Food & Farming · Saturday, 31 October 2026

A St. Louis jury clears Bayer's Monsanto in the first Roundup cancer trial since the US Supreme Court narrowed such claims, as a $7.25 billion settlement waits on a judge

23 stories 28 sources

Signals on this beat

The bar and the word are our reading of how hard each one is pushing, and the arrow is where it is heading.

Farm prices below costs High↑

Freshways will pay its UK dairy farmers 7p a litre less from 1 December. [5]
Scotland's independent pig farmers are losing over 1 million pounds a month. [6]
One English farmer's yearly payment fell from 75,000 pounds to 600. [7]

Weather hitting farms Building↑

Despite recent rain, 82% of England is still in drought. [14]
In East Africa, forecasters give a more than 90% chance of over 400mm of rain in parts of Kenya and Somalia. [10]

Officials acting on warnings Building↑

The UN food agency asked East African governments to stock Rift Valley fever vaccines before any outbreak. [10]
The FDA told US parents to throw away every batch of a toddler bar after choking reports. [11]
The EU's forest law starts on 30 December. [13]

Food firms selling more Steady↑

Mondelez grew sales 2.3%, mostly by selling more items rather than raising prices. [18]
Hershey cannot make its salty snacks fast enough until new lines start in 2027. [19]
John Deere is calling back more than 300 laid-off workers. [16]

The stories

23 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

01
A St. Louis jury clears Bayer's Monsanto in the first Roundup cancer trial since the US Supreme Court narrowed such claims, as a $7.25 billion settlement waits on a judge

65,000

Roundup claims still open in US courts

the three women in this trial were not part of Bayer's settlement offer [1]

$7.25 billion

offered by Bayer to settle tens of thousands of claims

a Missouri court has yet to decide whether to approve it [1]

5.2%

rise in Bayer's shares on Friday morning, at most

in European trading, after the St. Louis verdict [1]
What happened
- On 29 October a St. Louis jury sided with Monsanto in a Roundup cancer trial. [1]
- Three women said regular use of Roundup gave them non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a kind of cancer. [1]
- The jury ruled for Monsanto unanimously, in the first such trial since June. [1]
- One of the three women, Cynthia Fernandez, died before the trial began. [1]
- So the women's lawyers argued Roundup was badly designed and unreasonably dangerous. [1]
- The jury also rejected their claims of fraud and of negligence, meaning carelessness. [1]
- About 65,000 other Roundup claims are still open in US courts. [1]
- Bayer has offered $7.25 billion to settle tens of thousands of them. [1]
- The three women in this trial were not part of that offer. [1]
- Bayer's shares rose as much as 5.2% in Europe on Friday morning. [1]
- The EPA has found glyphosate not likely to cause cancer in people, and is checking again. [1]
- Some in MAHA, short for Make America Healthy Again, called Trump's glyphosate order a betrayal. [4]
Who is involved

Monsanto, the maker of the weedkiller Roundup, has been owned by Bayer since 2018. [1]
For farmers, glyphosate is a main tool for killing weeds without ploughing the soil. [1]
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. runs the US health department and backs a movement called MAHA. [4]
- Monsanto makes Roundup
- Bayer the company that has owned Monsanto, maker of Roundup, since 2018; it won this trial
- Cynthia Fernandez died before the trial
- The EPA the US environment agency; it approves Roundup's label and has not required a cancer warning
- The three women not in the offer
- WHO cancer agency asks: could it?
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. US health secretary
- Theresa Aretino, Cynthia Fernandez and Betty Larkin the three women who sued; Fernandez died before the trial
- The WHO's cancer agency a World Health Organization body; in 2015 it called glyphosate probably cancer-causing
How it unfolded

