Crop it like it's hot

Welcome back Food Junglers. Apologies for the late issue, I was celebrating my grandmother’s birthday the whole day. To say the least, it was epic. In food-related news, aid reaches Gaza, Japan’s government reaches into its reserves of rice, the UK reaches an agreement with the EU and a Texan sues Whataburger for $1 million. Let’s dig in.

THE BREAKDOWN…

Dairy Optimism: Danone has announced that it had reduced methane emissions from its fresh milk supply by 25 percent since 2020, keeping it on course to hit the targeted 30 percent reduction by 2030.

Lollipop Drama: Maker off Dum Dump lollipops - Spangler Candy Company - defends artificial food dyes, arguing that natural food colouring hasn't been properly tested yet and carries with it other health-related risk.

Onion Lawsuit: A Texas man is suing Whataburger for $1 million alleging that when he requested no onions with his meal, he got them anyway, equating to negligence on the chain’s part.

Food Lobbying: Government legal guidance urging retailers in England to offer millions of consumers deals and discounts on minimally processed and nutritious food was dropped after a lobbying campaign by the world’s biggest ultra-processed food firms.

UK-EU Relations: Britain and the European Union agreed to trade with vastly reduced paperwork and border checks on plant and animal products, while maintaining high food standards.

Junk Ads: The UK government’s planned ban on advertising F&B products high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) before 9pm is being delayed until January 2026.

Climate Losses: The European Union’s agriculture industry is losing €28 billion ($31.5 billion) a year due to increasing climate risks, such as droughts and flooding, according to a new study.

Dairy Merger: Dairy giant Chobani has announced its acquisition of Daily Harvest, a plant-based start-up that delivers a range of frozen ready meals, smoothies, snacks and protein products.

Syrian Drought: Severe drought in Syria this year could lead to the failure of an estimated 75% of local wheat crops, according to the United Nations, threatening the food security of millions of people.

Gaza Aid: About 90 truckloads of aid had entered Gaza by Thursday, according to the United Nations, the first major influx of food that Israel has allowed in after a two-month blockade.

Japanese Rice: Japan's new agriculture minister pledged to quickly move rice from government stockpiles to store shelves where they would be offered at prices significantly lower than current levels, seeking to stem a consumer shift to cheaper, foreign brands.

Cucumber Recall: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recalling cucumbers across the country over a salmonella outbreak that has sickened more than two dozen people in multiple states.

CosMc’s Close: McDonald's said Friday that it will pull the plug on its beverage-oriented offshoot, called CosMc's.

FOOD IN PICTURES
THE PRICE OF BEEF CONTINUES TO SOAR