Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

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Pam McElwee @pammcelwee.bsky.social · Jul 7

🚨 For those interested in Indigenous knowledges within environmental assessments, currently *2* different calls for nominations for workshops due this week: 1 by @ipbes.net here www.ipbes.net/application/... ; 1 on diverse knowledge systems for @ipcc.bsky.social here: www.agu.org/ipcc-nominat...

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Jon Cooper @joncooper-us.bsky.social · Mar 11

The Agriculture Department has axed two programs that gave schools and food banks money to buy food from nearby farms and ranchers. Roughly $660 million that schools and child care facilities were counting on to purchase food has been canceled.

This will hurt both kids and small, local farmers.

USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks

States have been notified that they will not receive 2025 funding for schools to buy food from nearby farms.

www.politico.com

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🎃 Fiona "Fi" Webster 🎃 @fiona-webster22.bsky.social · Mar 13

A professor of environmental sciences gives a quick punchy take on the "eye-popping" numbers re. how clean air promotes economic growth.

An EPA analysis of 20 years of the Clean Air Act (1970-90) found the economic benefits of the regulations were about 42X greater than the costs.

No pay wall.

America’s clean air rules boost health and the economy − here’s what EPA’s new deregulation plans ignore

Clean air has become one of America’s best investments, returning $10 for every $1 spent on regulations, by one estimate.

theconversation.com

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World Resources Institute @worldresources.bsky.social · Mar 22

🌧️The majority of the world’s food — 66% of all crop production — still comes from rainfed agriculture.

Yet, as climate change & deforestation alter local precipitation patterns, farmers will find it increasingly difficult to grow rainfed crops. Get the data: go.wri.org/water-risks #WorldWaterDay

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Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · Mar 16

JUST IN: Judge William Alsup declines to stay his order requiring rehiring of probationary employees at 6 federal departments, calls OPM acting chief failure to testify 'violation of this court's order.' Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/25... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/03...

AFGEProbStayOrdDC031525

www.documentcloud.org

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · Mar 13

Judge Alsup additionally extends the order to offer reinstatement to *five* other agencies: USDA, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Interior, and Department of Treasury.

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Anna Bower @annabower.bsky.social · Mar 13

NOW: Judge tears into government counsel over decision not to present OPM head Charles Ezell for questioning at evidentiary hearing.

“You will not bring the people in here to be cross examined. You're afraid to do so because you know cross examination would reveal the truth,” the judge said.

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Anne Schechinger @anneschech.bsky.social · Feb 26

EWG just released our updated Tap Water Database for the first time in 3 years. We found > 300 contaminants in public drinking water across the country. The database was re-designed to be extra user friendly; anyone can type in their zip code to find out what's in their water. www.ewg.org/tapwater/

www.ewg.org

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Anne Schechinger @anneschech.bsky.social · Feb 27

USDA still hasn't hired back all the avian flu researchers that they need, and some that were re-hired still haven't been given their laptops back, so can't work. Not a good sign for this ongoing outbreak. subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

POLITICO Pro: Trump administration struggles to rehire fired bird flu employees

USDA supervisors are being asked to justify rehires and some employees still haven’t gotten their laptops back.

subscriber.politicopro.com

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ProPublica @propublica.org · Mar 5

NEW: The Trump administration claims gutting federal agencies will save money, but cutting the IRS means the government collects less taxes.

“If you’re interested in the deficit and curbing it, why would you cut back on the revenue side?” one expert asks.

By @andykroll.bsky.social

How DOGE’s Cuts to the IRS Threaten to Cost More Than DOGE Will Ever Save

The Trump administration claims gutting federal agencies will save money, but cutting the IRS means the government collects less taxes. “If you’re interested in the deficit and curbing it, why would…

propub.li

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Feds Work For You @fedsworkforyou.bsky.social · Mar 5

We've been at the Senate nearly every day for the past couple of weeks and are transitioning to a once-a-week schedule (...for now).

📢 TAKE-IT-TO-THE-SENATE TUESDAYS! 📢

Today we succeeded in bringing 100 illegally fired federal workers, contractors, and allies to the Senate. (1/2)

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Mar 1

Little known fact: It has been funded or supported by USDA NIFA.

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 22

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The New York Times @nytimes.com · Feb 19

President Trump has swiftly waged his war on the federal bureaucracy, defying norms and legal limits. He has terminated most of an estimated 200,000 government employees, and more layoffs are expected in the weeks ahead. These are the cuts and temporary removals we've confirmed. nyti.ms/4i6n9w4

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 22

‘If they really wanted to know how to use technology to build a more efficient country, they would ask us.

