Civil Eats

Civil Eats https://civileats.com/ Daily News and Commentary About the American Food System Thu, 15 Oct 2026 03:15:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Mary Berry Lives Out Her Father’s Farming Vision in an ‘Unsettled America’ https://civileats.com/2026/10/15/mary-berry-lives-out-her-fathers-farming-vision-in-an-unsettled-america/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/15/mary-berry-lives-out-her-fathers-farming-vision-in-an-unsettled-america/#respond Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:00:17 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76181

Mary Berry (Photo courtesy of the Berry Center)

By Christina Cooke • October 15, 2026How the daughter of author Wendell Berry and executive director of the Berry Center advocates for agrarian ideals.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/15/mary-berry-lives-out-her-fathers-farming-vision-in-an-unsettled-america/feed/ 0 30 Days After Increased Beef Imports, US Ranchers Are Getting Paid Less for Cattle https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/30-days-after-increased-beef-imports-us-ranchers-are-getting-paid-less-for-cattle/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/30-days-after-increased-beef-imports-us-ranchers-are-getting-paid-less-for-cattle/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:17:07 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76172

Cowboys herding cattle in a feedlot in Texas. (Photo credit: Andy Sacks, Getty Images)

By Lisa Held • October 14, 2026According to a new analysis, ground beef prices at the grocery store have only come down by 2 percent, but prices paid to beef producers decreased more than 12 percent.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/30-days-after-increased-beef-imports-us-ranchers-are-getting-paid-less-for-cattle/feed/ 0 In the Right to Repair Revolt, Nebraska Leads With Farm-Data Ownership Law https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/in-the-right-to-repair-revolt-nebraska-leads-with-farm-data-ownership-law/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/in-the-right-to-repair-revolt-nebraska-leads-with-farm-data-ownership-law/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:00:02 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76155 A farmer inputs data into the yield monitor in the cab of a combine during the soybean harvest near Northland, Minnesota. (Photo by: Richard Hamilton Smith/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

A farmer inputs data into the yield monitor in the cab of a combine during the soybean harvest near Northland, Minnesota. (Photo by: Richard Hamilton Smith/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

By Elsa Wenzel • October 14, 2026Farmers are organizing against equipment and seed companies profiting from their data and using it against them. Similar laws in other states have so far failed.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/in-the-right-to-repair-revolt-nebraska-leads-with-farm-data-ownership-law/feed/ 0 Op-ed: There’s a Future for Farming in Chicago and Cities Beyond https://civileats.com/2026/10/13/op-ed-theres-a-future-for-farming-in-chicago-and-cities-beyond/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/13/op-ed-theres-a-future-for-farming-in-chicago-and-cities-beyond/#respond Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:00:45 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76138 The Conservation Fund has permanently protected Z-Farm on Chicago’s South Side, a working farm that has spent the last two years bringing local food back to the community. The land now belongs to Urban Growers Collective, the nonprofit that has farmed it since 2024, giving the organization permanent ownership and ensuring the property will stay farmland for good.

The Conservation Fund has permanently protected Z-Farm on Chicago’s South Side, a working farm that has spent the last two years bringing local food back to the community. The land now belongs to Urban Growers Collective, the nonprofit that has farmed it since 2024, giving the organization permanent ownership and ensuring the property will stay farmland for good.

By Kelly Larsen • October 13, 2026Conservation efforts can help prevent the loss of land that is currently stymying small farming.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/13/op-ed-theres-a-future-for-farming-in-chicago-and-cities-beyond/feed/ 0 USDA Announces $180 Million to Fund Seed Research https://civileats.com/2026/10/09/usda-announces-180-million-to-fund-seed-research/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/09/usda-announces-180-million-to-fund-seed-research/#respond Fri, 09 Oct 2026 17:18:18 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76126

By Lisa Held • October 9, 2026The agency says the effort will bolster seed sovereignty and food security, but advocates say it doesn’t adequately address corporate control of seeds.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/09/usda-announces-180-million-to-fund-seed-research/feed/ 0 In Washington State, the Oyster Industry Is At War With Ghost Shrimp https://civileats.com/2026/10/08/in-washington-state-the-oyster-industry-is-at-war-with-ghost-shrimp/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/08/in-washington-state-the-oyster-industry-is-at-war-with-ghost-shrimp/#respond Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:00:41 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76099 Human hand holding a freshly caught ghost shrimp in front of a beach.

Human hand holding a freshly caught ghost shrimp in front of a beach.

