Each day at 5 p.m. we collect the five top food and supplement headlines of the day, making it easy for you to catch up on today's most important natural products industry news.

New Hope Network staff

December 4, 2020

2 Min Read
meat plant workers
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Meatpacker JBS removed at-risk workers from beef plant amid COVID-19 surge

The U.S. division of meatpacking giant JBS sent home 202 workers at its Greeley, Colorado, plant on Nov. 7 with full pay and benefits to protect them from a surge in cases among the 3,500-person workforce. Meatpacking companies nationwide are implementing similar measures, in addition to regularly testing and distancing the workers on their lines, in order to keep disruptions minimal into the new year. These companies are also currently seeking priority to be one of the first groups to distribute the forthcoming vaccine. The Wall Street Journal has the full story.

Nestlé to invest a whopping $3.58B to fight carbon emissions

Nestlé is advancing its climate-friendly agenda by investing $3.85 billion into shifting its suppliers to sustainable and regenerative farming practices. The company also plans to have its operations rely entirely on renewable energy sources by 2025, and will aim to plant 20 million trees by 2030. Additionally, its vehicle fleet will be switched to lower emissions models over the next few years. The Hill reports.

Grocery stores have had a tumultuous and profitable 2020. Many consumers came to rely on big-box retailers amid shortages and the desire for a one-stop shopping experience, but a significant amount favored regional chains that offer specialized local offerings unavailable in other parts of the country. Sprouts Farmers Market was most popular in Arizona and Trader Joe's won California, but Kroger, Sam's Club and Publix garnered the most consumer support. Go state by state at USA Today ...

Minnesota, Wisconsin organic dairy farmers hope to regain ground with Biden administration

Organic Valley is fighting for the opportunity to regain political ground that was lost during the Trump administration. The company and its fellow organic dairy competitors have made moves over the past decade or so to create clearer regulatory standards for organic food (several of which were reversed by President Trump). The reason for this is that USDA certifiers often interpret organic standards differently, meaning two drastically different operations could both receive the same stamp of approval. Get the scoop at Star Tribune ...

Why few farmworkers show up for COVID-19 testing

Rural farmworker communities have been hard hit by COVID-19, but a deep mistrust of government initiatives to test them has led to less engagement than officials would like. If they test positive, they risk losing their job and being quarantined from their family—not to mention the possibility of being sent out of the country. The California-based COVID-19 Equity Project is trying to change this by giving $1,200 in cash assistance to Fresno County residents that are sick or have been exposed to the virus. Dive into more efforts to test this essential workforce at The Counter ...

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