Hunger/Food/Nutrition / Public News Service

Nearly 67,000 schools participate in Farm-to-School programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Ohio schools bring local farms to lunch trays with USDA funding

This October, Ohio schools are celebrating National Farm to School Month by serving local produce in their meals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture …

Researchers at the World Resources Institute said the average American can cut their environmental footprint in half by reducing dairy and meat consumption. (Molly Condit/Sinergia Animal/We Animals)

Congressional briefing promotes dairy digesters to curb methane emissions

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

In 2023, Shore to Shell recycled more than 72,000 pounds of oyster shells. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

GA oyster shell recycling turns restaurant waste into coastal protection

By Isabelle Atkins for Grady Newsource.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Georgia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network…

Statistics from the ALICE in Arkansas initiative show a significant increase in the number of ALICE households following COVID. (Zadvornov/Adobe Stock)

AR business owners collaborate to help ALICE residents

By Daniel Breen and Josie Lenora for Little Rock Public Radio.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for the Little Rock …

Early voting in Texas runs from Oct. 21 through Nov. 1. (DOERS/Adobe Stock)

Early voting kicks off in TX

Early voting kicks off in Texas today, and when voters cast their ballots, they'll vote for more than just the president. They'll also pick members …

According to the USDA, there are 2,850 slaughterhouses in the U.S., not including facilities slaughtering poultry. (Adobe Stock)

Milwaukee group vigilant about WI slaughterhouse projects

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Col…

The Hazleton Area School District received a grant for more than $99,000 to implement a sustainable agriculture program in its career center, providing local, nutritious food to students and addressing health disparities in its community. (Adobe Stock)

Program builds bridge between PA's local farms, school cafeterias

Schools in Pennsylvania are recognizing October's National Farm to School Month by serving local produce in their meals. The U.S. Department of …

For fiscal year 2024, the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is giving out a record $14.3 million in funding. (Adobe Stock)

Program helps kids learn more about farming in AL

Across Alabama, programs are helping kids learn more about farming and nutrition with the help of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA is …

A Chattanooga Regional Anti-Hunger Conference is coming up Oct. 22. The Tennessee Justice Center, along with community members and groups working to fight food insecurity, will gather to discuss federal programs like WIC, SNAP and Child Nutrition. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)<br />

TN expands SNAP assistance to residents post-Helene

Tennessee has expanded food assistance for Northeast Tennessee residents still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene. What's known as the Disaster …

Countries like Chile are major exporters of farmed salmon. (Ludmila/Adobe Stock)

National Seafood Month: Fish farming crowds out wild salmon

October is National Seafood Month and the fish on your plate might not be coming from where you think. The U.S. imports 90% of the seafood it …

Free school meals could help address the hunger nearly 145,000 Oregon children face. (LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock)

OR coalition urges state to feed every student at school

It is National School Lunch Week and groups in Oregon are taking the opportunity to encourage lawmakers to make school meals available to every kid in…

Adrian Sinclair is the plant manager at the 1839 Cherokee Meat Co. in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. (Ben Felder/Investigate Midwest)

OK tribes' meat processing plants reverse historic ag consolidation

By Ben Felder for Investigate Midwest.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Oklahoma News Service reporting for the Investigate Midwest-Solutions Jo…

Nearly 67,000 schools participate in Farm-to-School programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Michael Chamberlin/Adobe Stock)

Program helps build bridge between local farms, school cafeterias

This October, schools in Georgia are celebrating National Farm to School Month by serving local produce in their meals. The U.S. Department of …

Candice Griego, the new director of Tribal Relations for Roadrunner Food Bank, wants to help New Mexico's Indigenous communities develop food sovereignty. (Courtesy Roadrunner Food Bank)

NM food bank goes the distance to reach Indigenous communities

A New Mexico food bank has expanded outreach to the state's Indigenous communities by hiring a Director of Tribal Relations. Candice Griego will …

Groups sounding the alarm over the need to feed larger global populations in the near future say billionaires have the resources to significantly improve food systems by investing in alternatives to traditional products. (Adobe Stock)

How the world's ultra-rich are trying – or not – to make meat sustainable

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Prairie News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration O…

Eric Greenlee, a student from Georgia Tech, installs water-level sensors in lakes at Lac du Flambeau to help monitor wild rice beds. (Photo courtesy Naomi Blinick)

Culture, conservation thrive as Great Lakes Tribes bring back wild rice

By Spoorthy Raman for Mongabay.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News…

Winnebago adults and children husking corn during the 2024 Indian Corn Harvest. (Photo courtesy Ho-Chunk, Inc.)

