New report: Major disruption in food and agriculture ahead in next decade
Technology and new business models are furthering the growth of cheaper and high-quality protein alternatives to animal-based products, meaning by 2030 the livestock and dairy industries could become obsolete. Because these modern foods will be far more efficient than animal-derived products, both greenhouse gas emissions and water use will be greatly diminished, and the decentralization of such a system will lead to greater food security. Read more at Venture Beat…
Stale snack bar sales hurt General Mills
Although it has made some progress, General Mills continued to see decreased demand for its brands including Nature Valley granola bars and Yoplait yogurt. The company is under pressure to diversify its portfolio and revamp older brands to seem healthier and fresher, attributes sought after by today’s consumers. Read more at The Wall Street Journal…
Uruguay targets Chinese market with traceable beef
Eco- and health-conscious Chinese citizens are turning to Uruguayan beef producers for their hormone- and antibiotic-free cow products. Uruguayans eat more beef than any other nation per capita and the overwhelming majority of cows raised for beef “roam in the open and feed on grass, which lowers the carbon footprint because grass converts carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen." Read more at Dialogo Chino…
USDA offers pork companies a new inspection plan, despite opposition
Pork companies are about to have a much larger role in the inspection process of their slaughterhouses—and some food safety inspectors and food safety activists are calling it privatization. The new rule will take effect in two months and will increase the line speed in these facilities, meaning that workers at these slaughterhouses are at a slightly higher risk of injury. Read more at NPR…
Today’s special: Grilled salmon laced with plastic
Microplastics, mainly those from single-use plastic products, have now traveled out of fish’s intestines and into their flesh. Wild marine species mistake these small particles of plastic for food, and even their farmed counterparts showed an equal amount of these persistent plastic-based chemicals (the reason for this is yet unknown). Read more at The Fern…
