Will be interesting to see if any big meatpackers (JBS/Cargill/Tyson) bid for Mexico's biggest meat company. It would give them a major advantage in the North American meat complex - as animals often travel across borders. Current USMCA competition rules are weak www.agriculture.com/partners-mex...

Mexico’s Largest Meat Exporter SuKarne Explores Sale, Sources Say

The owner of SuKarne, Mexico’s largest meat exporter, is exploring a sale that could value the company at over $2 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The animal protein industry in ...

agriculture.com

🗞️#Breaking The Senate #farmbill cuts conservation, fails to invest in local markets & leaves out critical farm safety net reforms, adding more uncertainty at a time when America's farmers need stability & a level playing field.🔗Read more: sustainableagriculture.net/blog/comment...

Comment: Revised Senate Farm Bill Proposal Still Falls Flat for Most Farmers

The latest Senate farm bill proposal comes up short on delivering the stability and level playing field that are so badly needed. American farmers and ranchers face a fundamentally destabilized agricu...

sustainableagriculture.net

NEW: An unusually widespread outbreak of the foodborne parasite Cyclospora has been causing illness across the U.S. this summer. Regulatory neglect, corporate consolidation in the food system, and poor labor conditions for farmworkers helped drive the outbreak. www.iatp.org/industrial-f...

Contamination by Design: How an industrial food system has driven the Cyclospora outbreak

Regulatory neglect, corporate consolidation, and poor labor conditions contribute to the spread of a diarrhea-causing parasite.

iatp.org

This is key: Chair Boozman says this gives "additional time to strengthen administration of SNAP benefits and reduce payment error rates." It does not. The cost shift would still be based on error rates for this fiscal year — so the window to make progress has largely closed.

Sharon Parrott@sharonparrott.bsky.social · 4d ago

The proposal includes a one-year delay in states paying the massive SNAP cost shift. It would now begin October 1, 2028. But to be clear: it does not give states any more time to lower the costs they will face by reducing errors, only more time until the bill comes due.

Opponents sue state over Morris mega-dairy expansion minnesotareformer.com/briefs/oppon...

Opponents sue state over Morris mega-dairy expansion • Minnesota Reformer

Riverview wants to expand West River Dairy from 7,855 cows to almost 19,000 cows, making it the biggest dairy in Minnesota.

minnesotareformer.com

A comprehensive survey of farmworkers includes harrowing details of people in fear to do anything outside the home. 61% of those surveyes have shopped less, and almost a third said they have not sought medical care when they needed it. The report from @whitneycwimbish.bsky.social.

Top Farmworker Fear Is Family Separation - The American Prospect

A first-of-its-kind survey by the UFW Foundation quantifies the impact of Trump’s mass deportation campaign on farmworkers, the vast majority of whom are undocumented.

prospect.org

A new report by ETC Group & GRAIN confirms the intense corporate concentration in seeds, pesticides, fertilisers, farm machinery, animal pharma & livestock genetics. This leaves the food chain profoundly vulnerable to intensifying climate impacts and ripple effects of war on Iran. grain.org/e/7406

Big mistake. Hugely popular program w farmers that needs reforms, not cuts. "More than 56,000 farmers could be left without conservation assistance under the Senate's farm bill proposal, which would temporarily cut EQIP funding by nearly $1.9 billion over four years" www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/...

Senate Farm Bill Would Cut $1.9 Billion From EQIP, Fund New Forest and State Conservation Programs

The Senate farm bill would temporarily reduce $1.9 billion from EQIP for other legislative priorities, including a new forest easement and state conservation programs through FY2030. Supporters say th...

dtnpf.com

ICYMI, catch the latest issue of Food & Power (with updated data) reprinted today in @barnraiser.bsky.social ! I explain how corporate consolidation increases the risk of large foodborne illness outbreaks like cyclospora barnraisingmedia.com/the-bigger-t...

