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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 9h

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 · 13h

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 · 18h

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 2d

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 · 2d

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 · 2d

“[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 · 2d

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 · 3d

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 · 3d

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 · 4d

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 · 4d

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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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 5d

As the shutdown persists, here’s what we know about the work that will—and won’t—get done at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency. ⬇️ buff.ly/zxr77Yw

This Federal Food and Agriculture Work Will Cease During the Shutdown

What you need to know about who’s still working and which programs will go dark now that the government shutdown has started.

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 5d

In a Q&A with Civil Eats, University of Iowa professor Silvia 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 · 5d

Despite federal roadblocks, Denver Urban Gardens is feeding people, cleaning the air, and helping offset climate change.

“We were able to step into this space to help build and bolster the canopy while adding food-producing perennials.” —Linda Appel Lipsius, DUG executive director

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

"In an era when we often purchase food grown halfway across the world, community canneries are hanging on, allowing people to eat from sources closer to home.”

Read the op-ed by UC Santa Barbara student Jillian Fischer. 🥫⬇️

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 · 6d

We are in day two of the government shutdown. What does that mean when it comes to food and agriculture? Sign up for our 4-part email series, Crash Course: Civics and the Food System, to learn how the government has a hand in the food system.

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

This Federal Food and Agriculture Work Will Cease During the Shutdown

Read more from the Food Policy Tracker ➡️ buff.ly/zxr77Yw

This Federal Food and Agriculture Work Will Cease During the Shutdown

Under a federal shutdown, the government agencies that regulate and support the food system are now implementing plans to furlough employees and stop work on programs deemed non-essential.

President Donald Trump has also threatened to use the shutdown to implement further permanent job cuts at agencies. So far, food and agriculture agencies have not indicated whether they will implement additional reductions in force (RIF) during the shutdown, but other agencies have already begun firing staff.

As the shutdown persists, here’s what we know about the work that will—and won’t—get done at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 7d

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.

buff.ly

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Civil Eats @civileats.com · 7d

Under a federal shutdown, the government agencies that regulate and support the food system are now implementing plans to furlough employees and stop work on programs deemed non-essential.

Here’s what we know about the work that will—and won’t—get done at the USDA, FDA, and EPA. ⬇️

This Federal Food and Agriculture Work Will Cease During the Shutdown

What you need to know about who’s still working and which programs will go dark now that the government shutdown has started.

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