regional or local customers. The Counter has the scoop. 

Election cake, a forgotten recipe, rises online

Searches for "election cake" spiked this past Sunday. What is an election cake, you ask? Well, it's a centuries-old recipe that results in a dense, spiced cake not unlike a fruit cake or pannetone. The story goes that representatives from around Connecticut would gather in Hartford to count ballots and needed a confection that would keep well into the night. The earliest cakes weighed as much as 12 lbs! Learn more at The New York Times ...

Is the US food bank system contributing to health disparities?

The number of food-insecure households in the U.S. has skyrocketed in 2020, but food bank directors point to a pervading "beggars can't be choosers" mindset that makes it difficult for those in need to access healthy fare. This in turn exacerbates the already enormous health disparities that exist between America's wealthiest and poorest citizens. Donations from grocery stores and food wholesalers have also been scarce throughout the pandemic, and the Trump administration's Farmers to Families Food Box program has reportedly been an undeniably mixed bag. CT Watchdog ...

Queensland apple-growing family invents new drink to use apples rejected by supermarkets

An Australian family has figured out how to get both the skin and pulp of commercially rejected apples into a juice product called Upple. The Savios noted that retailers these days don't accept produce with small blemishes, and such apples are downgraded to a juice price. They are marketing the product as a way to consume a full apple, complete with all its inherent fiber, that is more suitable for children than other sweet drinks. Read all about the new innovative product at ABC News ...