$50 million Mississippi River restoration project
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing a new Mississippi River restoration project, starting with a 39-mile stretch near Memphis, Tennessee, that could help save threatened and endangered aquatic animals. The agency still needs to secure $50 million in funding.
EPA ‘forever chemicals’ regs could cost communities billions
The Environmental Protection Agency is due to announce enforceable regulations on the amount of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of thousands of chemicals collectively known as PFAS, allowed in drinking water. Those rules, which could be announced as early as today, could end up costing communities around the country nearly $40 billion to implement, according to the Associated Press.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
McCain to World Food Program: Cindy McCain has been named the next executive director of the UN World Food Program, the world’s largest humanitarian organization, as millions of people are pushed into hunger from climate-related disasters and the ongoing war in Ukraine. (Agri-Pulse)
North Korean ag woes: As the country’s food shortage worsens, Kim Jong Un vowed to strengthen state control over agriculture and take a series of other steps to increase grain production. (AP)
Boost for Ukraine grain: USAID said it will partner with the Grain Alliance, Kernel, and Nibulon to invest $44 million in storage and infrastructure for Ukraine’s agriculture sector, increasing its grain shipping capacity by more than 3 million tons annually. (CNN)
Seaweed study: A bill introduced in Congress this week calls for a federal study on the possibilities of coastal seaweed farming and of creating a seaweed farming fund to “reduce cost barriers for Indigenous communities.” (National Fisherman)
Global obesity: The World Obesity Federation’s 2023 atlas predicts that 51 percent of the world, or more than 4 billion people, will be obese or overweight by 2035. (Reuters)
Less drug residue in EU food: Residue levels of veterinary drugs and other substances — including hormones and antibacterials — found in animals and animal products have fallen in the European Union. (Food Safety News)