In June the US Supreme Court ruled US label rules block claims over a missing warning. [1]
The EPA, the US environment agency, approves Roundup's label and has not required a cancer warning. [1]
Bayer bought Monsanto for $63 billion in 2018, and the cases have cost it billions since. [1]
The World Health Organization's cancer agency called glyphosate, Roundup's main chemical, probably cancer-causing in 2015. [1]
In February a Trump order called glyphosate weedkillers a cornerstone of US food security. [4]
1. June Supreme Court ruling
2. 29 October St. Louis verdict
3. 2015 the WHO's cancer agency calls glyphosate probably cancer-causing [1]
4. 2018 Bayer buys Monsanto for $63 billion [1]
5. February a Trump order backs glyphosate weedkillers [4]
6. June the US Supreme Court rules label rules block claims over a missing warning [1]
7. 29 October a St. Louis jury rules for Monsanto [1]
Why it matters

The verdict suggests the claims left after June will be harder to win. [1]
But it does not decide the outcome of any other open case. [1]

How it works

Toxicologists, scientists who study poisons, separate a hazard from a risk. [1]
The cancer agency asks whether glyphosate could cause cancer under some conditions. [1]
The EPA asks how likely harm is at the amounts people actually meet. [1]
The truth
- What is really going on Louis jury cleared Monsanto of every claim three women brought, and the win strengthens Bayer's push to settle about 65,000 other Roundup cases for $7.25 billion. [1]
- Why it works on people One unanimous verdict feels like a final answer on whether a weedkiller causes cancer, but the jury ruled only on the claims in front of it, and it decides no other case. [1]
- Bayer gains what one investor called one of its most important trial wins. [1]
- People who blame Roundup for their cancer now have fewer legal routes left. [1]
- Who gains Bayer and its shareholders — Its shares rose as much as 5.2% on Friday, and one investor called the verdict one of its most important trial wins. [1]
- Who pays People who blame Roundup for their cancer — Since June, US label rules block many claims over a missing cancer warning, and the first trial on other grounds went against them. [1]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether a Missouri court approves Bayer's $7.25 billion Roundup settlement.
  
  The court has not yet ruled, and the three women in this trial are outside the deal. [1]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether glyphosate causes cancer at the amounts people actually meet.
  
  The WHO's cancer agency called it probably cancer-causing in 2015; the EPA found it not likely to, and is reviewing it again. [1]
What comes next

The next step is a Missouri court's decision on the $7.25 billion deal. [1]

02
Gulf fertiliser exports fall by 70%
What happened
- Kpler, a data firm, says Middle East fertiliser exports fell by about 70% to 75%. [9]
- Shipments were 994,000 tonnes in September, against 3.41 million tonnes a year earlier. [9]
- Saudi Arabia trucks some to its Red Sea ports, but not nearly enough. [9]
- China and Russia are selling more, but at higher prices, Rystad Energy analysts say. [9]
Who is involved

The Gulf sells 30% to 40% of the urea, a nitrogen fertiliser, shipped by sea. [9]
- China
- Russia
- India uses its own
How it unfolded

The Iran war has mostly closed the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf's sea exit. [9]

Why it matters

Less fertiliser can mean smaller harvests and dearer food next year, Kpler's analyst warns. [9]
Countries such as India, a top rice and wheat grower, need Gulf fertiliser most. [9]

How it works

The Gulf makes only 10% to 12% of the world's urea, Kpler says. [9]
China and India make the most, but use nearly all of it at home. [9]
Economists call that a thin market: a few sellers supply what crosses borders. [9]
The truth
- Sellers in China and Russia gain, filling the gap at a higher price. [9]
- Farmers who must buy fertiliser abroad pay those higher prices. [9]
- Who gains Fertiliser sellers in China and Russia — They are filling the gap left by Gulf exports, at a higher price than before. [9]
- Who pays Farmers who buy fertiliser from abroad — With Gulf exports down by about 70%, the rival supplies cost more. [9]
- Nobody knows yet
  When Gulf fertiliser shipments recover.
  
