This paper reviews current knowledge on the health consequences of ingested micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). Studies have shown that MNPs can be ingested through seafood, sea salt, drinking water, possibly fruit, vegetables and rice, and even airborne particles. One estimate suggests that each person consumes an average of 5 grams of plastic in the form of MNPs each week, although other studies suggest only a fraction of ingested plastic is actually absorbed into the body.

This paper analyses satellite data and finds that the annual rate of carbon loss from tropical forests has doubled between the time periods 2001-05 and 2015-19, primarily driven by agricultural expansion.

This study reviews the variation in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from vegetable oil production around the world. It re-analyses life cycle data covering almost 6000 producers of palm, soybean, rapeseed and sunflower oil across 38 countries. It finds that the carbon opportunity cost of farming oil crops instead of keeping native land cover drives considerable variation in the carbon footprint of vegetable oils.

In this blog post, Kath Dalmeny, Chief Executive of UK NGO Sustain, argues that the cost of living crisis in the UK should be tackled using windfall taxes on large corporations that are reporting record profits; Real Living Wages that are linked to the cost of living; strong safety nets such as free school meals for all children; extending the principle of “public money for public goods” to cover more state spending on food; joined-up local responses to food crises, e.g. through local food poverty alliances; and strong accountability in government for action on food poverty.

Six Inches of Soil will be a documentary about how British farmers are moving away from industrial agricultural models, towards agroecological and regenerative methods. A trailer is now available to watch. The film is still in production, and is being crowd-funded.

This book chapter discusses creating frameworks to increase soil carbon, covering the biophysical evidence on how different practices affect soil carbon, policy options, measurement systems and integration of economic, social and cultural dimensions.

This report is a case study on the Greater Manchester city-region food system. It looks at how the city’s commitments on net zero and access to sustainable, healthy food can be met, drawing on interviews with 20 participants from across the food supply chain. The report discusses food waste auditing, procurement standards, procurement processes that enable small businesses to take part in contracts that otherwise have complex paperwork, collaboration between local caterers and suppliers, and investment in kitchen capacity in public institutions, urban agriculture such as allotments, and vertical farms to provide fresh food all year round.

This report from UK NGO Sustain examines how a proposed trade deal between the UK and Brazil - on which discussions are still only in the early stages - might increase harm caused by pesticides. Pesticide regulations have weakened since Bolsonaro took power in 2019, with harm to environmental or human health no longer informing whether a pesticide should be approved for use.

This report, by Dr Kelly Parsons from the University of Hertfordshire for the UK’s Food Research Collaboration, examines 12 ways in which food policy can become more coherent across UK government departments, including informal communications, redesigning ministerial portfolios, and multi-stakeholder advisory groups.