By Jesse Koji Fukumoto • October 8, 2026For decades, Willapa Bay kept native shrimp in check with pesticides that are now banned. New solutions have been hard to come by.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/08/in-washington-state-the-oyster-industry-is-at-war-with-ghost-shrimp/feed/ 0 Foraging for ‘Deep Exploration’ https://civileats.com/2026/10/07/foraging-for-deep-exploration/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/07/foraging-for-deep-exploration/#respond Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:18 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76081 Robin Greenfield shares tea with students at a Foraging School in Florida in January 2026. (Photo courtesy of Robin Greenfield)

Robin Greenfield shares tea with students at a Foraging School in Florida in January 2026. (Photo courtesy of Robin Greenfield)

By Paula Cristobal Madina • October 7, 2026Activist Robin Greenfield shares how (and why) he spent the past year living off the land.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/07/foraging-for-deep-exploration/feed/ 0 FDA Investigation Found Cyclospora at Taylor Farms’ Mexico Facility https://civileats.com/2026/10/06/fda-investigation-found-cyclospora-at-taylor-farms-mexico-facility/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/06/fda-investigation-found-cyclospora-at-taylor-farms-mexico-facility/#respond Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:27:36 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76037

An employee checks packaged leafy greens before they are boxed at a Bowery farm in Nottingham, Maryland on April 14, 2023.(Photo credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, Getty Images)

By Rebekah Alvey • October 6, 2026The agency has concluded its investigation into a cyclospora outbreak that sickened a record number of Americans this summer.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/06/fda-investigation-found-cyclospora-at-taylor-farms-mexico-facility/feed/ 0 What Happens When Farmers Help Neighbors Dine Together? https://civileats.com/2026/10/06/what-happens-when-farmers-dine-with-their-neighbors/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/06/what-happens-when-farmers-dine-with-their-neighbors/#respond Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:52 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76056 Marin Warshay and Emily Talkow celebrate hosting their neighbors for a Long-Handled Spoon Dinner, thanks to the support of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT). (Photo courtesy of Marin Warshay)

Marin Warshay and Emily Talkow celebrate hosting their neighbors for a Long-Handled Spoon Dinner, thanks to the support of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT). (Photo courtesy of Marin Warshay)

By Bridget Shirvell • October 6, 2026How a Vermont farmers’ association is building community and strengthening connections to local food systems.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/06/what-happens-when-farmers-dine-with-their-neighbors/feed/ 0 USDA Finalizes Changes That Could End Support for Solar on Farms https://civileats.com/2026/10/05/usda-finalizes-changes-that-could-end-support-for-solar-on-farms/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/05/usda-finalizes-changes-that-could-end-support-for-solar-on-farms/#respond Mon, 05 Oct 2026 22:06:13 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76041

Solar panels on a farm in Tennessee, funded in part by USDA REAP funding. (Photo CC-licensed by the USDA on Flickr.)

By Lisa Held • October 5, 2026Farmer and environmental groups are suing to stop the changes to the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/05/usda-finalizes-changes-that-could-end-support-for-solar-on-farms/feed/ 0 How Trump’s Canada Tariffs Hit a Sole Washington Grocer https://civileats.com/2026/10/01/trumps-canadian-tariffs-hit-this-sole-washington-grocery-store/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/01/trumps-canadian-tariffs-hit-this-sole-washington-grocery-store/#respond Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:00:56 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76013 the only way into Point Roberts, Whatcom County, is through two international border crossings, the smallest and last at the end of a suburban road in Tsawwassen, B.C. Photo Credit: Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce

the only way into Point Roberts, Whatcom County, is through two international border crossings, the smallest and last at the end of a suburban road in Tsawwassen, B.C. Photo Credit: Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce

By Jennifer Cole • October 1, 2026The economy of Point Roberts relies on cross-border traffic—and that includes the only grocery store in town.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/01/trumps-canadian-tariffs-hit-this-sole-washington-grocery-store/feed/ 0 Op-ed: Agricultural ‘Efficiency’ Is a False Promise https://civileats.com/2026/09/30/op-ed-agricultural-efficiency-is-a-false-promise/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/30/op-ed-agricultural-efficiency-is-a-false-promise/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:00:24 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75984 Op-ed: Agricultural ‘Efficiency’ Is a False Promise

Op-ed: Agricultural ‘Efficiency’ Is a False Promise

By Tim Gibbons • September 30, 2026Democracy demands a thriving food system that supports our land, farmers, and communities.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/30/op-ed-agricultural-efficiency-is-a-false-promise/feed/ 1 Lawmakers Press USDA on Funding for Urban Ag https://civileats.com/2026/09/29/lawmakers-press-usda-on-funding-for-urban-ag/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/29/lawmakers-press-usda-on-funding-for-urban-ag/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:35:09 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75973

Strawberry plants peek out of plastic mulch sheeting on the farm. (Photo credit: Gina Margaret Tiger, Unsplash)

By Lisa Held • September 29, 2026The agency has failed to make grant funds allocated by Congress for urban and suburban farmers available over the past two years.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/29/lawmakers-press-usda-on-funding-for-urban-ag/feed/ 0 At This Public Garden, an Asian Herb Offers a Portal to the Past https://civileats.com/2026/09/28/at-this-public-garden-an-asian-herb-offers-a-portal-to-the-past/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/28/at-this-public-garden-an-asian-herb-offers-a-portal-to-the-past/#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:00:35 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75941 Ginger Brooks Takahashi in the Perilla People’s Garden at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Philadelphia. (Photo credit: Kat Arazawa)

Ginger Brooks Takahashi in the Perilla People’s Garden at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Philadelphia. (Photo credit: Kat Arazawa)

