Nearly 6 million people in Haiti face severe hunger, 2 million of them at emergency level, as gangs, high prices and a dry El Nino hit its farms

The rest of the day

29 more stories on this beat.

Each with its own sources. None of these is a link to the story above.

1. 02

   World Bank sees food prices rising

   The World Bank expects world food prices to rise just over 10% in 2026. [3] It expects food prices to rise by more than 7% again in 2027. [3] It blames fighting in the Black Sea, which disrupts grain ships from Russia and Ukraine. [4] Fertiliser prices are forecast to rise 14% in 2026, after a jump in urea prices. [5] In a bad case with a record El Nino, food would cost 12% above the forecast. [5]

   Why it matters — In the early 2010s, a food crisis pushed over 40 million more people into extreme poverty. [3]

2. 03

   Afghan poppy fields grow fourfold despite a ban

   Opium poppy fields in Afghanistan grew more than fourfold in 2026, the UN said on Thursday. [36] Farmers planted 43,000 hectares, up from 10,000 in 2025, says the UN's drugs office. [36] The Taliban government banned the crop in 2022, when fields covered over 200,000 hectares. [36] In 2023 a hectare of poppy earned $10,000, and a hectare of wheat just over $770. [36] 'If we grow wheat, it is not enough to sustain our lives,' one farmer told AFP. [36]

   Why it matters — The UN says farmers also need roads, irrigation and markets to give up poppies. [36] Only 10% of the $500 million that plan needs has been paid for. [36]

3. 04

   Dolores Huerta, farmworkers' leader, dies at 96

   Dolores Huerta, a leader of the US farmworkers' movement, died on Wednesday aged 96. [7] In 1962 she and Cesar Chavez started the union that became the United Farm Workers. [6] In 1965 the union joined Filipino farmworkers in a boycott of table grapes. [8] Millions of Americans stopped buying grapes, and five years later the growers agreed to talks. [8] She helped win contracts with pay rises, health care and safety rules for farmworkers. [8] In March she said Chavez, who died in 1993, had sexually assaulted her twice. [6]

   Why it matters — Her boycotts helped California pass the first US state law on farmworkers' right to bargain. [9] The union's president said its best tribute to her is to keep organising workers. [10]

4. 05

   A vaccine shields milking cows from bird flu

   A vaccine protected milking cows from bird flu in a small test, a new study reports. [11] It is an mRNA vaccine, which teaches the body to spot one part of the virus. [11] 8 cows were split in two: one group got two doses, the other salt water. [11] Then the researchers put the virus straight into every cow's udder. [11] At the peak, vaccinated cows had about 1,000 times less virus in their milk. [11] They also had less mastitis, an infection that swells the udder. [11]

   Why it matters — The virus grows mostly in a cow's udder and is thought to spread through milk. [11] The study tested the vaccine on just 8 cows. [11]

5. 06

   FDA clears a milk protein made without cows

   The FDA, the US food regulator, cleared casein made without cows on Wednesday. [12] Casein is the main protein in milk, and it helps cheese melt and stretch. [12] Two firms, Those Vegan Cowboys and Formo, make it with microbes instead of cows. [12] The FDA replied to their safety file with a 'no questions' letter about 5 months later. [12] It is the first such letter for casein made this way. [12] Those Vegan Cowboys has already made mozzarella, feta and camembert with it. [12]

   Why it matters — Selling widely needs cheap production, cheap feed and cheap energy, its technical chief said. [12] The firm says 95% of supermarket cheese already uses rennet, a curdling enzyme, made by microbes. [12]

6. 07

   UK Budget gives farmers little

   The UK's finance minister, John Healey, offered farmers little in his first Budget on Wednesday. [13] A 3.7p a litre tax cut on farm red diesel now runs to July 2027. [13] The NFU farmers' union says fuel now costs 65% more than a year ago. [14] Inheritance tax, paid on what a person leaves at death, stays unchanged on farms. [15] Full relief for farm land is capped at 2.5 million pounds, with half relief above. [15]

   Why it matters — NFU president Tom Bradshaw said farmers are left 'feeling abandoned'. [14] Jeremy Moody of a land valuers' group counted 3 farming mentions in 166 Budget pages. [13]

7. 08

   A US import tax could raise dairy feed costs

   The US is weighing extra import taxes on palm fats from Indonesia and Malaysia. [17] US dairy farmers feed these fats to cows to raise the fat in their milk. [17] Half a pound a day lifts a cow's milk fat from 3.5% to 3.7% or 3.8%. [17] The case was brought in January by Vantage, a chemicals maker in Illinois. [17] Early duties of about 23% and 16% already hit Musim Mas, a big Indonesian palm firm. [17]

