New E. coli outbreak: The FDA is investigating an E. coli outbreak that has already sickened 37 people, though the agency has yet to release information about the source of the food contamination. (Food Safety News)
Court overturns pesticide ban: The U.S. appeals court in St. Louis, saying the EPA had wrongly banned the agricultural use of chlorpyrifos in 2021, overturned the revocation and ordered the agency to justify any modifications of residue tolerance for the insecticide on crops. (U.S. Court of Appeals)
HPAI reappears in Mexico: One month after it said it was free of highly pathogenic avian influenza, Mexico reported an outbreak of the viral disease on two poultry farms in Sonora, which borders Arizona and western New Mexico. (Reuters)
Jan. 2 start for organic rule: The new USDA rule setting stronger animal welfare standards for organic livestock goes into effect on Jan. 2, with most farmers having a year to comply, said the Agricultural Marketing Service. (USDA)
Pesticides near schools: More than 4,000 U.S. elementary schools are located within 200 feet of farmland where toxic pesticides are likely to be sprayed on crops, said an environmental group, warning against federal legislation that would preempt state and local safety regulations. (Environmental Working Group)
Food company at fault in finger amputation: For the third time in five years, federal officials found that Italian food products company Rana Meal Solutions had failed to adhere to basic workplace safety requirements; this time, a worker lost his finger because of company negligence. (Department of Labor)