  Kpler expects them to stay near September's 994,000 tonnes through year-end unless the fighting around the Strait of Hormuz eases. [9]
What comes next

Kpler expects exports to stay this low through year-end unless the fighting eases. [9]
03
Freshways cuts its milk price by 7p
What happened
- Freshways, a UK milk processor, will pay farmers 7p a litre less from 1 December. [5]
- That takes its base price to 29.4p a litre. [5]
- Cream fell 11% in a month, and UK butter is 29% below last year. [5]
Who is involved

Chris Walkland, a dairy market analyst, called it a brutal cut. [5]
How it unfolded

It had raised its price by 9p in September and October, after a dry summer. [5]
Freshways says the rise was meant to help farmers and keep its milk coming. [5]
UK farms got 38.45p a litre on average in September, 16% less than a year before. [5]
1. Sept and Oct price up 9p
2. 1 December price down 7p
Why it matters

The cut lands on farmers who already face extra costs, Walkland says. [5]

How it works

Dairy economists say a processor's milk price follows what it earns from cream and butter. [5]
Freshways says raising its fresh-milk prices to shops risked losing sales. [5]
The truth
- The processor passes its squeezed margin back to its farmers as a lower price. [5]
- Whether cream prices recover before January is not yet known. [5]
- Who pays Freshways' dairy farmers — From 1 December they get 29.4p a litre, 7p less, after cream and butter prices fell. [5]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether other UK dairies cut their milk prices in January.
  
  One analyst expects no cuts in December but cannot rule them out for January if cream and butter stay weak. [5]
What comes next

He does not expect other dairies to cut in December, but maybe in January. [5]

04
Rift Valley fever risk rises in East Africa
What happened
- The UN food agency, FAO, warned that Rift Valley fever could spread across East Africa. [10]
- Mosquitoes carry it, and heavy rain gives them more places to breed. [10]
- The rains are linked to El Nino, which is nearing record strength. [10]
- Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda face the highest risk. [10]
- FAO asks governments to stock vaccines and step up checks before any outbreak. [10]
Who is involved

It issued the alert with IGAD, a regional group of East African governments. [10]
Rift Valley fever is a virus that sickens sheep, cattle and camels, and can infect people. [10]
- FAO UN food agency
- IGAD regional governments
- Herders
- People near sick animals
How it unfolded

Conditions look like 1997-98, when one of the largest outbreaks on record hit East Africa. [10]
1. 1997-98 a huge outbreak
2. Now the same El Nino conditions
3. October 2026 risk starts to grow
4. January 2027 still growing
Why it matters

Herders could lose animals, and people catch it from sick animals or their products. [10]
How it works

Vets call it a zoonosis: a disease that passes between animals and people. [10]
FAO's tool reads satellites and rain forecasts to flag risky areas up to 3 months ahead. [10]
Why officials act before a harm is certain

Risk regulators call it the precautionary principle: when a harm would be serious and hard to undo, they act before proof arrives.

The twist

Officials do not need proof to act, only a believable warning of serious harm. A court is different: it acts only after a harm, and only on proof.
Step by step
1. A warning arrives: reports from families, a rain forecast, a satellite picture
2. Proof would take months, or come only after people or animals are hurt
3. Some harms cannot be undone once they happen
4. So officials act on the warning, sized to how bad the harm could be
5. The cost: some actions turn out not to have been needed
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Rift Valley fever in East Africa
  
  The UN food agency asked governments to stock vaccines and step up checks now, from rain forecasts, before any outbreak has been found.
- The toddler bars that caused choking
  
  The FDA told parents to throw away every batch on the strength of choking reports, without waiting for a study or a court.
- Europe's forest law and palm oil
  
  From 30 December a seller must show its palm oil is not from cleared forest; the EU does not have to prove that it is.
- England's drought
  
  Severe drought status lets officials save water before any supply is cut, and farmers may fill their reservoirs early.
Where you've seen this

Flood warnings

a town closes a riverside road on a forecast, before the water rises

Medicines

a drug is paused after a few bad reports while experts check what happened

Air travel

a type of plane is grounded after a crash until the cause is known

The catch

Applied to every small risk, this would block useful things too. So officials weigh how likely and how bad the harm is against what acting costs.

And the whole of it

A herder in Kenya, a parent in the US and a palm oil buyer in Europe each now live under a rule made on a warning. Most people, us included, meet only the rule and never see the warning behind it.
The truth
- Nobody knows yet where an outbreak will start, only where conditions favour one. [10]
- Nobody knows yet
  Where Rift Valley fever will break out, if it does.
  