   Why it matters — Feed is over 40% of dairy farm costs, the US milk producers' federation says. [17] It says dairy farmers cannot pass rising costs on, so they come out of thin margins. [17]

8. 09

   Algeria shuts its market to imported cattle

   Algeria has closed its market to cattle imports for now, Agriland reported this week. [16] That could put pressure on a $635 million contract for Baladna, a Qatari dairy company. [16] Baladna is building a $3.5 billion dairy venture with Algeria's government. [16] Baladna planned 109 flights to carry more than 30,000 Holstein dairy cows from 9 US states. [16] The first of the cows were due to land in Algeria in November 2026. [16] Its milk powder plant is meant to supply up to 50% of Algeria's powdered milk. [16]

   Why it matters — Baladna chose to fly the cows, despite the cost, for more control over their health. [16] The report gives no reason for the closure, saying only the market is 'temporarily closed'. [16]

9. 10

   Scotland weighs a cap on staple food prices

   Scotland's government is consulting on a cap on what big supermarkets charge for staples. [18] It would cover essentials such as bread, milk and eggs, to help poorer households. [18] NFU Scotland, the farmers' union, warns shops could swap Scottish food for cheaper imports. [18] Its audit of 73 stores found 26% of own-brand products were Scottish, up from 19%. [18] Aldi led at 68% Scottish, while Tesco stood at 23%. [18] Milk and eggs also showed high levels of Scottish sourcing, the audit says. [19]

   Why it matters — The union says pressure on shops could be passed back through processors to farmers. [18] The consultation runs until 24 November. [18]

10. 11

    Trader Joe's wrap outbreak declared over

    The FDA declared over an E. coli outbreak from chicken wraps that sickened 50 people. [22] The USDA confirmed to USA Today that the wraps came from Trader Joe's, a grocery chain. [22] The FDA says naming them would not help, as the wraps were past their dates. [22] The CDC, the US disease agency, estimates 26 unseen cases per 1 confirmed E. coli case. [22] The FDA is now looking into a new Salmonella outbreak with 59 confirmed patients. [22] A Listeria outbreak grew from 46 to 50 patients in a week. [22]

    Why it matters — No food has been named in either new outbreak so far. [22]

11. 12

    UN finds 252 million hectares being restored

    A UN report on Thursday found 252 million hectares being restored across 149 countries. [20] The FAO and UNEP, the UN's environment agency, helped publish it at a UN nature summit. [20] The work has created more than 1 million green jobs, the report says. [20] Asia holds 192.2 million hectares of it, Africa 36.3 million and Europe 9.1 million. [20] Rivers and lakes have just 11 million hectares under repair, and seas and coasts 5.7 million. [20]

    Why it matters — To meet the 2030 goals, yearly spending on restoration must more than quadruple, it says. [20]

12. 13

    Lactalis stays the biggest dairy firm

    Lactalis of France is still the world's biggest dairy company, with $40.2 billion in sales. [21] Nestle is second, on $23.7 billion in dairy sales. [21] Dairy Farmers of America, the biggest US dairy co-op, is third on $23.1 billion. [21] The ranking comes from RaboResearch, which uses each firm's 2025 dairy sales. [21] Arla, a Danish dairy company, rose to fourth after merging with Germany's DMK. [21] Lactalis bought the consumer business of Fonterra, from New Zealand, adding about $3.4 billion. [21]

    Why it matters — An analyst says one small purchase could lift Dairy Farmers of America past Nestle. [21] Dairy is a shrinking share of Nestle's business, and it is shedding its ice cream. [21]

13. 14

    FDA speeds up checks on farm animal drugs

    The FDA launched a pilot on 27 October to speed approvals of drugs for food animals. [23] Drug makers must prove tests can find drug traces in meat, milk, eggs and honey. [23] Until now that proof usually needed trials across several labs, taking about 2 years. [23] The pilot sorts test methods into 3 tiers by how risky they are. [23] Methods close to ones the FDA and USDA already trust face fewer steps. [23]

    Why it matters — The FDA says this could cut about 2 years from the food safety review. [23] Joining the pilot is voluntary for drug makers. [23]