Ho-Chunk Farms revitalize, preserve tribal culture with Indian Corn Project

Ho-Chunk Farms' annual Indian Corn Harvest is reviving and preserving this tradition for the northeast Nebraska tribe. Corn from a Winnebago family's …

Air pollution from livestock farms and feed production is estimated to cause 16,000 deaths per year. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Global veganism offers sustainable, nutritious alternative

As worldwide demand for meat and dairy continues to grow, so does evidence showing animal agriculture, as currently practiced, is harming the …

All Arkansas employers must display an approved Arkansas minimum-wage poster in a prominent place to inform employees about the minimum wage and their worker's rights under Arkansas labor law. GoodIdeas/Adobe Stock)

Study: Low wage workers in AR could benefit from minimum wage increase

A new study finds minimum-wage increases have little or no impact on job loss. The Economic Policy Institute study comes as federal lawmakers …

Close to 2.3 million New York kids participated in the school breakfast and lunch program on an average day during the 2022-2023 school year. (Adobe Stock)

Local 'Food for Schools' grants aid NY schools, farmers

October is National Farm to School Month, and New York schools are using grant funding to participate. School districts statewide have received …

America's Health Rankings places Indiana as 15th in the nation in the percentage of adults age 60 and older who faced food insecurity in the past 12 months. (Adobe Stock)

IN seniors lack of nutritious meals tied to income, physical challenges

Baby boomers are getting older, and an adequate diet is vital to this demographic in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Data in a 2022 report from the …

The process for testing for bacteria in foods can be a tricky, segmented process. (sinhyu/Adobe Stock)

After listeria outbreak, food regulations under scrutiny

A recent foodborne illness outbreak linked to deli meats is putting the spotlight on how these foods are regulated. The listeria outbreak in Boar's …

America's Health Rankings rated Illinois in 38th place in the country for the highest number of residents aged 60 and above who have faced food insecurity. (Adobe Stock)

IL seniors face mental, physical roadblocks to nutritious meals

The baby boomer generation is getting older and the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including regular access to nutritious meals, can …

It can take up to 10 weeks for some people to have symptoms of listeriosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

UT food-safety expert: Food policy 'strong' but implementation could improve

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a widespread recall of Boar's Head deli meats for contamination of listeria earlier this year. The …

A blood test is the only way to determine your cholesterol levels. (jarun011/Adobe Stock)

TX among states with high cholesterol numbers

On this last day of Cholesterol Education Month, the American Heart Association is highlighting the importance of knowing your cholesterol numbers - …

The CDC reports Pennsylvania has a rate of heart disease deaths of 173 per 100,000 population, not ideal, but well below the national average of 210 per 100,000. (Adobe Stock)

Doctors: To stay healthy, know your cholesterol numbers

The American Heart Association is spearheading a critical initiative to educate Pennsylvanians about the silent risks posed by high levels of LDL chol…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates more than one-third of food produced in the U.S. is never eaten, wasting the resources used to produce, process and distribute it. (Adobe Stock)<br />

ME tackles food waste in effort to mitigate climate change

A new study found Maine households are a leading contributor of food waste in local landfills, which in turn contributes to climate change. …

Viva Farms leases out parcels of more than 100 acres it operates in the Skagit Valley. (Lena Beck)

WA incubator helps new farmers overcome land access barrier

By Lena Beck for Modern Farmer.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Modern Farmer-Public News Service Col…

More than 90 % of the large tractors used on Iowa farms are sold by two companies, Deere & Co. and CNH. (Adobe Stock)

New data show increasing consolidation in Iowa's ag industry

Advocates for a fair, sustainable, and healthy food system have released a report showing that nearly all of the corn seed in Iowa is controlled by …

The debate over a new Farm Bill and where to prioritize funding comes as the number of farms declines while farm sizes go up. Experts said it is a symptom of corporate consolidation within agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Future health of WI's farmland monitored in Farm Bill fight

Congress has one week from today to reauthorize a sweeping policy playing a big role in shaping the nation's food production system, and Wisconsin …

Restaurants and food businesses in the U.S. use nearly 1 trillion pieces of disposable plasticware and packaging annually, according to Upstream, a reuse advocacy organization. (Adobe Stock)

Takeout with a side of sustainability: MA restaurants avoid single-use plastic

By Meg Wilcox for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Commonwealth News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public N…

About 1.2 million people in North Carolina are food insecure, according to state data, meaning they don't always have enough nutritious food to meet their needs. (Adobe Stock)