  FAO's tool maps where conditions suit the virus up to three months ahead, but not where the first case will appear. [10]
What comes next

FAO's forecast tool expects the risk to grow from October 2026 to January 2027. [10]

05
Scottish pig farms lose 1 million pounds a month
What happened
- Scotland's independent pig farmers lose over 1 million pounds a month, their union says. [6]
- Pig numbers have fallen since March, and family farms are leaving the industry. [6]
- Scotland's pigs eat about 300,000 tonnes of Scottish grain a year. [6]
Who is involved

Andrew Connon leads NFU Scotland, the farmers' union, and spoke at its conference on 29 October. [6]
Jim Fairlie, Scotland's farming minister, criticised a shop for promoting pork from Germany and the Netherlands. [6]
- Andrew Connon head of NFU Scotland
- Jim Fairlie Scotland's farming minister
How it unfolded

He said the 2 million pound rescue from Scotland's government in July falls short. [6]

Why it matters

Fewer pigs means less grain sold by Scotland's arable farmers, Connon warned. [6]
Losing more farms could leave too few pigs to keep Scotland's processing plants going. [6]

How it works

Planners call it critical mass: a plant needs enough animals to keep running. [6]
The truth
- What is really going on In Britain, farmers are carrying the fall in dairy and pig markets: Freshways will pay 7p a litre less from 1 December, and Scotland's independent pig farmers are losing over 1 million pounds a month. [5][6]
- A possible UK ban on gas stunning of pigs could add to their costs, farmers warn. [6]
- Scotland's government promised more talks on support, but named no sum. [6]
- Who pays Scotland's independent pig farmers — They are losing over 1 million pounds a month, and their union says July's 2 million pound rescue falls short. [6]
06
US warns of choking on a toddler bar
What happened
- The FDA, the US food regulator, warned against a toddler snack bar. [11]
- Several children aged 1.5 to 2.5 could not breathe after eating them, reports say. [11]
- When chewed, a bar can form a dry, sticky lump that back blows may not dislodge. [11]
- Some children needed emergency help and a stay in hospital to be watched. [11]
- The warning covers every flavour and batch, sold at Costco, Target, Walmart and online. [11]
- Once Upon a Farm is recalling the bars and offering full refunds. [12]
- "We fell short of that," the firm said of the trust parents place in it. [12]
Who is involved

The bars, Tractor Wheels, come from Once Upon a Farm, an organic children's food firm. [12]
- Costco
- Target
- Walmart
- Online
Why it matters

Young children are the ones at risk, and the usual first aid may fail. [11]

How it works

Food scientists call this a physical hazard: harm from texture or shape, not germs. [11]
The FDA acted on reports of choking and asked the firm to recall the bars. [11]

The FDA told parents to throw away every batch on the strength of choking reports, without waiting for a study or a court.
The idea, in story 04: Why officials act before a harm is certain →
The truth
- The FDA has not said how many children were hurt, only that there were several reports. [11]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many children choked on Tractor Wheels bars, and how many bars are still in homes.
  
  The FDA speaks of several reports and has given no count. [11]
What comes next

It says no other Once Upon a Farm products are affected. [12]
07
Palm oil tests Europe's forest law
What happened
- Indonesian campaign groups found signs of forest clearing in 2024 at a palm oil plantation. [13]
- The groups did not show that every named company broke the law. [13]
- It bars palm oil, cocoa, coffee and beef from land cleared after 31 December 2020. [13]
Who is involved

The plantation, in Central Kalimantan, belongs to KLK Group, a rubber company. [13]
Recent buyers of its palm oil include PepsiCo, Unilever, Ferrero, Mondelez and Procter & Gamble. [13]
The US ambassador to the EU called the law over-regulation and an unneeded trade barrier. [13]
- PepsiCo
- Unilever
- Ferrero
- Mondelez
How it unfolded
1. 31 December 2020 cut-off for cleared land
2. 30 December the law starts
Why it matters

The 30 December start will test whether the EU enforces it despite pressure to ease it. [13]

How it works

Under the law, sellers must prove their goods are not linked to deforestation. [13]
Supply-chain experts call this traceability: following goods back to where they grew. [13]

From 30 December a seller must show its palm oil is not from cleared forest; the EU does not have to prove that it is.
The idea, in story 04: Why officials act before a harm is certain →
The truth
- Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Ghana and the US have lobbied the EU to rethink it. [13]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether the EU enforces its forest law from 30 December.
  
