Slow growth in organic food sales as pandemic fades
After surging nearly 13 percent during the eat-at-home early days of the pandemic, sales of organic food rose by less than 2 percent in 2021, as Americans abandoned pantry loading, said the Organic Trade Association on Thursday. Sales of organic food totaled $57.5 billion last year, a $1 billion increase from 2020.
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‘Large supply gaps’ coming, says No. 2 U.S. turkey processor
Bird flu will have a “meaningful impact” on turkey supplies in coming months, said the head of Hormel Foods, the second-largest turkey processor in the country, on Thursday. Chief executive Jim Snee said Hormel anticipated “large supply gaps” for its Jennie-O Turkey Store operations in the months ahead because of flock losses.
Farmers tops in trustworthiness survey
When 1,000 consumers were asked who they trusted in the food system, farmers were the clear winners, said the economists overseeing the new Gardner Food and Agricultural Policy Survey on Thursday. Participants gave farmers an average score of 5.6 on a scale of 1 to 7.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
FDA to reassess BPA risks: After more than a decade of pressure from environmental health advocates, the Food and Drug Administration is set to reconsider the health effects of BPA, a common and controversial chemical used in plastic food packaging. (E&E News)
Right-to-repair lawsuits: Nine class-action, right-to-repair lawsuits against Deere and Co. will be consolidated and argued in U.S. district court in Chicago, said a federal judicial panel on multidistrict litigation. (DTN/Progressive Farmer)
More infant formula: The FDA cleared Nestlé to import 440,000 pounds of infant formula, the equivalent of 6.5 million 8-ounce bottles, in coming weeks, boosting total imports in an administration drive to address formula shortages to the equivalent of 94.5 million bottles. (White House)
Ukraine grain stalemate persists: While many options are being considered, a solution has not yet emerged to free up to 25 million tonnes of grain stranded in Ukraine by warfare and needed in hungry countries in the Middle East and North Africa. (New York Times)
A bee is a fish: Insects are not mentioned in California’s endangered species law, but a state appellate court decided that the law’s broad definition of fish, which mentions invertebrates, includes bumblebees. (Reason)
