War is poisoning Ukraine’s famously fertile soil
Ukrainian scientists say soil samples from the Kharkiv region show that “high concentrations of toxins such as mercury and arsenic from munitions and fuel are polluting the ground,” according to a Reuters report.
SNA says now is not the time to raise school-meal standards
A month after the USDA proposed new rules to make school meals healthier, hundreds of school nutrition directors will come to Washington next week to tell lawmakers to reject the stricter standards. The School Nutrition Association, which represents school food workers nationwide, argues that stricter rules will be difficult for schools to meet, as they still face labor shortages and supply chain disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the avian flu epidemic.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
DOL targets Southeast ag: Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor uncovered more than $2.6 million in back wages owed to nearly 2,900 ag workers in the region, and assessed more than $1.7 million in civil penalties. (DOL)
Discrimination funds: The USDA says that by the end of the year, it will distribute financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who have been discriminated against in its farm lending programs. The money was authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act. (USDA)
More seeds for ‘doomsday’ vault: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault on Norway’s Spitsbergen island will receive its most diverse batch of seed donations yet as efforts to secure the world’s food supplies ramp up amid rising climate concerns. (Reuters)
No human transmission of bird flu: Cambodian health officials say recent cases of bird flu discovered in two villagers, one of them fatal, show no sign of human-to-human transmission. (AP)
More trouble for Starbucks: Dozens of white-collar Starbucks Corp. employees and managers have signed an open letter protesting the company’s return-to-office mandate and its alleged union busting. (Bloomberg)
