From rainforest to palm oil (Mongabay): Backed by an investor in New Zealand working with a politically connected Indonesian family, work has begun on clearing a Papua rainforest for the world’s largest palm oil plantation.
With Covid-19, less sleep for truckers (Investigate Midwest): The Trump administration has suspended a federal rule requiring drivers of large commercial trucks to take 10-hour breaks after 14 hours of work, which can include up to 11 hours of driving. It was waived for truckers delivering goods such as medical supplies, food, and fuel.
Coronavirus batters Brazilian ag equipment (Reuters): The coronavirus crisis has forced the country’s farm equipment manufacturers to halt operations at their factories and upended hopes of a good sales year for irrigation and grain storage equipment.
Yum! shutters 7,000 restaurants (Food Business News): Fast-food giant Yum! Brands said it had closed 7,000 restaurants worldwide, including 1,000 Pizza Huts in the United States, because of measures instituted to counter the coronavirus pandemic.
Suspend trade tariffs to fight coronavirus (RRFN): An organization named Farmers for Free Trade called for the suspension of trade tariffs to stimulate the economy in the face of the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic.