Reuters reports on a recent update by the USDA to the WIC program, expanding access to fruits, vegetables, and seafood while reducing allowances for dairy, juice and cheese, in alignment with modern dietary science, marking the first revision since 2014.

This study explores the observed lack of recognition of labour issues within Canadian food systems governance work (the various laws, policies, and regulations that shape food systems) and seeks to identify barriers to their inclusion in future work. The authors broadly find a lack of capacity within CSOs in Canada to address food and farm workers’ issues. The authors conclude by examining potential pathways to aid food system CSOs to consider the potential benefit of investing and participating in food systems governance work to foster stronger engagement in labour issues. 

The systematic literature review explores methodologies of peer-reviewed trade-off analysis (TOA) articles in agriculture, finding that this research prioritises productivity and profit maximisation while disregarding risk, social and cultural indicators. The authors conclude that this reduces the effectiveness of TOA in holistic food systems policymaking and recommend a wider integration of indicators, scale, stakeholder involvement and risk in TOA methodology to enhance its use to policy and decision-makers to promote sustainable agricultural landscapes.

A recent study has reviewed the main determinants of obesity and discussed how they impact obesity rates in Latin America. The review identifies eight determinants of obesity; physical environment, food exposure, economic and political interest, social inequality, limited access to scientific knowledge, culture, contextual behaviour and genetics. The authors analyse these determinants in the context of Latin America to provide evidence and guidance for public policy and strategy aimed at understanding and slowing the growth rate of obesity. 

This event was hosted by TABLE on 18 April 2024 and took the format of a panel discussion with:Matthew Kessler (TABLE);Madeleine Fogde (Swedish International Agricultural Network Initiative, SIANI);Alice Tunfjord (Stockholm Environment Institute, SEI).

This event was hosted by TABLE and Cornell Food Systems & Global Change on 28 March 2024 and took the format of a panel discussion with:Dr Tara Garnett (director of TABLE);Mario Herrero (Cornell University);Laura Cramer (ILRI);Guyo Roba (ILRI) An Notenbaert (CIAT Kenya).

Devex, an independent news organisation covering global development, has reported on recent activity of the UN International Fund. The council meeting had a strong focus on investment in new technologies and the need to support the business innovation by smallholder farmers in rural communities and in lower-income countries.

BBC news has reported on recent investigations which link three major meat packing companies JBS, Minerva and Marfrig to illegal deforestation in the Cerrado of Brazil; a critical ecosystem which hosts 5% of the world’s species. The meat packing companies have denied the claims of the investigation, citing outdated data sources. Global Witness has highlighted the need for better and more transparent data in Brazil to facilitate greater accountability around deforestation.

Several recent news articles have detailed the resurgence of farmer protests in India - farmers are demanding guaranteed crop prices from the government. Al Jazeera has covered the demands of the protest movement previously. It has also covered the recent failed negotiations the movement has had with the Indian government. The protesters are now marching towards New Delhi to secure crop price guarantees to protect livelihoods but face blockades and tear gas from authorities