  It has been delayed before, producer countries and the US are lobbying against it, and the Indonesian groups did not show that every named buyer broke it. [13]
What comes next

The EU's forest law starts on 30 December, after repeated delays. [13]
08
England's farm payments end, Scotland's stay
What happened
- England is phasing out direct payments, the yearly sums the government paid farmers. [7]
- Connon met an English farmer whose payment fell from 75,000 pounds to 600 pounds this year. [7]
- Next year her payment disappears completely. [7]
- Scotland's government says it will keep paying direct support. [7]
- It says inflation has cut the support's buying power by about 27% since 2014. [7]
Who is involved
- England
- Scotland
Why it matters

Farmers on each side of the border now get very different help. [7]

How it works

Economists separate a sum's face value from its real value: what it buys after prices rise. [7]
A budget fixed in pounds buys less every year that prices rise. [7]
The truth
- Scotland's government says its own funding from the UK is falling in real terms. [7]
- Who pays English farmers who relied on direct payments — As England phases them out, one farmer's payment fell from 75,000 pounds to 600 in a year. [7]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Scotland's 3 December budget gives farming the 183 million pounds more its union asks for.
  
  Ministers say they will keep direct payments but face falling funding from the UK government. [7]
What comes next

The union wants the farm budget raised from 677 to 860 million pounds on 3 December. [7]
From 2030 Scotland's payments will go more to active farmers than landowners, says Jim Fairlie. [7]
09
Most of England is still in drought
What happened
- The National Drought Group says 82% of England is still in drought, despite recent rain. [14]
- England needs at least 120% of normal rain for six months to leave drought by spring. [14]
- Parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Sussex remain in severe drought. [14]
- North West England moved from dry weather into recovery on 28 October. [14]
- The Environment Agency is letting farmers fill farm reservoirs from rivers outside the normal season. [14]
Who is involved
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Dorset
- Somerset
How it unfolded

Severe drought status lets officials save water before any supply is cut. [14]

Why it matters

A dry winter would raise the risk of serious harm to farming next year. [14]

How it works

Hydrologists, who study water, say hard dry ground lets rain run off instead of soaking in. [14]
So England faces drought and flooding at the same time, the water minister says. [14]

Severe drought status lets officials save water before any supply is cut, and farmers may fill their reservoirs early.
The idea, in story 04: Why officials act before a harm is certain →
The truth
- The government told water firms to put public supplies first. [14]
10
Scottish farmers ask for a review of imports
What happened
- NFU Scotland called for an independent review of the UK's food import rules on 29 October. [8]
- The UK imports about 40% of the food it eats, Andrew Connon says. [8]
- The union wants imports held to the same core standards as Scottish farms. [8]
- It also wants clearer labels saying where food was produced. [8]
- Over 80% of shoppers say origin matters, but under half feel they can find it. [8]
Who is involved
- Scottish farms high standards
- Imports different standards
How it unfolded

Food imports have grown 70% since 1997, and the food trade gap has doubled since 2000. [8]

Why it matters

Scottish farmers say they pay for high standards that cheaper imports do not meet. [8]

How it works

Trade economists call this a level playing field: rivals selling under the same rules. [8]
The truth
- The union's paper gives no estimate of what stricter import rules would do to prices. [8]
11
John Deere calls back laid-off workers
What happened
- John Deere, the US tractor maker, will call back more than 300 laid-off workers. [16]
- It also plans to hire more than 400 new workers in the coming months. [16]
- More than 275 will return in Waterloo, Iowa, the biggest group. [16]
- About 125 workers near Des Moines stay laid off. [16]
- Counting these, it will have recalled about 1,000 workers since 2024. [16]
How it unfolded

