Big food, big turnover (Wall Street Journal): In the past two years, at least 16 chief executives from big packaged food companies have stepped down, as the once-unshakable industry struggles to keep up with changing consumer trends.
States take on EPA (Progressive Farmer): Maryland, New York, and California are suing the EPA for delaying requirements that farmers provide more pesticide handling training for farmworkers.
Iowa is a leader in nitrate runoff (Cedar Rapids Gazette): A University of Iowa study shows that the state is a main, and disproportionately large, contributor to nitrate runoff into the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
Yes to doggy bags, no to glyphosate ban (Reuters): The French National Assembly passed a “field to fork” bill that would try to reduce food waste by requiring restaurants to provide doggy bags to patrons. The same bill rejected a three-year phaseout of the weedkiller glyphosate.
Traces of opioids in mussels (CBS News): Washington State wildlife officials say mussels from three of 18 urbanized locations in Puget Sound tested positive for trace amounts of oxycodone; the amounts were tiny compared to a typical human dose.
Heitkamp, Trump’s pal? (Politico): The president, while trying to help Republicans keep control of the Senate, seems to be allowing Democrat Heidi Heitkamp, among the most vulnerable senators running for re-election this fall, to portray herself as a presidential ally in a state that voted for Trump in a landslide.
Farmland rental rates rise (ISU Extension): Rental rates for farmland rose by 1.4 percent in Iowa this year, to $222 an acre, ending a four-year decline, according to an annual survey.