California lawmakers pass bill banning food dyes in schools
By Shannon Kelleher
California lawmakers this week passed a bill banning schools from serving foods with six artificial dyes linked to neurobehavioral problems in children.
Food & Farming
Movement to limit CAFO pollution seen strengthened by Michigan court ruling
A recent state court decision could transform how animal agriculture is regulated in Michigan, and potentially influence how other state and federal regulators oversee the industry’s mammoth waste stream, according to environmental lawyers and activists.
Peel those apples: New study confirms washing doesn’t remove pesticide residues
By Carey Gillam
A new scientific report lends weight to consumer concerns about pesticide residues on food, presenting fresh evidence that washing fruits before eating them does not remove various toxic chemicals commonly used in agriculture.
California bill to ban food dyes in schools may have nationwide impact
By Shannon Kelleher
A bill that would ban six food dyes linked to childhood learning problems from meals served at California public schools is close to passage and could bolster efforts to make foods safer across the US, according to proponents.
EPA issues rare “emergency” suspension of dangerous weed killer
By Benjamin Purper
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday said it was taking the rare step of issuing an “emergency suspension” of a chemical used to kill weeds on farms, golf courses and athletic fields, citing risks to unborn children.
Michigan notches a victory in effort to rein in polluting farm waste
In a rare rebuke to the industrial farm sector, the Michigan Supreme Court this week ruled that state environmental regulators have full authority to require livestock and poultry operations to improve their handling of billions of pounds of manure that contributes to contamination of waterways.
Pesticide exposure as risky as smoking, study finds
By Shannon Kelleher
People who don’t farm, but live in US agricultural communities where pesticides are used on farms, face an increased cancer risk as significant as if they were smokers, according to a new study.
PFAS increasingly added to pesticides, study finds
By Shannon Kelleher
Despite widespread alarm about the health and environmental impacts of toxic PFAS, the chemicals are increasingly being added to pesticides applied in homes and crops across the US, according to a new study.
A battle in rural Midwest as farmers fight carbon capture pipeline
By Nina Elkadi
Kathy Stockdale and her husband have spent almost 50 years working the land in central Iowa. As a family farmer raising corn and soybeans, Stockdale knows how to deal with harsh weather, poor crop prices, and an array of other challenges that come with a making a living in agriculture.
Air pollution threatens key crop pollinators, study finds
By Shannon Kelleher
Air pollution jeopardizes bees and other pollinators essential for food production, according to a new study that sheds light on a significant but underrecognized threat to beneficial insects.