14. 15

    EPA sets out a plan on forever chemicals

    The US Environmental Protection Agency has set out a new strategy against PFAS. [24] PFAS are man-made 'forever chemicals' that do not break down easily in soil and water. [24] Sewage sludge spread as fertiliser has been linked to PFAS in US farm soil. [24] From soil and water, the chemicals can get into crops and grazing animals, the USDA says. [24] The plan funds research, including whether heating sludge into gas can deal with PFAS. [24]

    Why it matters — The EPA gave no price for the plan. [24] That risk falls on farmers whose fields got sludge, and on their crops and herds. [24]

15. 16

    US order puts grazing first on federal land

    US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed an order on Tuesday about livestock grazing on federal land. [25] His agencies must put grazing first when handling requests for empty grazing plots. [25] Grazing permits are to be renewed for full 10-year terms. [25] The order also asks for a public map of land open to grazing. [25]

    Why it matters — Offices must suggest changes to rules that limit grazing or protection from predators. [25] Ranchers with federal permits are to get the full 10-year term when they renew. [25]

16. 17

    Judge strikes part of North Dakota's beef board law

    A North Dakota judge struck down part of the law behind the state's beef promotion board. [25] The law let 4 livestock groups alone name candidates for 6 of the board's 9 seats. [25] Judge Jackson Lofgren said it 'singles out certain organizations' for a special right. [25] The case was brought by the Ranchers Rights Initiative and 3 ranchers. [25] He upheld a second rule on board members, saying it treats every producer alike. [25]

    Why it matters — The 4 groups lose their sole right to put forward names for those 6 seats. [25]

17. 18

    Climate fund backs farm projects in Algeria and Mexico

    The Green Climate Fund approved 2 projects worth $184.8 million in Algeria and Mexico. [26] Its board approved them at a meeting in Songdo, South Korea. [26] Algeria's project, the fund's first there, covers 6 provinces home to over half its nomads. [26] Algeria's government pays 57% of the cost of that project. [26] In Mexico, the fund rewards about 13 million tonnes of emissions cuts already made. [26] The FAO, the UN's food agency, will oversee both projects. [26]

    Why it matters — The money is for forests, damaged land and livestock farming across the two projects. [26]

18. 19

    Madeira's no-fishing zone brings bigger fish

    About 200 scientists are studying the sea around Madeira, a group of islands in the Atlantic. [27] They compare the south of the Desertas Islands, where fishing is banned, with the north. [27] Baited cameras film the fish 40 to 50 metres down in both areas. [27] 'As we protect this place, year after year, the fish get bigger,' said Juan Mayorga. [27] Mayorga works for Pristine Seas, an ocean project of the National Geographic Society. [27]

    Why it matters — He says the protected fish also produce more and more young. [27]

19. 20

    Salmonella sickens 66 at a Costa Rica hospital

    Costa Rica's health ministry reported a Salmonella outbreak at Hospital CIMA in Escazu. [28] 66 cases have been recorded, 2 confirmed by lab tests, and 2 people are in hospital. [28] Hospital workers are among those who fell ill. [28] No food has been named, and the source is not yet confirmed. [28] The US Embassy told its staff to use other places for medical care for now. [28]

    Why it matters — In September, 135 people fell ill at a hospital in Mexico, linked to its catering service. [28]

20. 21

    Food makers chase people leaving weight-loss drugs

    Simply Good Foods is pitching Atkins at people who stop weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. [29] Atkins sales fell 20.9% in the company's 2026 business year. [29] Up to two-thirds of the weight lost returns within a year of stopping, one study found. [29] Food and drink launches marked as suiting these drugs rose 190%, Innova Market Insights found. [30] 22% of users in the US and Canada want drinks that help them stay hydrated. [30]

    Why it matters — Morgan Stanley, a US bank, expects up to 55 million Americans on the drugs by 2035. [29]

21. 22

    Most Europeans wary of new kinds of food

    51% of Europeans see 'innovative' foods negatively, and 19% positively, an EU poll found. [31] These include lab-grown meat, foods made by microbes and gene-edited crops. [31] The poll, a Eurobarometer, was published by the European Commission. [31] Only 42% would buy a clearly labelled food made with microbes, while 54% would not. [31] Among people who felt well informed, 72% viewed such foods positively. [31]

    Why it matters — About 85% want such foods to carry clear, distinct names and say how they are made. [31]

