Today’s quick hits, July 18, 2022

Supply chains less strained: Supply chains are working better than they were six months ago, especially in the U.S., reducing inflationary pressures. (Bloomberg)

Texas and Plains states bake: This week, parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas could see their highest summer temperatures to date, with predicted highs reaching 102 to 110 degrees, and the potential for heat indexes to be higher (NY Times)

N.D. Sens. call for China probe: North Dakota’s senators asked federal agencies to review a Chinese food manufacturer’s purchase of 370 acres near Grand Forks, North Dakota, where it plans to build a $700 million corn mill. (DTN)

Food workers faced brunt of pandemic: At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, food-production facilities in California got cited for violations of Covid protocols more than all other industries combined. (Mother Jones)

Cost of a healthy diet shoots up: As healthy food gets more expensive, people in poor countries’ ability to afford a nutritious diet is in jeopardy, according to new World Bank data. (Devex)

Electrifying tractors: EV makers are courting farmers, arguing that electric tractors could cut emissions and save on fuel costs (Inside Climate News)