Raleigh event tackles hunger, health, finance for Hunger Action Month

As Hunger Action Month continues, measures are being taken across North Carolina to tackle food insecurity. This Saturday in Raleigh, organizations …

So far in 2024, community health centers in North Dakota have screened 11,580 patients for food insecurity. Through those screenings, more than three thousand box meals have been distributed. (Adobe Stock)

Nutrition takes a seat at the doctor's office in underserved areas

September is Hunger Action Month. In North Dakota, it isn't just food banks trying to help underserved populations get nutritious items. Health …

Groups fighting hunger will hold a panel discussion in Los Angeles, called

Feeding the unhoused in LA.: Searching for best practices

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …

A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows the rate of children without health insurance in New Mexico was 5.9% in 2023, compared to 5.4% nationwide. (FotoAndalucia/Adobe Stock)

New census data show significant drop in NM's child poverty

A new federal report shows anti-poverty policies enacted by New Mexico are making a big difference. This month, the U.S. Census Bureau has released …

According to the newly-formed South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative, over 100,000 South Dakotans experience food insecurity, including 24,000 children. (Yakobchuk Olena/Adobe Stock)

New SD collaborative to address food insecurity

In observance of Hunger Action Month, a new statewide collaborative has launched to address food insecurity in South Dakota. Nearly 14% of U.S…

Orange glow in Albuquerque night sky lights up Hunger Action Month

New Mexico's Roadrunner Food Bank sent a "glowing" invitation to encourage food and financial contributions during September's Hunger Action Month…

A multistate outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cows was first reported on March 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

As USDA announces field trials for bird flu, UT veterinarian expects long process

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved field trials for bird flu vaccines among cattle, but one Utah State veterinarian says to his …

The nation's child poverty rate increased 1.3 percentage points to 13.7 percent in 2023, according to newly released Census data. (Adobe Stock)

WV poverty rate for children among highest in nation

The number of West Virginia children living in poverty remains among the highest in the nation, and more children are living in households struggling …

Environmental researchers say locally based-food growers tend to be more conscious about minimizing harmful runoff from their farmland. (Adobe Stock)

WI program serves up fresh produce, with a side of climate benefits

Access to nutritious food can be hard to come by for underserved populations. A Wisconsin program that relies on contributions from locally based …

In 2017, the country's seafood industry supported 1.7 million jobs and contributed $212 billion in sales, according to NOAA's Office for Coastal Management. (Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Clamming for workers: ME boosts aquaculture training programs

The University of Maine is helping to train the next generation of skilled aquaculture workers. Designs for a new $10 million Sustainable …

One cow can produce up to 264 pounds of methane every year, and it's estimated that livestock production is responsible for 30% of global anthropogenic methane emissions. (Adobe Stock)

How livestock farming fuels climate change

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

According to the Center for American Progress,

Climate change worsens food insecurity in NE, U.S. and globally

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Nebraska News Connection reporting for The Daily Yonder-Public News Se…

Hunger Action Month started in 2008 when Feeding America's food banks came together to encourage individuals to take action against hunger in their local communities. (Adobe stock)

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry calls for action as food insecurity worsens

Hoosiers are marking Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign led by the Feeding America Network, to raise awareness and fight hunger across the U.…

The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals child poverty in America increased slightly in 2023. (Karen Roach/Adobe Stock)

Stalled Child Tax Credit leaves Ohio families in limbo

During this week's presidential debate, Vice President Kamala Harris proposed reviving the Child Tax Credit, which was part of the American Rescue …

The U.S. Census Bureau's supplemental poverty measure rose to just under 13% in 2023, up from 12.4% in 2022, despite an increase in median household incomes nationwide. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Census data: More Mainers struggle to meet basic needs

More Maine households struggled to meet their basic needs last year, according to new census data. More than 80,000 Mainers, or roughly 6% of the …

The North Dakota Farmers Union said more frequent and devastating natural disasters place added pressure on farmers and more robust conservation programs in a new Farm Bill could help make agricultural landscapes more climate resilient. (Adobe Stock)

ND farmers: It's déjà vu as Farm Bill deadline inches closer

Congress is back from recess and lawmakers are hearing from producers about getting a new Farm Bill passed with the latest deadline looming…

Income, location and trust issues can contribute to health disparities in the Latinx community. (Krakenimages.com/Adobe Stock)

TX nonprofits address health disparities in Latino community

Nonprofits across Texas are coming together to address disparities in health care for the Latinx community. A report by the Commonwealth Fund shows …

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