22. 23

    An Australian indoor farm firm heads to the US

    Stacked Farm, an Australian vertical farming firm, plans a large indoor farm in Southern California. [32] It grows leafy crops indoors under its own lamps, which it says give off less heat. [32] The California farm is due to open in 2028. [32] It plans 2 US farms a year and is securing land in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Texas. [32]

    Why it matters — Many US vertical farms have closed or shrunk in recent years, AgFunderNews notes. [32] Its founder says those firms grew too fast on investors' money before fixing their problems. [32]

23. 24

    Cropland is shifting toward the tropics and dry lands

    A new study maps how the world's cropland has moved as towns and cities grew. [34] In the mild north, spreading towns have pushed farming off good land. [34] Farming then spread into nearby dry areas. [34] In the tropics, towns and farms both keep growing, at the cost of wild land. [34] Some of that tropical farming is driven by investors from the northern half of the world. [34] The study was led by Lun Gao of the University of Minnesota. [34]

    Why it matters — The authors link the shift to lost forests, lost wildlife and falling groundwater. [34]

24. 25

    Spain's greenhouse coast shows a water trap

    A study looks at Campo de Dalias in Almeria, Spain, among the world's densest greenhouse areas. [35] Farmers there found groundwater in the 1940s, then pumped until it ran down. [35] They moved to water-saving methods, and now also use seawater with the salt removed. [35] The study found better efficiency alone did not cut the total water used. [35] The authors call this the rebound effect: saved water let farms grow more. [35]

    Why it matters — They say pumping was never held below what nature put back underground. [35]

25. 26

    California farms beat the first rains

    California's first big storm of the season, on 14 and 15 October, paused many harvests. [33] Many harvests were early this year because of heat during the bloom. [33] Some farms sped up fieldwork, expecting heavy El Nino storms. [33] Willows, in the Sacramento Valley, got about 0.7 inches of rain from the storm. [33] California Olive Ranch brought in more harvesters to finish its orchards quickly. [33]

    Why it matters — Rice farmers who planted late face the most risk from early rain, a farm leader said. [33] Remnants of Tropical Storm Olana could bring the next big storm around Halloween. [33]

26. 27

    A cheaper way to choose calves' sex tested in bulls

    Indian scientists tested a cheap way to sort bull sperm by the sex of the calf. [37] Dairy herds want more female calves, the researchers say. [37] They treated semen from 3 bulls with a chemical called Resiquimod, then split it in two. [37] The lower part held more sperm with the X chromosome, which makes female calves. [37] The middle of 3 doses worked best and did not harm the sperm after freezing. [37] The researchers work at India's state cattle research institute in Meerut. [37]

    Why it matters — The authors say it could be a cheaper option than standard sperm-sorting methods. [37]

27. 28

    16 groups urge rejecting a US ultra-processed food definition

    16 groups asked the White House budget office to reject a US definition of ultra-processed food. [25] The US health department and the FDA wrote it, and the budget office is reviewing it. [25] The groups' letter says about 70% of US food is counted as ultra-processed. [25] A University of Chicago study priced a label rule at $14.2 billion a year. [25] It found $8.1 billion of that would reach shoppers, about $60 more per household. [25]

    Why it matters — Ross Marchand of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance says it has 'nothing to do with nutrition'. [25] The letter says state and federal label rules would follow the federal definition. [25]

28. 29

    An Iowa study maps livestock raised on pasture

    The Iowa Food System Coalition is starting a 12-month study of livestock raised on pasture. [39] A $40,000 grant from the ASPCA, an animal welfare charity, pays for it. [39] Pasture-raised animals graze freely, instead of being fed in a confined system. [39] Iowa State University and Practical Farmers of Iowa will survey farmers on size, costs and profits. [39] The study will also build a statewide map of these farms. [39]

    Why it matters — 84% of Iowa shoppers have bought food straight from farmers or meat lockers, a survey found. [39] The map should also show where local meat processing plants are missing. [39]

29. 30

    A Korean food-waste tracker wins an Asia food tech prize

    South Korea's FutureSense won the 2026 APAC Global Food Tech Awards for food start-ups. [40] Its product, Food4Chain, measures food lost along supply chains, and the cost, as it happens. [40] That helps businesses see where food and money are being wasted. [40] The top 3 also included Australia's Produxiom, which checks products against food rules. [40] The third was Taiwan's Oxperial BioHealth, which extracts plant compounds at low temperatures. [40] The awards were announced at the APAC Agrifood Innovation Summit in Singapore. [40]

    Why it matters — Finalist Daniel Chen said the recognition helps build trust with retailers and investors. [40]