Cut back on sugar and alcohol, recommends U.S. diet panel
Americans should halve their consumption of added sugars, and men should limit themselves to one drink a day, said a panel of experts helping the government update its advice on healthful diets. The advisory committee report, published on Wednesday, is expected to provide the scientific foundation for a new edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, scheduled for publication late this year.
Online SNAP grocery shopping tainted by ‘manipulative’ tactics, says report
State after state joined a USDA pilot program this spring that allows SNAP participants to buy groceries online as a way to reduce the chance of contracting Covid-19. But now, said a report released Thursday, SNAP shoppers face “an often manipulative and nontransparent grocery marketplace” when they shop via the internet.
Coronavirus damage tops $3.4 billion, says ethanol industry
Gasoline consumption fell precipitously in the spring due to stay-at-home orders and the economic slowdown, cutting ethanol industry revenue by more than $3.4 billion, said the Renewable Fuels Association on Wednesday.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Second big grain sale to China in two days: A day after the largest-ever purchase of U.S. corn by Chinese buyers, exporters reported the sale of 389,000 tonnes of soybeans and 132,000 tonnes of corn for delivery to China in the marketing year that begins Sept. 1. (USDA)
Foie gras, with caveats, in California: A federal judge said California’s foie gras ban doesn’t apply if the rich dish comes from out of state and is delivered by a third party. (Associated Press)
Missing the profit for the trees: Although agroforestry, which meshes trees and shrubs with crop and animal farming, is a climate-friendly and potentially profitable approach to agriculture, advocates concede there may be a long wait for revenue to begin flowing. (Mongabay)
Food banks get stealthy: Food banks are turning to underground distributions and WhatsApp postings to reach undocumented immigrants, a population hit hard by the coronavirus but wary of formal food assistance programs. (Food Bank News)
Pandemic aid for seed companies: Iowa seed companies owned in full or in part by billionaire Harry Stine were approved for loans worth at least $2.55 million under the coronavirus relief program to keep small businesses afloat. (Reuters)
