Hunger/Food/Nutrition / Public News Service

Factory farms are responsible for between 11% and 20% of global greenhouse emissions, according to the group World Animal Protection. (By Larry Rana-USDA, Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

Friday, January 24, 2025

UN Green Climate Fund invests in KY factory farming, report finds

By Sophie Kevany for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Friday, January 24, 2025

Free lunch, breakfast could soon come to all VA students

Free school lunch and breakfast may soon be the law in the Commonwealth. House Bill 1958 would require local school boards to participate in federal …

Under the Agricultural Water Optimization Program, the maximum grant amount for irrigation/canal companies is $1,000,000, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Utah program incentivizes farmers to optimize water use

A Utah grant program is aiming to incentivize farmers to optimize their water use. Historically, Utah agriculture has accounted for up to 80% of the …

Ohio has the eighth-highest number of children that are covered by Medicaid in small towns and rural communities nationally. (IB Photography/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Ohio faces health care challenges as Medicaid funding wavers

As Congress debates potential cuts to Medicaid, a new report from Georgetown University sheds light on how these changes could disproportionately …

The population of Kane County, Illinois, is about 500,000. Reducing rotting food in landfills will help the county achieve its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 2019 levels by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Kane County uses $500,000 grant to reduce food waste

Kane County officials plan to launch four composting programs at large-scale facilities to reduce food waste, as part of meeting the county's climate …

Opponents of genetically engineered fish say if they escaped into the wild, they could bring disease and competition to the 25% of freshwater fish, including Atlantic salmon, already at risk of extinction. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

MA company ends production of genetically modified Atlantic salmon

Conservation groups are celebrating the end of a Massachusetts-based biotech company's pursuit of bringing genetically altered Atlantic salmon to mark…

President-elect Trump's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is a fan of raw milk, which can contain dangerous pathogens and spread zoonotic diseases, like avian flu. (Adobe Stock)

Cabinet nominees push deregulation of America's food systems

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration…

Climate change threatens many New Mexico crops, including chiles, onions, garlic and pecans. (TatianaEvdokimova/Adobe Stock)

Stakes high for New Mexico ag growers awaiting new farm bill

Experts agree climate-smart agriculture will be critical in the fight against climate change. But with a divided Congress and no update to the Farm …

Ohio is the nation's fifth-largest producer of soybeans and corn, making agricultural policies like the Farm Bill critical for its economy. (JJ Gouin/Adobe Stock)

Ohio farmers navigate uncertainty amid Farm Bill delays

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboratio…

According to a survey by the Veganuary organization, 81% of participants who took the survey maintained a dramatic reduction in their animal product consumption after six months. (Iuliia Metkalova/Adobe Stock)

'Veganuary' challenge continues to see growth in 2025

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Coll…

In recent years, the meat industry took out full-page ads in newspapers, and placed a $5 million Super Bowl commercial, claiming that meat is

How 'big meat' worked to rebrand in 2024 using disinformation

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service C…

Volunteer Hector Silva of Hunger Action Los Angeles prepares burritos for distribution to fire victims in Pasadena, Calif. (Sara Donis)

Anti-hunger groups tackle increased need during the L.A. fires

Food donations are pouring in to help victims of the Los Angeles fires, to the point donors are being asked to hold off a bit so it can all be …

Along South Dakota's Rosebud Reservation, Sicangu Co. members Mayce Low Dog and Karen Moore harvest local plants. (Photo courtesy of Grace Hussain)

For SD tribe, food sovereignty means eating climate-friendly

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Greater Dakota News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

If confirmed, Brooke Rollins will direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its 100,000 employees, running on an annual budget of $437 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Texan tapped as ag secretary in upcoming Trump administration

By Dawn Attride for Sentient.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration Pres…

CalFood is a program of the California Department of Social Services that allows food banks to purchase California-grown and produced foods to augment donations. (Nadianb/Adobe Stock)

Hunger-fighting groups try to prevent cuts to CA food-bank funding

Groups working to fight hunger in California are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to protect funding for the CalFood program in his initial budget …

Alabama's maternal mortality rate is 36.4 deaths per 100,000 live births, which is more than double the national average of 17.4. (Adobe Stock)

Alabama Arise prepares to tackle poverty, health issues in 2025

With the 2025 legislative session around the corner, the nonprofit advocacy group Alabama Arise said it plans to take aim at poverty and systemic …

Trace Company's report says Indiana farms lose nearly $30 million, or $552 per farm every year from natural disasters. (Adobe Stock)

Natural disasters cost IN farmers millions in crop, cattle damage

Consumers are unhappy with increasing food prices and blame inflation. In reality, natural disasters have a direct link to grocery costs, and no end …