The Bigger the Corporation, the Bigger the Diarrhea Outbreak

Taylor Farms and other large produce corporations have long exerted political power to weaken food safety regulations.

barnraisingmedia.com

After USDA announces Mexico border opening, JBS/Tyson shares rise. The big beef companies have been pushing for this, overriding concerns about increased risk to US ranchers from screwworm migration. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Tyson and JBS Shares Jump as US to Resume Mexico Cattle Shipments

Shares of meatpackers Tyson Foods Inc. and JBS NV surged after the US said it would resume cattle shipments from Mexico, easing a domestic shortage that has led to higher costs for their animals.

bloomberg.com

“Consolidation means that if something goes wrong, it goes wrong big time” www.cnbc.com/2026/07/27/c...

Consolidated food supply may be worsening cyclospora outbreaks, experts say

Experts say food industry consolidation may be amplifying the cyclospora outbreak, allowing contaminated produce to spread farther.

cnbc.com

“Almost all the farmers we talked to understand that diversified systems can have major economic and agroecological benefits...But [almost everyone said,] ‘I don’t see a way to get there given the way the system is set up’” Proposed FarmBill still status quo www.iowapublicradio.org/agriculture/...

Researchers say farmers want to grow more than corn and soybeans. A new report has some ideas

A new report identifies challenges to agricultural diversification in the Corn Belt, and policy changes that could make it easier to grow different crops or integrate livestock and trees.

iowapublicradio.org

The proposed Riverview Dairy would be the largest in the state. What is lost for Minnesota's rural communities, water and the environment, when big dairies move in & small/mid-sized farms are pushed out. The MN Dept of Ag is taking public comments on this ? app.publicnewsservice.org/story/minnes...

Minnesota's mega-dairy movement crosses paths with public scrutiny

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is hosting virtual meetings July 28 about the growing influence of large-scale dairy operations.On the heels of a controversial decision, the public is asked to

app.publicnewsservice.org

My latest:

Politico@politico.com · 2w ago

Trump's former top food official: Cyclospora outbreak ‘approaching catastrophic’ level

USDA puts out the notorious late Friday press release announcing the reopening of several southern border entry points for cattle from Mexico. They think several Mexican provinces have screwworm under control and they can prevent it from entering the US - www.usda.gov/about-usda/n...

Not long after Trump Admin drops tariffs for fertilizer imports from Morocco does Koch Ag and Energy announce new joint venture in Morocco. www.agweb.com/news/busines...

While still without definitive proof, the FDA links states with the largest cyclospora outbreaks to lettuce from produce giant, Taylor Farms. open.substack.com/pub/foodandp...

Heat not only affects dairy production it can also affect quality of milk - which can affect what prices farmers receive - sentientmedia.org/heat-stress-...

Heat Stress Hits Dairy Quality as Well as Quantity, Study Finds

Extreme heat has changed what it takes to produce a glass of milk.

sentientmedia.org

"the request for information is a preliminary stage towards filing formal litigation against the multinational meat company. Until now similar lawsuits have only been filed against fossil fuel companies." www.theguardian.com/environment/...

​World’s largest meat company faces legal challenge over green credentials of $6bn global expansion

Greenpeace petitions Dutch courts to order JBS to disclose how its aims are compatible with responsibilities to climate and human rights

theguardian.com

NEW: Taylor Farms is a big player in conservative politics. The company donated $2 million to conservative political groups in 2025 and its CEO has personally donated more than $900,000 to Republican PACs and candidates. It's also spent $810,000 on anti-regulatory lobbying since 2025

Taylor Farms Spent Big on MAGA and Anti-Regulatory Lobbying Before Diarrhea Outbreak

The company donated more than $3.6 million to conservative groups between 2020 and 2025, including $1 million to the MAGA Inc. super PAC.

wired.com

We now have data from 19 states showing how many fewer children are receiving SNAP in the wake of these cuts. The steepest drops in those states: -49% in AZ (-182,058 kids) -23% in LA (-82,064 kids) -18% in TX (-317,316 kids) -18% in MA (-61,647 kids)

Number of Children Receiving SNAP Continues to Drop Under Harmful 2025 Republican Reconciliation Law

In the 19 states with publicly available data or that have shared unpublished data, the harmful Republican reconciliation law has taken SNAP food assistance away from more than 1 million children...

cbpp.org

Katie Bergh@katiebergh.bsky.social · 2w ago

🚨NEW: In the 9 months after last year’s reconciliation law enacted unprecedented SNAP cuts, the number of people receiving SNAP fell by more than 4.5 million. Based on available data, we estimate that at least 1.5 million fewer kids are receiving SNAP. www.cbpp.org/research/foo...

