Agriculture

"Flowing down the Mississippi River, the excess fertilizer that washes off vast swaths of farmland fuels a persistent “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico and threatens drinking water supplies upstream. Yet despite more than a quarter-century of federal effort and billions spent on potential solutions, experts say the watershed is “not even close” to its targets for fixing the problem."

"Too hot, too dry, too wet; as extreme weather threatens food security, the race is on to get new seed varieties in the ground"

"An L.A. Times/WeedWeek investigation finds alarming levels of pesticides in cannabis products at dispensaries across the state".

"Agricultural insecticides were a key factor, according to a study focused on the Midwest, though researchers emphasized the importance of climate change and habitat loss."

"The biotech giant Bayer has lobbied Congress over the past year to advance legislation that could shield the company from billions of dollars in lawsuits, part of a national campaign to defeat claims that its weedkiller Roundup causes cancer in people who use it frequently."

"Animal rights organizations have asked the SEC to investigate meatpacking giant JBS SA for allegedly misleading investors about its animal welfare and environmental practices in paperwork submitted to list the company on the New York Stock Exchange."

"Environmental groups want to use engineered wetlands to help replenish the river of grass and address toxic algae. The state’s politically powerful sugar growers say those wetlands are for their own polluted water."

"Black communities are disproportionately impacted by Big Sugar's agricultural practices".

"A new book, “The Light Eaters,” looks at how plants sense the world and the agency they have in their own lives."

"U.S. farms are covered in plastic, from the sides of greenhouses to plastic mulch, hoop houses, irrigation tubes, and more. As it degrades, plastic accumulates in soil and in plants, with potential threats to food safety."