But they haven't.

They are destroyers.

We are the builders.’

www.wethebuilders.org/posts/a-tale...

www.theverge.com/news/617014/...

Federal workers launch a new site to share inside information about DOGE

We the Builders aims to explain why DOGE’s data access matters.

www.theverge.com

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Rivka Fidel, PhD @rivkafidel.bsky.social · Feb 19

I am a scientist because USDA NIFA-AFRI funded my doctoral research, and USDA-ARS funded part of my postdoc research

So, so many of us wouldn't be where we are today without federal grants

Robert Mahon @bedform.org · Feb 19

I am a scientist because the National Science Foundation funded part of my PhD, and my Postdoc, and my EPSCoR Early Career Research Fellowship.

I'm also a scientist because the USGS (also received layoffs this week) funded my M.S. thesis through EdMap.

Kelly Zamudio @kzutaustin.bsky.social · Feb 19

"I am a scientist because of the National Science Foundation"... that is the story for so many of us.. and for my students as well over the last 25 years. Thanks for this post @mammalssuck.bsky.social

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 21

Same with other US Government extramural science, research, education and extension funding agencies such as USDA NIFA

Jeremy Koster @jeremykoster.bsky.social · Feb 19

Recognize that the evaluation timeline for the spring cycle has been greatly condensed. Panels were postponed and need to be rescheduled. To meet the timeline for funding in the fiscal year, recommendations from program officers are typically due by mid-July. The next few months will be intense. (2)

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 21

These are public servants, from all 50 US states and territories, hired 1, 2 or 3 years ago. They were ‘probationary’ due to their time in their role. That’s it.

Scientists, technicians, grants managers, rangers, national park staff, accountants, IT staff, people who helped you pay your bills

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Congressman Donald Norcross @norcross.house.gov · Feb 19

Today, we remember the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were unjustly placed in internment camps during WWII. We honor their resilience and commit to ensuring such injustices never happen again.

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 19

Newest EO

FactPost @factpostnews.bsky.social · Feb 18

Trump official announces that Trump has signed an executive order claiming that only the president can speak for “what the law is”

(This is not how the Constitution works)

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Ian Thacker @ianthacker.bsky.social · Feb 12

Finally, some decent news. Check out this UTSA Today article and video showing Dr. Sara Shields-Menard in action helping undergraduates at UTSA tackle the growing antibiotic resistance crisis as part of our USDA NIFA grant work. www.utsa.edu/today/2025/0... #NIFAimpacts #STEMEducation #DataScience

UTSA students search soil for new antibiotics in innovative STEM project

www.utsa.edu

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Julia Van Etten @couchmicroscopy.bsky.social · Feb 13

This recent paper of mine wouldn’t have been possible without federal funds from NASA, the DOE (JGI), and USDA-NIFA. I don’t think non-scientists understand the extent to which most of us are reliant on the federal funds that are being threatened. We need to do a better job communicating this. 2/2

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SFS Students @sfs-src.bsky.social · Feb 13

This project is a part of the USDA NIFA SERA-46 Multistate Project (www.sera46.org), but the opportunity is open to all researchers in MRB states. Sign up with the interest form links above or email Dr. Shannon Speir at [email protected] with any questions!

SERA-46

Research

www.sera46.org

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Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 18

‘Specialists in nutrition, infant formula and food-safety response, including 10 staff members responsible for reviewing potentially unsafe food ingredients, were targets of layoffs, according to the letter.’

Helen Kennedy @helenkennedy.bsky.social · Feb 18

Food safety chief at the FDA quits saying Trump's mass layoffs make his job "fruitless"

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Food head at FDA quits citing Trump administration’s mass staff cuts

Jim Jones, who joined Food and Drug Administration in 2023, says layoffs would make it ‘fruitless’ to continue in role

www.theguardian.com

Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 18

This. Pay attention please.

Rebecca Nagle @rebeccanagle.bsky.social · Feb 17

(1/4) Recent layoffs of federal workers has a disproportionate impact on Native Americans, but is receiving almost no media attention. In Indian Health Services, which provides healthcare to 2.8 mil NAs, 2,200 people were laid off, including 1,400 who provide direct patient care.

‘Life or Death Consequences’: Layoffs throw Indian Country into turmoil

Thousands of workers are losing their jobs in health, education and other key tribal programs and agencies

ictnews.org

Dr. G @gamechangeling.bsky.social · Feb 9

😆

The Onion @theonion.com · Feb 9

Horrified Taylor Swift Realizes Football Happens Every Year

YouTube video by The Onion

youtube.com

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