USDA Pauses Rural Energy Grants Amid Anti-Renewables Push
The USDA’s Rural Business Cooperative Service announced a pause on Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) awards while it rewrites regulations to comply with a 2025 executive order that targets wind and solar subsidies. REAP, a bipartisan initiative, has funded over 22,000 renewable projects and attracted roughly $10 billion in private investment for farm energy efficiency. The halt adds uncertainty for farmers already facing soaring diesel, fertilizer and equipment costs, and no timeline has been set for the rule change. Applicants will need to reapply once the new guidelines are released.
Trump Administration Tells Hospitals to Align With New Nutrition Guidelines
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a Quality and Safety Special Alert urging hospitals to redesign patient meals in line with the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which prioritize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and minimally processed proteins while...
‘Native Foods Have Sustained People for Generations’
Jack Strong, executive chef at The Allison Inn and Spa and member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, is using his platform to revive and showcase Native cuisine. He runs a school‑based culinary program that serves K‑12 meals, operates a...
In an Ohio Apple Grove, Researchers Race to Save Rare Varieties
In 2004‑05 Diane Miller collected wild apple seeds from Kyrgyzstan and planted them at Ohio’s Dawes Arboretum, creating a 15‑acre, 800‑tree repository of thousands of genetic lines. The collection offers disease‑resistant traits that could reduce pesticide use and broaden flavor...
USDA Proposes Delaying Poultry Industry Rule
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed delaying the poultry grower‑payment and capital‑improvement rule until December 2027, pushing back its original July 2026 effective date. The rule, part of a Biden‑era effort to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act, would...
Op-Ed: The AI ‘Revolution’ Is a False Promise for Food Systems
The op‑ed argues that the touted AI "revolution" in agriculture and aquaculture is more hype than solution, driven by big tech, corporations, and government funding. While AI tools promise higher yields, they often force farmers to surrender data rights and...
SNAP Recipients Sue USDA Over Soda, Candy Restrictions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved 22 waivers that let states restrict SNAP purchases of soda, candy, energy drinks and other sugary items. A coalition of the National Center for Law and Economic Justice and law firm Shinder Cantor...
Farmers Warn Senate Ag Committee of Iran War Price Shocks
During a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, lawmakers highlighted how the Iran‑Israel war threatens the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for up to 30% of global fertilizer exports. Farmers warned that disrupted shipments could push already‑high input costs to record levels,...