Lawsuit: Without soil, hydroponic plants shouldn't be certified organic

The Center for Food Safety and farmers from around the country are suing the Trump administration, arguing that the decision to allow hydroponic farms be certified organic "undermines the very integrity" of the label. Under federal rules, organic crops must "foster soil fertility," according to the lawsuit. Read more at Bloomberg…  

FDA moves forward on lettuce safety

Small farms and large animal feeding operations—and everything in-between—affect nearby water sources, which in turn can contaminate local produce farms. The Food and Drug Administration has released its plan to lower the risk of exposing leafy greens to E. coli and other pathogens. And the agency will soon release its investigation report from the November and December outbreaks tied to farms in the Salinas Valley in California. Read more at Food Safety News…

Cold storage facilities overflowing with meat intended for export

Meat that was supposed to be exported to China—including pork and poultry—is sitting in cold storage in the United States because of the coronavirus. As people in China have stayed home to avoid being exposed to the virus, ports have backed up and frozen foods sit in the warehouses. Read more in The Wall Street Journal…

The Amazon might stop storing carbon, could start releasing it within 10 years, researchers say

Because loggers and farmers have been clearing land in rainforests—as well as the effects of climate change—tropical forests such as the Amazon are losing their ability to collect and store atmospheric carbon. If those forests start releasing carbon into the atmosphere, the climate will deteriorate even faster than previously predicted, says a Leeds University professor. Read more at The Guardian…

USDA to purchase only alternative-fuel vehicles, offer grants to biofuel industry

To placate farmers—who typically vote for Republicans—the Department of Agriculture is increasing its support of biofuels. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue noted that the Trump administration is making this move to support corn and soybean growers. Farmers have voiced their anger with various policies, including trade and ethanol waivers, that resulted in lower sales and increasing bankruptcy rates among farmers. Read more at Modern Farmer…