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Agriculture

All articles tagged with #agriculture

Heat threatens global coffee supply, new analysis finds
world11 days ago

Heat threatens global coffee supply, new analysis finds

Climate Central finds the world’s top five coffee producers now face about 57 extra days annually with temperatures above 30C, with El Salvador adding 99 hot days, Brazil 70 and Ethiopia 34, risking arabica yields; as prices for arabica and robusta surge, adaptation funding for smallholders remains woefully insufficient, prompting initiatives like Oromia’s energy-efficient stoves, while governments must scale climate action to safeguard future coffee supplies.

AI spirals, shelters and peaches: five stories in today’s briefing
news-roundup13 days ago

AI spirals, shelters and peaches: five stories in today’s briefing

A five‑story briefing covers: an NPR profile of Micky Small whose long ChatGPT sessions spawned a troubling “spiral time” belief; reports that the Trump administration moved all pregnant unaccompanied minors to a single Texas shelter amid abortion‑access concerns; LAist’s feature on Food Forward’s gleaning program that rescues produce to feed LA residents; Grist studies linking intensive wildfire‑smoke exposure during pregnancy to higher autism risk; and Masumoto Family Farm’s Adopt‑a‑Tree program inviting volunteers to harvest heirloom peaches.

GOP Farm Bill Draws Fire as Industry-Backed Poison Pills, Critics Say
politics15 days ago

GOP Farm Bill Draws Fire as Industry-Backed Poison Pills, Critics Say

Critics from animal welfare, environmental groups, public health advocates, and small farmers condemn the GOP Farm Bill draft unveiled by House Agriculture Chair Thompson as an industry-backed package loaded with “poison pills,” including pesticide liability protections and cuts to SNAP, arguing it would weaken environmental safeguards, raise food- and farmer-related costs, and hinder bipartisan action, while supporters say the proposal provides certainty for farmers and the panel plans a markup soon.

Lebanon accuses Israel of aerial glyphosate spraying on southern farms
world23 days ago

Lebanon accuses Israel of aerial glyphosate spraying on southern farms

Lebanon has accused Israel of spraying glyphosate, a cancer-linked herbicide, over farms in the south, calling it an environmental and health crime that could threaten food security. Beirut says lab analyses show elevated glyphosate levels and UN peacekeepers reported being advised to take cover during an Israeli aerial operation, while Israel has not commented.

Lebanon accuses Israel of deploying glyphosate over southern border villages
world24 days ago

Lebanon accuses Israel of deploying glyphosate over southern border villages

Lebanon says Israeli aircraft sprayed concentrated glyphosate over southern border villages; labs reportedly found levels 20–30 times the usual, prompting condemnation as a sovereignty violation and environmental harm. Israel declined to comment; UN peacekeepers were warned to shelter after being notified of planned spraying. The motive remains unclear, but experts warn of ecological damage and jeopardized farming livelihoods amid continuing border tensions.

EU and Mercosur clinch sweeping free-trade pact amid shifting world trade
world1 month ago

EU and Mercosur clinch sweeping free-trade pact amid shifting world trade

After more than 25 years of talks, the European Union and Mercosur signed a landmark free-trade agreement in Asunción, aiming to eliminate over 90% of tariffs and create one of the world’s largest tariff-free zones for about 700 million consumers, though ratification by the European Parliament and farm-lobby objections remain potential hurdles amid ongoing geopolitical competition with the U.S. and China.

EU-Mercosur seal historic free-trade pact after decades of talks
world1 month ago

EU-Mercosur seal historic free-trade pact after decades of talks

EU and Mercosur signed a free-trade agreement in Asuncion, paving the way for the EU's largest-ever trade pact; it now requires European Parliament approval and ratification by Mercosur members, with about 111 billion euros in 2024 trade and exports split between EU machinery/chemicals/vehicles and Mercosur agricultural goods/minerals/wood pulp, while critics warn of cheap imports and deforestation.

French Farmers Protest in Paris to Oppose EU-Mercosur Trade Deal
world1 month ago

French Farmers Protest in Paris to Oppose EU-Mercosur Trade Deal

French farmers protested in Paris against the EU-Mercosur trade deal, fearing it will harm local agriculture by allowing cheaper imports from South America. Despite opposition from France and some other EU countries, the deal is expected to be approved by the EU, with support from Italy and other nations, after negotiations and concessions.

Winter's Hidden Role in Earth's Survival
science1 month ago

Winter's Hidden Role in Earth's Survival

The article discusses how the decline in winter cold and frost days due to climate change disrupts key biological processes in plants and pests, affecting agriculture and ecosystems. Cold is essential for plant vernalization, pest control, and ecological balance, but warming winters threaten these functions, leading to potential crop failures and ecological shifts. Scientists are exploring ways to mimic or stabilize cold responses in plants through genetic and epigenetic techniques to adapt to a changing climate.