New: Late last night, Taylor Farms quietly posted an official recall notice We now know that the parasite-linked iceberg lettuce was shipped to Walmart & food distributors in 27 (!) states It was for some reason still being sent out up until Thursday July 16 www.consumerreports.org/health/food-...

Parasite-Linked Lettuce Was Sent to Walmart Stores and Food Distributors in 27 States - Consumer Reports

Taylor Farms' recalled the parasite-linked lettuce it said was sent to Walmart stores, Sysco, and other food distributors in 27 states.

consumerreports.org

A court challenge by employee unions uncovered USDA docs showing the Department expects staff losses to result from relocations. This is the latest step to diminish USDA's capacity - (see wrong corn crop & beef export estimates, understaffed FSA/NRCS offices etc). Congress could act to stop/slow...

Marcia Brown@marciabrown.bsky.social · 3w ago

NEW: USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service learned Friday that one-third of their positions will be moved out of the Washington area. Most of the employees handling food aid programs like Food for Peace will have their roles moved to Kansas City, but their bosses are staying in DC. @politico.com

Well, @margotgibbs.bsky.social, Charles Boutaud, and Le Monde's Raphaëlle Aubert reveals how an increasingly concentrated market have left French cattle farmers with less choice, less bargaining power, & less money. Have a read! www.lighthousereports.com/investigatio...

Cut to the Bone: Farmers at the mercy of the meat monopolists - Lighthouse Reports

How state authorities put France’s farmers at the mercy of an industrial giant

lighthousereports.com

We're gathering input on the socioeconomic impact of large-scale dairies in Minnesota through two virtual meetings on 7/28/26 & an online form. Comments will be accepted 7/28/26-10/1/26. 🔗 https://www.mda.state.mn.us/mda-gather-input-socioeconomic-impact-large-scale-dairies-minnesota

New analysis and map from us at @ewgofficial.bsky.social released today. We analyzed aerial and satellite imagery to find that there are over 15,300 animal feeding operations in Iowa, producing over 107 million tons of manure each year. 1/4 www.ewg.org/research/dro...

Drowning in manure: How livestock farms threaten Iowa’s drinking water and public health

Iowa – the nation’s top hog producer – had more than 15,000 factory farms in 2025 producing over 107 million tons of manure, a first-of-its-kind EWG analysis finds.

ewg.org

Join Farm Aid and Farm Commons for a webinar addressing ICE activity in farm country on Tuesday, July, 21 at noon EDT. This webinar will explore what we're seeing on the ground.

NEW: A year after H.R. 1 enacted the deepest SNAP cuts in history, the number of children receiving SNAP nationwide has likely dropped by more than 1.5 million, based on our analysis of available data from 17 states. www.cbpp.org/research/foo...

SNAP Tracker: People Are Losing Food Assistance as the Republican Megabill Is Implemented

SNAP participation nationwide fell by more than 4 million people (nearly 10 percent) between the law’s July 2025 enactment and March 2026, based on the latest month of data.

cbpp.org

"In 2005-2010, there were ~45x more futures contracts traded... than physical coffee contracts. By 2025, that had risen to 88x higher, w/ much of that trade explicitly classed as speculative." I was in coffee in the 2000s & remember hedge fund trading seeming wild-now there's AI bots in the mix

Fionn Pooler@thepourover.coffee · 4w ago

On Monday the coffee futures market jumped nearly 19%, before falling back on Tuesday. It was the biggest one-day spike in more than 25 years. What happened? To try and find out, I spoke to several experts, analysts, and traders. ☕ This is a paywalled article, but Ghost now does gift links, so:

Bankruptcies, rising loan defaults and farmer-lender mediation #s tell the same story in wake of Trump admin trade disruptions, rising costs due to War in Iran, dismantling of #USDA capacity - www.startribune.com/farm-bankrup...

Minnesota farm bankruptcies rise as farm economy turns ‘uneasy’

Years of geopolitical and economic forces are eroding the financial health of the state’s agricultural growers.

startribune.com