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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 12h

Despite federal roadblocks, an ambitious agroforestry program is feeding people, cleaning the air, and helping offset climate change.

“It’s not just planting trees. These are community-informed designs.”

Denver’s Food Forests Provide Free Fruit While Greening the Environment

Despite federal roadblocks, an ambitious agroforestry program is feeding people, cleaning the air, and helping offset climate change.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 16h

University of Iowa researcher Silvia Secchi argues that the current Census of Agriculture is neither complete nor accurate, and could skew federal research and investment.

In a Q&A with Civil Eats, Secchi discusses the importance of understanding who counts as a farmer in U.S. agriculture. ⬇️

A Key Agriculture Census Doesn’t Reflect Reality, Researcher Warns

University of Iowa professor Silvia Secchi says the current Census of Agriculture is inaccurate and could skew federal policy.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 21h

Successful community garden projects need land, people, sun, water, money and infrastructure. Here’s what you’ll need to start your own. 🌱⬇️

How to Start a Community Garden

Successful gardening projects need land, dedicated people, sun, water, money, and infrastructure. Best of all, anyone can start one.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 1d

White House Says It Will Fund WIC With Tariff Revenue, But Details Are Slim

Read more from the Food Policy Tracker ➡️ buff.ly/96Iogfd

White House Says It Will Fund WIC With Tariff Revenue, But Details Are Slim

The White House announced this week that it will use revenue from tariffs to fund a program that helps about 7 million low-income mothers, babies, and young children to access formula and healthy food during the federal government shutdown. The announcement comes just over a week into the shutdown, the point at which experts warned that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) could begin running out of money in some states.

In a statement, Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association, welcomed the stopgap measure but said more information is needed on “how much funding this measure provides, how quickly states will receive it, or how long it will sustain operations.”

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 1d

Here are some of the new rural Democrats whose campaigns highlight how food and agriculture could play a part in the November 2026 midterms. 🗳️⬇️

Democratic Food and Ag Candidates Enter the Political Fray

Amid Trump’s tariffs, funding freezes, and food assistance cuts, newcomers from food and farming backgrounds are entering congressional races.

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Reposted by Civil Eats

Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 2d

Good @civileats.com rundown of industry ties in Trump's food policy leadership. Among them:

- Undersecretary for Food Safety nominee described by Congress as "meat industry's go to fixer"
- Food Safety Inspection Service administrator helped w controversial "climate-friendly beef" label at Tyson

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

civileats.com

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Reposted by Civil Eats

GRAIN @grain.org · 2d

@civileats.com have done a great investigation into the links between the federal govt and the food industry under Trump's second presidency (so far)
civileats.com/2025/10/07/i... @ipes-food.org @jennifer-clapp.bsky.social

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

civileats.com

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 1d

The USDA ignored a Republican request for a bipartisan congressional briefing last week and instead hosted a Republican-only meeting on government shutdown plans, according to three congressional staffers.

USDA Rejects Republican Request for a Bipartisan Shutdown Briefing

Congressional Democrats say they are unable to help constituents with shutdown-related questions without an agency update.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 2d

Despite their standing as Republican strongholds, rural areas may now represent new opportunity for Democratic candidates as Trump administration policies continue to hit the heartland.

Democratic Food and Ag Candidates Enter the Political Fray

Amid Trump’s tariffs, funding freezes, and food assistance cuts, newcomers from food and farming backgrounds are entering congressional races.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 2d

We dug into the backgrounds of the most prominent individuals currently working on food and agriculture within federal agencies. The most prominent industries represented are fossil fuels, chemicals, and commodity agriculture.

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 2d

As Trump’s tariffs, funding freezes, and SNAP cuts impact farm country, congressional hopefuls see potential inroads with rural voters. Here are some of the new Democrats whose campaigns highlight how food and agriculture could play a part in the 2026 midterms. 🗳️⬇️

Democratic Food and Ag Candidates Enter the Political Fray

Amid Trump’s tariffs, funding freezes, and food assistance cuts, newcomers from food and farming backgrounds are entering congressional races.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 3d

USDA Rejects Republican Request for a Bipartisan Shutdown Briefing

Read more from the Food Policy Tracker ➡️ buff.ly/NjcChpI

USDA Rejects Republican Request for a Bipartisan Shutdown Briefing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ignored a Republican request for a bipartisan congressional briefing last week and instead hosted a Republican-only meeting on government shutdown plans, according to three congressional staffers.

