Missouri appeals court OKs $58 million award against chemical manufacturer

A Missouri state appeals court upheld a $58 million award to a former plant worker who developed bronchiolitis obliterans from exposure to flavoring additive manufacturing company's chemicals. James Graham won $56.6 million punitive damages and $1.5 million in compensatory damages in a jury trial against Givaudan Flavors Corp. The company knew the chemicals it used contained toxic diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione in the 1980s and did nothing.

Spring is coming earlier. How will agriculture be affected?

This year's spring arrived 3 to 5 weeks earlier than the average between 1991 and 2020 in the central U.S. and 2 to 3 weeks earlier in southern Midwest states. Climate Central analysis found that spring is trending to an earlier arrival from 1981 to 2025 in most of the United States. An earlier spring could have consequences for the agriculture industry, ecology and more.

Sustainable chocolate may be sweet treat of future

Swiss scientists and chocolatiers have developed a new chocolate recipe in which sugar is replaced with plant-based byproducts. The new method is more efficient and healthier than traditional methods. It also reduces waste and environmental impact and enhances the nutritional value of chocolate. New approach could be a new source of income for farmers.

Microplastics May Be Overcounted — Here’s Why

A new paper in Analytical Methods suggests that the quantity of microplastics may be overestimated due to a simple lab error. The group from the University of Michigan discovered that they were unknowingly contaminating their samples with standard lab gloves, inflating the results. The culprit turned out to be sample contamination from their lab gloves.

Under Trump, the Department of Agriculture Has Ditched Conservation and Climate Efforts

The Trump administration quietly axed a Biden-era program to help young and first-time farmers gain access to land. It's the latest in a series of Trump administration moves targeting conservation programs and staff at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) lost 23 percent of its staff, dropping from nearly 12,000 employees to just over 9,000.

How the Iran war has sowed panic among farmers

On April 7th America and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Iran said that safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz would be possible in co-ordination with the country’s armed forces, as well as with the American armed forces.

What to expect when you’re expecting the end of the world

Jem Bendell quit his job as a professor of sustainability leadership at the University of Cumbria in 2017 because of climate change. He wrote a paper titled "Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy" in July 2018. It was downloaded more than a million times.

Two with E. coli in San Diego linked to Raw Farms Cheddar Cheese

Two people in San Diego got sick with Shiga toxin-producing E.coli from Raw FARM raw cheddar cheese. The company issued a voluntary recall on April 2. Raw milk products like unpasteurized cheese can carry dangerous bacteria. The largest raw milk outbreak in U.S. history was identified in 2023–24.

Myanmar’s food security in crisis as fuel, fertiliser shortages threaten fragile economy

Inflation that ran as high as 20 per cent last year has spiked again. The World Food Programme has warned that a 50 per cent reduction of fertiliser use this planting season could result in a 10 to 15 per cent decline in agricultural production. Myanmar is down the pecking order of Asian nations able to replenish energy and fertiliser stocks from the Middle East. Myanmar imports over 90 per cent of its refined fuel from abroad and has no domestic refining capacity.

Donetsk: Helping isolated communities through difficult winters

Natalia's water tank was damaged by shelling and she no longer had enough water to irrigate her garden. She was provided with a new 1,000-litre water tank and a drip irrigation system to help her grow her vegetables. There are water shortages in Donetsk due to damaged infrastructure, energy disruptions and reduced access to main water sources.

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