Pandemic aid helped families’ nutrition and well-being
Temporary increases in federal aid during the Covid-19 pandemic had a “highly positive impact on overall family well-being” and made it easier for low-income families to afford sufficient and healthy food, according to two reports released on Tuesday by Hunger Free America. But as these supports were gradually withdrawn, respondents reported skipping meals and struggling to feed their families.
Poultry exports face potential risks from avian influenza
The risk of another outbreak of avian influenza this fall remains elevated and the stakes for poultry producers couldn’t be higher, with U.S. poultry exports expected to reach record levels in 2022, said a report Tuesday from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Immigration reform: Farmers across the U.S. are joining a push for national immigration reform that they say could ease labor shortages and lower food prices. (NBC News)
Forest guardians killed: Two members of the Brazilian Indigenous group known for its forest guardians who combat illegal deforestation have been killed, according to the Indigenist Missionary Council. (AP)
Rice to the rescue: Abundant rice supplies in key exporters may largely offset an expected drop in output after floods in Pakistan and severe a heatwave in China damaged crops. (Reuters)
Abbott’s damage control: Abbott’s lawyers at Jones Day negotiated secret settlements and used scorched earth tactics with families whose infants fell ill after consuming powdered formula. (New York Times)
Climate and cannabis: Wildfires and drought have raised the stakes for cannabis farmers, who must decide whether to cultivate their plants in greenhouses or out in fields. (Bloomberg)