Despite follow-up requests from the House and Senate Agriculture minority, the USDA has not briefed these staffs, leaving Democrats without full guidance for their constituents. Instead, Senate Agriculture Democrats have opted to submit questions via email.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 3d

Many of the president’s top officials at the USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 3d

Trump Administration Eases Application Process and Lowers Wages for Guest Farmworkers

Read more from the Food Policy Tracker ➡️ buff.ly/AEmxRTR

Trump Administration Eases Application Process and Lowers Wages for Guest Farmworkers

The Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security made two changes last week to the federal farm guestworker program that will make it easier for farms to bring seasonal workers in from other countries and allow them to pay those workers less.

The first change, posted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Oct. 2, adjusts the H-2A paperwork process to speed up applications with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The changes are part of a larger collaborative effort with the Department of Labor (DOL), the DHS said, to streamline the program “in light of an urgent demand for an authorized agricultural labor force and requests from the regulated community and members of Congress to make the H-2A program easier to use and more efficient for U.S. agricultural producers.”

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Reposted by Civil Eats

Lisa Elaine Held @lisaelaineh.bsky.social · 3d

My latest news story for @civileats.com civileats.com/2025/10/06/l...

Trump Administration Eases Application Process and Lowers Wages for Guest Farmworkers

United Farm Workers said the shifts will hurt both migrant and domestic farmworkers. Farm groups praised the changes.

civileats.com

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 3d

We looked into the backgrounds of the most prominent individuals currently working on food and agriculture within federal agencies.

What follows is the first full accounting of those individuals’ past and present links to corporations.

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 3d

During his first term, President Trump appointed leaders to the government’s food and farm departments that had strong industry ties. This time, many top officials at the USDA, EPA, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social reports ⬇️

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership

Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 4d

Looking to start your own community garden project? Here are some key ingredients you’ll need for a successful local endeavor. ⬇️🌱

How to Start a Community Garden

Successful gardening projects need land, dedicated people, sun, water, money, and infrastructure. Best of all, anyone can start one.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 4d

The Trump administration made two changes to the federal farm guestworker program that will make it easier for farms to bring seasonal workers in from other countries and allow them to pay those workers less.

Labor Department Eases Application Process and Lowers Wages for Guest Farmworkers

United Farm Workers said the shifts will hurt both migrant and domestic farmworkers. Farm groups praised the changes.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 4d

“[Community canning] builds relationships, encourages people to grow and preserve their own food, and gives us healthy options to the processed foods so prevalent today.” writes UC Santa Barbara student Jillian Fischer in an op-ed.

Op-ed: Let’s Preserve Our Communities Through Canning Food

Community canneries can bring people together, encourage food sovereignty and healthy local food systems, and even mitigate climate change.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 4d

Some key the ingredients for a successful community garden include land with water, sun, and passionate volunteers and neighborhood support. Here’s how to start your own community garden project. ⬇️

How to Start a Community Garden

Successful gardening projects need land, dedicated people, sun, water, money, and infrastructure. Best of all, anyone can start one.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 5d

Op-ed: Community canneries can bring people together, encourage healthy local food systems, and even mitigate climate change.

Here’s how to become a cannery champion. 🥫⬇️

Op-ed: Let’s Preserve Our Communities Through Canning Food

Community canneries can bring people together, encourage food sovereignty and healthy local food systems, and even mitigate climate change.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 5d

What is the role of the federal government when it comes to our food? And what happens when our food system is pressure-tested?

Register for our four-part email series, Crash Course, to dive into all of that and more. ⬇️

Civil Eats Launches a New Crash Course on Civics and the Food System

This four-part email course covers the federal government’s role in what we eat, and what's happening as the system is being pressure-tested.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 6d

The urban tree canopy in Denver is one of the sparsest in the country. But Denver Urban Gardens aims to increase tree coverage and community access to fresh food by growing food forests.

Denver’s Food Forests Provide Free Fruit While Greening the Environment

Despite federal roadblocks, an ambitious agroforestry program is feeding people, cleaning the air, and helping offset climate change.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 6d

Anti-hunger advocates are warning that a prolonged government shutdown could have consequences for federal nutrition and food assistance programs.

Food Assistance at Risk in Extended Government Shutdown

Without a clear contingency plan, anti-hunger groups worry that federal food assistance dollars will dry up.

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