War in Ukraine could drive up global hunger by 2 percent in a year
Up to 13 million people around the world could be pushed into hunger because of the spike in food prices and disruptions in supplies that result from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization on Wednesday. The global hunger rate of 9.9 percent was already the highest in 13 years, due to the pandemic.
Doctors and health systems find novel ways to address hunger and its causes
Poverty, hunger and poor health are interlinked problems, ones that some doctors and medical systems are trying to address by screening patients for food insecurity, connecting them with food and other resources, and advocating broadly against inequality.
Bird flu found in 16th state; Indiana and Kentucky remove some controls
“High path” avian influenza was confirmed in a backyard flock in Nebraska, the 16th state with the viral disease in a domestic flock this year, said the Agriculture Department on Wednesday. Meanwhile, officials in Indiana and Kentucky rolled back quarantine areas in their states after a string of disease-free days.
Today’s Quick Hits
Longer allergy season: Climate change means that the allergy season will begin sooner and last longer, with pollen levels in some places that are three times higher than they are now, said a study in the journal Nature Communications. (CBS News)
Stricter dicamba rules: The EPA approved amendments to the dicamba label that set earlier cutoff dates for using the weedkiller in Iowa and Minnesota in hopes of reducing damage to neighboring crops. (DTN/Progressive Farmer)
Ag research partners: The SoAR Foundation and the National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research will work together in developing recommendations for the ag research title of the 2023 farm bill. (SoAR)
Rural-rebellion funder: A wealthy former filmmaker and vineyard owner donated to the successful right-wing recall campaign against a Shasta County supervisor in Northern California, and holds the record of $550,000 in donations to local races. (Los Angeles Times)
Restaurateurs aid dairy: New York chefs Tom Colicchio and Dan Barber said they would buy half of the dairy products they need for their restaurants from organic dairy farms in the U.S. Northeast that have lost contracts with milk processors. (Northeast Organic Family Farm Partnership)
