58 academics have joined forces with two NGOs, the Environmental Paper Network and Fern, to draft a letter to MEPs warning them about misleading industry funded studies, including those by McDonald’s and the European Paper and Packaging Association. The letter highlights that the reports directly contradict the European Commission’s Impact Assessment and the UN report on single-use, and are sowing doubt about policies to reduce single-use packaging.

Recent revelations from Upside Foods employees raise serious questions about how much cultured meat companies have achieved after billions of dollars in investment in recent years, and whether wholecut cultivated meat products will ever be commercially viable. Upside meat has received a fifth of investment in cultured meats up to 2022, using its ability to produce wholecuts (rather than ground meat) as its distinguishing feature against competitors. However, interviews with employees reveal that bioreactors have failed to produce viable products and wholecuts still require intensive human intervention at small scales.

On 4 September, Wageningen University & Research celebrated the 105th Opening of the Academic Year, 2023-2024. This year's theme was Shaping Sustainable Futures. There was a focus on the future of food, as well as the role of WUR, and other universities, in leading change: "Throughout our history we have strived to strike a delicate balance between the need to produce food to nourish a growing population with safeguarding the wellbeing of the planet and its diverse species. […] Without a thriving and healthy planet earth, humans' ability to sustainably produce essentials like food, energy and clothes diminishes. It is a simple truth that underscores the interconnectedness between our survival and the wellbeing of our shared environment. Our knowledge and understanding of these complex problems have evolved, and so has our sense of radical responsibility." Sjoukje Heimovaara, WUR President A handful of TABLE associates presented talks at the Opening, including Ken Giller, Jeroen Candel and Ingrid de Zwarte.

John Klar argues that US conservatives should champion a vision of small farms, regenerative agriculture and personal liberty, in a polarised debate characterised by climate alarmism, promotion of 'spurious' energy sources and technocratic control on the left, and climate denialism and unbridled deregulation of environmentally harmful practices on the right.

Restoring Eden describes the experience of Elizabeth Hilborn, environmental scientist and owner of a family fruit farm, as she traces the cause of diminishing yields and a lack of pollinators on her farm. She describes how the scientific evidence she collects from water samples reflected the increased use of agricultural chemicals in the region, polluting waterways and soils, and causing catastrophic declines in insect populations.

This report brings together farmers from a variety of agroecological backgrounds to understand what they may want from new technologies and how they decide which technologies are appropriate for their business. Through a series of workshops this report establishes the main values that underpin the decision making of agroecological farmers and which technologies could fit into this philosophy. 

This briefing by The Food Foundation explores the accessibility of sustainable, low emission diets for low income groups in the UK. The report focuses on two consumer behaviours needed to meet agrifood emissions targets: a reduction in meat and dairy consumption, and the elimination of household level food waste. The report finds that whilst theoretical models of low income diets are affordable, the reality is that they are often not accessible for low income households.

This report by IPES-Food, documents a history of growing corporate influence over the governance of the food system. As transnational food and farming companies grow ever bigger, they have convinced governments that they must be central in all discussion on the future of food, and their ability to set the agenda of the food system is ever increasing as a result. The authors propose a set of transformative solutions to democratise decision making and redress the balance of power in the food system.

Successful programmes in both Global North countries (such as United States and Sweden) and Global South countries (including Paraguay and South Africa) demonstrate that public food procurement programmes have the potential to promote food security, stimulate biodiversity, revitalise local economies, foster sustainable production systems and more. However, these programmes can be hindered by a neoliberal government committed to financial austerity and the free market.