War in the Middle East has disrupted global fertilizer markets. Urea prices jumped by nearly 46% in a month. The World Food Programme has warned that global food systems are under severe strain. Half of all food consumed globally depends on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers made using an industrial ammonia-producing method called the Haber–Bosch process. Natural gas serves as both a feedstock and the primary energy source, so disruptions in energy markets push up fertilizer prices rapidly.
For decades, a program in the Environmental Protection Agency conducted the scientific work of assessing the toxicity of chemicals. The calculations underpin vast numbers of chemical regulations, permits and other environmental rules in the U.S. and abroad. Now the Trump administration suggests that their library of more than 500 chemical assessments can't be trusted. The second-guessing could weaken efforts to protect people from harmful chemicals.
Utz Quality Foods LLC is voluntarily recalling limited varieties of Dirty and Zapp's brand potato chips due to salmonella concerns. There have been no reported illnesses related to the recall. People are advised to discard any products they may have and not eat them. Customers with additional questions may contact the company's customer care team via phone at 1-877-423-0149 on weekdays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Researchers found microplastics in frog tadpoles and their pond habitats in the wild in the Amazon for the first time. This confirms widespread microplastic contamination of the Amazon Rainforest. Microplastics can negatively affect the health of amphibians and cause morphological damage.
California is seeking millions of dollars in penalties from State Farm. Regulators may temporarily suspend the company's license. The company was slow to investigate and underpaid claims from the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The two fires killed 31 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures.
The class-action lawsuit was filed on Monday in federal court in Illinois on behalf of consumers in 12 states. It could eventually include millions of plaintiffs. The aim is to hold the cannabis industry accountable for “years of misrepresentation” of their products’ health benefits and force them to warn consumers about the dangers of cannabis.
The Department of Insurance is filing an administrative action against State Farm, California's largest home insurer, for allegedly mishandling claims following the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles. The department launched a market conduct exam into State Farm General in June 2025 after complaints by victims of the fire in Pacific Palisades, Altadena and nearby communities. It found that the company failed in numerous cases to pursue a “thorough, fair and objective investigation” into claims, failed to come to “prompt, fair, and equitable settlements” and made settlement offers that were “unreasonably low.
The Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act S.4470 aims to strengthen USDA support for urban and small-scale farmers. Senators John Fetterman, Elissa Slotkin, Adam Schiff, Tina Smith, Cory Booker, Michael Bennet, Martin Heinrich, and John Hickenlooper introduced the bill last week.
The final rule on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products will be published in New Mexico’s Register on May 5, 2026. It includes prohibitions for certain consumer products in 2027 and 2028, reporting due January 1, 2027, a labeling requirement for products manufactured after 1, 1/1/2027, and a 2032 prohibition on products containing intentionally added PFAS not exempt or have a currently unavoidable use (CUU) determination.
A coal mine explosion in Colombia's Cundinamarca province killed nine workers and injured six. The explosion was caused by a buildup of gases, the National Mining Agency said. The agency had issued risk-control recommendations for the site weeks earlier. Colombia is home to numerous open and underground gold and coal mines.