Congress's latest one-year Farm Bill extension provides $20 billion in funding for federal farm programs and $10 billion in direct economic relief to farmers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Trump administration could tackle corporate food system, help farmers

As inflation and falling crop prices continue to affect farmers, their advocates say the incoming Trump administration could take steps to reform the …

About 34% of Detroit residents do not own a vehicle, making access to healthy food sources more challenging. (Chris Ahern Photo/Adobe Stock)

A Detroit nonprofit leads the way to building sustainable food systems

A Detroit nonprofit said it is helping people in the city reclaim control over the food they eat from where it is grown to where they buy it…

Organic farmers often earn more for their products and pay less to grow them. (Tinashe Njaku/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

‘Historic’ support available for OR farmers going organic

New funding is making it easier than ever for Oregon farmers to become certified organic. To achieve certification, farmers must go three years …

The Farm Bill extension is in effect through Sept. 30, 2025, and includes nearly $31 billion in economic and disaster aid for farmers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

For WI farmers, Farm Bill extension brings relief, uncertainty

Farmers in Wisconsin may be breathing a sigh of relief going into the new year with the farm bill extension but it may be temporary, as experts said …

Opah are often caught as incidental catch alongside tuna. (NOAA/Flickr)

When bycatch is on the menu

By Leilani Marie Labong for FoodPrint.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the FoodPrint-Public News Service …

Many federal conservation programs received a boost in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, one of the largest investments in climate Congress has made in the nation's history. (Adobe Stock)

Southwest WI farmer unfazed by weather due to conservation practices

A diverse group of Southwest Wisconsin farmers are using federally funded conservation programs to help improve their farms' soil health and resilienc…

The State of Illinois Department on Aging predicts by 2030, adults age 60 and older will be 25% of the state's population. (Adobe Stock)

Volunteers vital for meal delivery to older IL residents

As the new year approaches, people often make resolutions to donate money to a charity. Donating one's time as a volunteer is an option that …

New Mexico joined more than a dozen other states in 2023 offering child tax credits meant to boost economic security. (courtesy New Mexico Voices for Children)

Report: Tax credits shrink poverty for NM's kids, families

Child tax credits offer a financial lifeline to parents and can lift children out of poverty, according to a report from New Mexico's Voices for …

New Hampshire's roughly 4,000 farms support more than 20,000 jobs and provide an economic value of $1.2 billion dollars through direct product sales, labor and agritourism, according to the University of New Hampshire. (Adobe Stock)

NH farmers brace for Trump tariffs as farm income declines

New Hampshire's farming community is bracing for potential fallout from President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariffs. Agricultural goods were a …

Colorado's San Luis Valley produces two billion pounds of potatoes a year, the second largest yield in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado’s new tool for preserving aquifers for farming

By Jennifer Oldham for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public…

Nearly two in five students experienced food insecurity in a survey of Washington state postsecondary students. (Mauricio Toro/Adobe Stock)

Hunger concerns on WA postsecondary campuses as holidays approach

Hunger is an issue for many students on Washington state's postsecondary campuses this holiday season. A survey of nearly 10,000 students in …

According to a 2021 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 44 counties in the United States had no grocery stores in 2015; 40 of them were in rural settings. (Adobe Stock)

The ups and downs of combating rural grocery deserts in ND

Several rural communities across North Dakota are strategizing how to slow the pace of local grocery stores shutting down. Some are making use of …

A coalition pushing for universal school meals in North Dakota says nearly half of food-insecure children do not qualify for federal nutrition programs, leaving thousands without access to free breakfast and lunch at school. (Adobe Stock)

Food insecurity prompts ND advocates to eye universal school meals

North Dakota is expected to rejoin the debate over whether all school children, regardless of their family income, should have access to no-cost …

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced $3.6 million in more than 100 grant awards through several programs, including the Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant Program, which aims to improve bog design and reduce negative environmental impacts from cranberry production. (Adobe Stock)

MA state grants boost rural economies, climate resilience

Rural communities across Massachusetts are benefiting from state grants aimed at strengthening the local food supply and building climate resilience…

SNAP recipients currently receive as little as $23 per month to purchase food, and the average SNAP benefit is just $6 a day. (Adobe Stock)

SNAP funding in question as Congress works to avoid shutdown

Congressional efforts to avoid a government shutdown could extend funding for SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps. And if the continuing …

In Tennessee, the SNAP asset limit is $3,000 for most households and $4,500 for households with a disabled member or someone age 60 or older. (Prostock-studio/Adobe Stock)

Proposed SNAP, Summer EBT cuts threaten more than 600,000 Tennesseans

Several federal programs may face budget cuts as the new administration proposes sweeping actions to reduce the federal debt. Advocates for the …