Deere cut jobs in rounds since 2024 as farmers bought less machinery. [16]

Why it matters

Deere says the extra workers prepare it for future labour negotiations. [16]

How it works

Economists call tractors durable goods: farmers can put off buying one when money is tight. [16]
The truth
- Deere has not said the farm machinery market is really recovering. [16]
- Who gains John Deere workers in Iowa and Illinois — More than 300 laid-off workers are being called back, and more than 400 new jobs are planned. [16]
Good news
- Every laid-off Deere worker in Waterloo, the Quad Cities, Ottumwa and Dubuque has been called back. [16]
- John Deere has called back every laid-off worker at its plants in Waterloo, the Quad Cities, Ottumwa and Dubuque, and plans to hire more than 400 more.
12
Crop fires surge in Pakistan's Punjab
What happened
- NASA satellites spotted 13,241 fires in Pakistan's Punjab province from 1 to 29 October. [22]
- That is 4.2 times as many as in India's Punjab, which had 3,158. [22]
- Most were in the rice belt around Lahore, likely farmers burning crop waste. [22]
Who is involved

HamariHawa, an environment monitoring website, found 92% of Pakistan's fires were on farmland. [22]
How it unfolded

In 2019 it was the other way round: 14,002 fires in India's Punjab, 2,908 in Pakistan's. [22]

Why it matters

The smoke can add to Lahore's worsening air, depending on the wind. [22]

How it works

Remote sensing, measuring from space, counts fires as satellites pass overhead. [22]
It cannot measure the area burnt, and misses fires hidden by cloud or smoke. [22]
The truth
- Pakistan publishes no comparable official daily fire count to check these figures. [22]
Good news
- India's Punjab cut its satellite-spotted crop fires by 95% between 2021 and 2025. [22]
- India's Punjab cut the crop fires that satellites spot by 95% between 2021 and 2025.
What comes next

Punjab's environment agency is inspecting brick kilns and farms to curb smog. [22]
13
Mondelez sells more and buys Undercover Snacks
What happened
- Mondelez, maker of Oreo, Cadbury and Toblerone, grew sales 2.3% in July to September. [18]
- Selling more items added 1.8 points of growth; higher prices added just 0.3. [18]
- Its gross profit rose by more than $1.3 billion. [18]
Who is involved

Mondelez also agreed to buy Undercover Snacks, a US maker of chocolate-covered quinoa crisps. [18]
- Mondelez buyer
- Undercover Snacks quinoa crisps
Why it matters

Shoppers bought more Mondelez snacks, not only paid more for them. [18]

How it works

Business analysts split sales growth into volume, meaning more items, and price. [18]
The truth
- Shareholders gain: Mondelez returned $2.8 billion to them in nine months. [18]
- Swings in cocoa prices remain a cost risk for every chocolate maker. [18]
- Who gains Mondelez shareholders — The company returned $2.8 billion to them through dividends and share buybacks in nine months. [18]
What comes next

It kept its forecast of at least 2% sales growth this year. [18]
14
Hershey cannot make enough salty snacks
What happened
- Hershey, maker of Reese's, says its salty snacks sell faster than it can make them. [19]
- Short supply of Dot's pretzels and multipacks has hit output for at least six months. [19]
- Salty snack sales still jumped 22.3% in its latest three months. [19]
- Hershey's total sales rose 3% to $3.28 billion. [19]
Who is involved

"Demand is definitely outstripping supply, but we are catching up," said chief executive Kirk Tanner. [19]
Why it matters

The shortage cost Hershey sales and squeezed its profit, the company said. [19]

How it works

Operations managers call this a capacity limit: demand above what the lines can make. [19]
The truth
- Hershey says shoppers are cautious, with petrol, prices and interest rates all high. [19]
What comes next

New production lines should start running in the first half of 2027. [19]
15
Green Plains sells $325 million of tax credits
What happened
- It agreed to sell up to $325 million of its tax credits to an unnamed buyer. [17]
- The buyer takes at least $250 million, with an option for $30 million more. [17]
- Green Plains' shares rose 3.5% to $14.10 on Friday. [17]
Who is involved