By Ben Seal • September 28, 2026Perilla connects communities to their cultures—and raises questions about colonization and immigration.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/28/at-this-public-garden-an-asian-herb-offers-a-portal-to-the-past/feed/ 3 FDA Nominee Says Agency Needs More Resources for GRAS https://civileats.com/2026/09/24/fda-nominee-says-agency-needs-more-resources-for-gras/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/24/fda-nominee-says-agency-needs-more-resources-for-gras/#respond Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:31:33 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75927

The FDA White Oak Campus, headquarters of the United States Food and Drug Administration, a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). (Photo credit: Getty Images)

By Rebekah Alvey • September 24, 2026Trump’s latest pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration told senators the agency does not have the resources to implement a key food safety policy.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/24/fda-nominee-says-agency-needs-more-resources-for-gras/feed/ 0 As Super El Niño Approaches, Pacific Fisheries Demand Disaster Relief Reform https://civileats.com/2026/09/24/as-super-el-nino-approaches-pacific-fisheries-demand-disaster-relief-reform/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/24/as-super-el-nino-approaches-pacific-fisheries-demand-disaster-relief-reform/#respond Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:00:46 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75895 Bodega Bay, CA - January 30: Dungeness crab fishermen Bradlee Titus, left, and Axel Bjorklund, right, pull crab pots as they prepare to move them to a different area off the Sonoma Coast on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Bodega Bay, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Bodega Bay, CA - January 30: Dungeness crab fishermen Bradlee Titus, left, and Axel Bjorklund, right, pull crab pots as they prepare to move them to a different area off the Sonoma Coast on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Bodega Bay, CA. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

By Meg Wilcox • September 24, 2026Fishers nationwide lack insurance protections, while late federal relief forces many out of business.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/24/as-super-el-nino-approaches-pacific-fisheries-demand-disaster-relief-reform/feed/ 0 HHS, EPA to Collaborate on Glyphosate Safety Research https://civileats.com/2026/09/23/hhs-epa-to-collaborate-on-glyphosate-safety-research/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/23/hhs-epa-to-collaborate-on-glyphosate-safety-research/#respond Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:53:37 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75909

The headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Washington, D.C. (Photo CC-licensed by Dale Cruse, Flickr)

By Rebekah Alvey • September 23, 2026Two federal agencies will work together as the federal government re-evaluates the safety of the controversial pesticide.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/23/hhs-epa-to-collaborate-on-glyphosate-safety-research/feed/ 0 Op-ed: Here’s What California’s Paraquat Ban Means for the Future of Pesticide Policy https://civileats.com/2026/09/23/what-californias-paraquat-ban-means-for-the-future-of-pesticide-policy/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/23/what-californias-paraquat-ban-means-for-the-future-of-pesticide-policy/#respond Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:00:11 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75875 MASON CITY, IOWA - MAY 07: A third-generation farmer and his son prepare to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to a recently-planted corn field on May 07, 2026 near Mason City, Iowa. As the spring planting season moves into full swing, farmers are faced with big spikes in fuel and fertilizers costs over last spring, increases driven primarily by the war with Iran. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

MASON CITY, IOWA - MAY 07: A third-generation farmer and his son prepare to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to a recently-planted corn field on May 07, 2026 near Mason City, Iowa. As the spring planting season moves into full swing, farmers are faced with big spikes in fuel and fertilizers costs over last spring, increases driven primarily by the war with Iran. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

By Anna Lappé • September 23, 2026With some U.S. states joining global bans on one weedkiller, it’s time to keep the momentum going. Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/23/what-californias-paraquat-ban-means-for-the-future-of-pesticide-policy/feed/ 0 This Is What Regenerative Farming (Sometimes) Looks Like https://civileats.com/2026/09/22/this-is-what-regenerative-farming-sometimes-looks-like/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/22/this-is-what-regenerative-farming-sometimes-looks-like/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:00:41 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75842 This Is What Regenerative Farming (Sometimes) Looks Like

This Is What Regenerative Farming (Sometimes) Looks Like

By Lisa Held • September 22, 2026From a small, diversified farm to a 3,000-acre commodity row crop operation, regenerative practices can mean a range of options. Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/22/this-is-what-regenerative-farming-sometimes-looks-like/feed/ 1 Inside the USDA’s New ‘Regenerative Pilot Program’ https://civileats.com/2026/09/21/inside-the-usdas-new-regenerative-pilot-program/ https://civileats.com/2026/09/21/inside-the-usdas-new-regenerative-pilot-program/#respond Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:28 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=75818 WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins testifies before the House Agriculture Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. Rollins answered questions about the Trump Administration's FY2027 budget request. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins testifies before the House Agriculture Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on June 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. Rollins answered questions about the Trump Administration's FY2027 budget request. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

By Lisa Held • September 21, 2026Experts say the program could be beneficial, but it doesn’t represent a new investment in better farming, and staff cuts could hamper its impacts.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/09/21/inside-the-usdas-new-regenerative-pilot-program/feed/ 0