The Strait of Hormuz is closing, which is disrupting one-third of the world’s agricultural fertilizers deliveries. Farmers are cutting back on fertilizer use or shifting to less fertilizer-intensive crops. The current shortage may also help shift where farmers find fertilizer.
Elsa Thora, 24, from Sweden, is famous for her Facebook post about wanting to buy ranch dressing for the World Cup in Indianapolis. The TSA advised people to pack it in their checked bags on their way home. Kraft posted a partially AI-generated image of supposedly-TSA-compliant mini-ranch packets.
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Vietnam has one of the fastest deforestation rates in the world. Half a million acres of Central Highlands forest in Vietnam have been cleared for coffee since 1990, an area the size of Luxembourg. Agriculture is by far the leading driver of deforestation. Coffee is the sixth-leading driver of agricultural deforestation.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released a statement in response to the Agricultural Act of 2026 discussion draft released by Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR). NSAC urges Congress to put farmers back in control of their own future by prioritizing meaningful, long-term farm bill investments over short-term band-aids.
EPA issued a final rule on June 22, 2026. It updates the EPCRA hazard categories to match OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) amendments of 2012 and 2024. It also revises the SDS definition and improves the Tier II reporting consistency.
Bob Blumenfield introduced a motion to increase local composting and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Los Angeles. The city produces 350,000 tons of organic material a year, which equates to about 1.2 to 1.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. The state’s composting bill mandated a gradual increase in the amount of organic waste that must be diverted from landfills.
The fire at a cold storage warehouse in Boyle Heights, California, has been burning for a seventh straight day. The company operating the facility, Lineage Logistics, raised $4.44 billion in its U.S. initial public offering in 2024, the largest stock market debut of the year. It also has been cited for regulatory violations and hazardous chemical releases at some of its facilities, according to enforcement records and a civil lawsuit. A lawsuit filed by plaintiffs claims the building’s sealed construction and ammonia-based refrigeration system trapped heat and smoke and dehumidified the air, increasing combustibility.
Ethiopia has reactivated and restructured the National Lead Coordinating Committee (NLCC) in order to address the growing public health risk of lead poisoning. The NLCC has introduced a three-tier coordination structure to eliminate overlapping mandates and ensure accountability. The workshop also endorsed the establishment of five thematic sub-committees focusing on policy and regulation, research and surveillance, environmental monitoring, risk communication, and resource mobilization.
Ana Dolaskie and Desiree English team up with Dr. Jess Steier for the latest edition of the Science Dispatch Moms Takeover. They tackle honey and infant botulism risks, viral pesticide panics and evidence-based formula feeding.