Colorado's Community Food Grants are expected to create economic benefits for local economies, much like SNAP benefits that add $1.50 for every dollar invested. (Adobe Stock)

Nearly 90 food banks, pantries across Colorado get $2,611,500

Colorado is distributing over $2.6 million to food banks and pantries to ensure that the state's one in seven children facing hunger can access nutrit…

The latest federal numbers show that about 8.7 million U.S. households, with at least one adult older than 50, participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). (Adobe Stock)

Clearing the myths: Simplifying SNAP benefits to fight senior hunger

Hunger doesn't retire, yet millions of older Americans struggling to afford food may not realize help is within reach. Misconceptions and stigma …

Iowa is the nation's top hog producer, with a population of 23.4 million pigs. This means that for every Iowan, there are 7.3 pigs. Hogs are routinely raised in large confinements, which are known to pollute air and groundwater. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa livestock producers increase antibiotic use

Livestock being raised with antibiotics is on the rise in Iowa, the nation's number one hog producer. Doctors say the trend increases the risk of …

The Coastal Credit Union Foundation's grant cycle for the fourth quarter of 2024 supported more than a dozen organizations dedicated to improving access to resources and strengthening financial well-being programs in local communities. (Adobe Stock)

NC foundation grants help local nonprofits expand community services

North Carolina nonprofits are increasing their reach and enhancing services with nearly $1 million in grant funding provided this year by the Coastal …

In the latest poll by No Kid Hungry Virginia, 78% of respondents said it has become more difficult to afford groceries in the last year. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia families grapple with food insecurity, advocates urge more support

Rising grocery prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits have left many Virginia families struggling to make ends meet. A recent poll from No Kid …

More Texans than ever have signed up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act, with more than one in nine residents covered under government-subsidized health plans.<br />(C Davids/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Cuts to ACA, Medicaid, CHIP could affect millions of Texans

More than 3 million Texans could be affected if changes are made to the Affordable Care Act. During the 2024 campaign, President-elect Donald Trump …

A USDA analysis showed every dollar spent on SNAP benefits generates $1.50 to $1.80 in local economic activity during downturns. (Tatiana/Adobe Stock)

MO launches summer food aid for kids relying on school meals

Missouri has stepped up to fight childhood hunger by providing food aid over the summer for kids who rely on school meals for nutrition. The U.S…

Calls to 911 for GLOW users tend to occur in geographic areas where poverty is more concentrated in Longview. (MclittleStock/Adobe Stock)

East TX program connects residents to services, frees up 911

First responders in the east Texas city of Longview are getting help from a recently formed organization. The GLOW program helps connect residents …

The familiar red kettle started in San Francisco in 1891 as a crab pot for out-of-work seamen and longshoremen due to the Depression. By 1990, the buckets were used nationwide to collect donations. (Adobe Stock)

IN Salvation Army chapters see donation decrease

Donations to charities are down this year, including to the Salvation Army. The longstanding organization acknowledges people are not giving their …

Obesity, defined as a BMI of 30 or higher, increases risks for serious health issues like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, while also affecting mental and social well-being. (Adobe Stock)

Alabama task force tackles obesity crisis, explores data and solutions

Alabama leaders are zeroing in on the state's obesity crisis, which now ranks seventh-highest in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease …

Republicans' concerns with Senator Stabenow's new farm bill likely stem from lobbying groups representing large-scale farmers who want fewer restrictions on their business practices.<br />(maksymowicz/Adobe Stock)

Senate farm bill prioritizes climate, but faces defeat

By Frida Garza for Grist.Broadcast version by Chrystal Blair for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Rural News Network-Public News Service Col…

ALICE families say while wages have increased, it hasn't been enough to keep up with inflation and is sometimes hard to put food on the table. (Konstantin Yuganov/Adobe Stock)

'ALICE at Work' on paycheck-to-paycheck struggle

By Wesley Brown for the Arkansas Delta Informer.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Arkansas News Service reporting for The Arkansas Delta Informer-Wi…

Antimicrobial consumption in farm animals is on the rise in the U.S., while declining in Europe by 44% from 2014 to 2021. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

Antibiotic use in livestock, once in decline, is creeping back up

By Sophie Kevany for Sentient.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborati…

Bethany Christian Schools' teachers, students, grounds and kitchen staff -- as well as their laying hens -- work hard every day to bring the beauty of nature close to home. (Bethany Christian Schools)

Hoosier kids dig into fresh food, sustainability

By Amy Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collaboratio…

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the wastewater viral activity level for COVID-19 is currently high in Arkansas. (Adobe Stock)

New relief for Arkansans suffering from long COVID

The aftermath of COVID-19 infections has left many with unexplainable fatigue or memory loss. A new study revealed a prescription drug used for …

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