Sixth decline for food index: The FAO Food Price Index fell for the sixth month in a row in January, down 1 percent due to lower prices for cereal grains and meat; the index is 10.4-percent lower than one year ago. (FAO)
U.S.-China biotech legislation: The House select committee on competition with China introduced a bill to ban groups receiving federal funds from buying equipment and services from “foreign adversary companies,” which could include crops and fuel. (Axios)
Bird flu takes a pause: Last fall’s surge in highly pathogenic avian influenza, which killed 20.9 million birds in domestic flocks in three months, slowed abruptly with losses of 2.02 million birds in January, mostly in the first week of the month. (USDA)
Big California dairies emit methane: Fifteen California dairy farms emit so much methane that it can be detected by overhead surveillance despite the farms installing digesters intended to trap the gas for sale as renewable fuel. (Food and Water Watch)