Green Plains is one of the biggest US makers of ethanol, a fuel made from corn. [17]
How it unfolded

The credits, called 45Z, reward fuel made with less carbon. [17]

Why it matters

The cash helps repair Green Plains' finances after years of trouble, an analyst says. [17]

How it works

Finance teams call this monetising: turning a future tax benefit into cash now. [17]
The truth
- Nobody outside the deal knows who the buyer is. [17]
- Who gains Green Plains — Selling at least $250 million of 45Z tax credits brings it cash now to repair its finances. [17]
What comes next

The US Treasury has still not issued final rules for them, expected next month. [17]
16
Charity buys the Rothbury estate and its farms
What happened
- The Wildlife Trusts, British nature charities, completed buying the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland on 30 October. [15]
- The 3,800-hectare estate cost 30 million pounds. [15]
- About 25,000 members of the public gave 17 million pounds of it. [27]
- On the third of the estate it farms itself, sheep will fall from 1,500 to 500. [15]
- Cattle there will rise from 50 to 200, to leave rougher, longer grass. [15]
Who is involved

Eight tenant farmers on the other two-thirds may keep farming as they choose. [15]
Why it matters

The estate joins a planned 40-mile nature corridor from the coast to Kielder Forest. [15]

How it works

Ecologists call this conservation grazing: using animals to shape which plants grow. [15]
The truth
- Defra, England's farm ministry, put in 1.94 million pounds. [15]
- Tenant farmers' leader George Dunn says that money could fund about 70 farm nature deals. [15]
Good news
- About 25,000 members of the public gave 17 million pounds to help a charity buy the 3,800-hectare Rothbury Estate in Northumberland, and its eight tenant farmers keep their farms.
17
USDA puts $325 million into farm conservation
What happened
- The USDA, the US farm department, is putting over $325 million into 42 conservation projects. [21]
- The scheme pairs private money with federal funds, Rollins said. [21]
- One Iowa project will plant over 300,000 acres of cover crops. [21]
- USDA expects 1 million tons less soil lost and 3.3 million pounds less nitrogen. [21]
- A Georgia project will protect at least 6,000 acres of longleaf pine forest. [21]
Who is involved

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced them in Iowa on 26 October. [21]
- Brooke Rollins US agriculture secretary
- Farmers
- Forest owners
Why it matters

Farmers and forest owners get paid help to protect soil, water and forests. [21]

How it works

Conservation economists call this cost-sharing: public money flows when partners add their own. [21]
The truth
- The soil and nitrogen figures are USDA's own forecasts, not measured results. [21]
18
Malawi orders big farmers to repay in maize
What happened
- It told farmers with overdue loans to deliver their maize by 22 November. [23]
- "This maize belongs to the Government of Malawi," said managing director Taz Chaponda. [23]
- The maize goes to state depots, including those of the national food reserve. [23]
Who is involved

MAIIC, a Malawi state body, lent money to big farms under a scheme called Mega Farms. [23]
How it unfolded

On 28 August the High Court lifted a block on loan recovery that 48 farmers won. [23]
1. 28 August court lifts the block
2. 22 November maize due
Why it matters

The maize is meant for Malawi's food reserve, and the money back to the state. [23]

How it works

Lenders call this repayment in kind: settling a debt in goods, not money. [23]
The truth
- Farmers who borrowed must also cover interest and costs under their loan deals. [23]
What comes next

Farmers who do not deliver may face debt collectors or court. [23]
19
Eight more firms take the Product of USA label
What happened
- 8 more US meat and poultry firms took up the USDA's Product of USA label. [20]
- More than 30 firms have signed up since the campaign began this year. [20]
- The voluntary label means born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the US. [20]
Who is involved

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced them on 30 October. [20]
- Brooke Rollins US agriculture secretary
- Independent ranchers
- Small processors
How it unfolded

It sits beside SPUR, a $500 million USDA scheme for small and mid-sized beef plants. [20]

Why it matters

USDA says the label helps independent ranchers and small processors compete. [20]

How it works

Food marketers call it a voluntary label: firms choose to use it, and none must. [20]
The truth
- USDA gives no figure for how much more such meat sells for. [20]
20
South Africa drafts a new food security plan
What happened
- South Africa is consulting its provinces on a second 10-year National Food and Nutrition Security Plan. [25]
- Western Cape has about 3 million hungry people in towns and 170,000 in the countryside. [25]
- A survey still pointed policy at rural areas, because it compared percentages, they argue. [25]
Who is involved

Researchers Scott Drimie and Gareth Haysom raised it for Africa's food security day, 30 October. [25]
- Scott Drimie Stellenbosch University
- Gareth Haysom University of Cape Town
How it unfolded

A 2023 review found the first plan met only 11 of its 65 targets. [25]
Its oversight council never met, and it had no budget of its own. [25]

Why it matters

Informal traders, who feed most poor city households, are rarely asked, the authors say. [25]

How it works

Statisticians separate a rate, the share of people affected, from a count of people. [25]
Hunger rates were about 47% on farms and 45% in towns, nearly the same. [25]
The truth
- The hungry in towns pay when policy follows the rate, not the count, the authors argue. [25]
21
Tunisia starts its first farm census
What happened
- Tunisia launched its first digital count of all its farms, covering 2026 and 2027. [24]
- It will record where farms are, what they do and what resources they have. [24]
Who is involved

Agriculture minister Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh announced it on Friday. [24]
The Grain Board and the national statistics institute run it with Tunisia's agriculture ministry. [24]
- Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh Tunisia's agriculture minister
- Agriculture ministry
- Grain Board
- Statistics institute
How it unfolded
1. 2026 the count begins
2. 2027 the count ends
Why it matters

The minister says it will steer public and private money where it is needed most. [24]

How it works

Statisticians call a census a full count, not a survey of a sample. [24]
The truth
- Tunisia has not said when the first results will be published. [24]
What comes next

Field workers start collecting data in November, using tablets and location mapping. [24]
22
Small US crop farms match big ones on margins
What happened
- Its economists compared US crop farm accounts from 2007 to 2025. [26]
- Farms under 500 acres averaged a 20.3% profit margin; farms over 2,000 acres, 19.6%. [26]
- Big farms turned their assets into more output: 35.2% a year against 22.3%. [26]
- Net worth grew 9.2% a year on small farms and 10.9% on big ones. [26]
Who is involved

Farmdoc daily is a farm economics site at the University of Illinois. [26]
Why it matters

So big farms earn more on what they own, mainly by using it harder. [26]

How it works

Farm accountants work out return on assets as profit margin times asset turnover. [26]
The truth
- The figures come from FINBIN, a farm records database, not from every US farm. [26]
23
Raw pet food linked to Salmonella in people
What happened
- UK scientists found closely related Salmonella germs in dogs, raw pet food and sick people. [28]
- Scientists read the full genes of 1,223 samples from dogs and raw pet food. [28]
- 27.2% of the dog germs and 23.7% of the pet food germs matched human cases. [28]
- Some strains resisted several antibiotics, including antibiotics rated critically important. [28]
- Salmonella Typhimurium was the most common type in both people and dogs. [28]
Who is involved

Salmonella is a gut germ that can make both people and animals ill. [28]
The UK Health Security Agency funded the study, published on 31 October. [28]
- Raw pet food
- Pet dogs
- Sick people
- Animals
- Food
- People
How it unfolded

The samples were collected between 2006 and 2024. [28]
1. 2006 first samples
2. 2024 last samples
Why it matters

The authors say this shows a risk of infection inside homes with dogs. [28]

How it works

Scientists call this genomic surveillance: matching germs by their genes to trace their spread. [28]
It is One Health work: tracking one disease across animals, food and people. [28]
The truth
- Related germs show a possible link; the study does not prove pet food made anyone ill. [28]
What comes next

The authors call for clearer public health advice and more tracking of germ genes. [28]

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