Food & Farming · Thursday, 5 November 2026

Asian rice hits its highest price in almost two years as El Nino dries harvests, and Philippine rice jumps 21%

41 stories 53 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.

Bad weather shrinking crops High↑

Thai rice reached $499 a ton as El Nino brought drier weather to Asian fields. [1]
UK sugar beet may yield 65 tonnes a hectare against a usual 75 after drought and pests. [5]
World orange juice output is forecast down 13%. [4]

Fuel and gas costs reaching food Building↑

Fresh food in Italy cost 7.5% more in October after lorry drivers angry at diesel prices blocked roads. [6]
UK urea, a fertiliser, averaged 482 pounds a tonne as gas costs climbed. [7]
Kraft Heinz says it will likely raise prices in 2027. [8]

Food firms cutting prices to sell more Building↑

Diageo's average prices fell about 2% in three regions and it sold more there. [9]
Tate and Lyle's volumes rose 3% after it cut prices. [10]
Some 32.9% of Lidl's UK products cost less than a year ago. [11]

US food aid under strain High↑

One in three US shoppers skipped or shrank meals for money reasons in the past year. [12]
US stores taking food aid must now stock 28 staple items, not 7. [13]
States face paying part of food aid from 2027. [14]

Claims nobody can check at home Building↑

Ground cinnamon with too much lead now covers 21 products on a US list. [15]
India's food regulator says energy-drink labels dupe shoppers. [16]
A US lawsuit says Celsius's fat-burning label misleads. [17]

The stories

41 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
Asian rice hits its highest price in almost two years as El Nino dries harvests, and Philippine rice jumps 21%

$499

a ton of Thai white rice on Wednesday

the highest since December 2024 [1]

21%

more for rice in the Philippines in October than a year earlier

shop prices usually lag wholesale ones, so this is an early sign [1]

80%

rise in Chicago rice for later delivery since January

corn and wheat prices are falling while rice climbs [1]
What happened
- A benchmark Asian rice price has reached its highest in almost two years. [1]
- Thai white rice, a price many traders follow, rose to $499 a ton on Wednesday. [1] That is the highest since December 2024. [1]
- The report blames El Nino, a Pacific weather pattern linked to drier conditions across South and Southeast Asia. [1]
- In the Philippines, the world's top rice importer, rice cost 21% more in October than a year earlier. [1]
- The US farm department expects world rice output to fall this season, for the first time in over a decade. [1]
- More than half the world's rice grows in South and Southeast Asia, where this El Nino brings drier weather. [1]
- India, the biggest rice seller abroad, has had a drier harvest season than usual. [1]
- Thailand is another big seller. [1] Its main risk is the off-season crop, which relies on irrigation, a US report says. [1]
- Oliver Carpenter, of the climate risk firm Risilience, calls rice a particular concern. [2] So much of it grows in India, Vietnam and Thailand. [2]
- El Nino comes every 2 to 7 years and lasts about a year. [3] The UK Met Office has forecast this one as the strongest in living memory. [3]
- It is also feeding typhoons that have wiped out crops across East Asia. [3]
- Rice for later delivery in Chicago has risen more than 80% since the start of the year. [1]
- Corn and wheat prices have been falling over the same time. [1] So this rise is about rice, not all grain. [1]
- Kellogg's, the cereal maker, also cites weather-hit rice, without naming El Nino. [4] Its UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops no longer use whole grains of rice. [4]
- Rice Krispies now use rice flour, and Coco Pops use rice flour and cornflour. [4] Both now contain wheat gluten. [4]
- Kellogg's blames changing weather for the quality and supply of some of its rice. [4] Packets now carry a blue allergen circle for people who cannot eat wheat. [4]
- World orange juice output is also forecast down 13% this season, mainly on weather and a tree disease in Brazil. [4]
Who is involved
- India the world's biggest rice seller abroad; a drier season has hurt its harvest
- Thai Rice Exporters Association the Thai sellers' group behind the $499 figure
- The Philippines the world's top rice importer; its shoppers paid 21% more in October
- Kellogg's the cereal maker; it changed the recipes of two UK cereals
How it unfolded
1. Every 2 to 7 years El Nino returns
2. This year forecast the strongest in living memory
3. Dec 2024 Thai rice last sold this high [1]
4. January Chicago rice begins a rise of more than 80% [1]
5. October Philippine rice 21% dearer than a year earlier [1]
6. Wednesday Thai rice reaches $499 a ton [1]
Why it matters

Rice is the daily food across much of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. [1] A dearer staple threatens to push up food prices more widely, the report says. [1]
Shop prices take time to follow wholesale ones, so more of this rise may be on its way. [1]

How it works

Climate scientists call this a teleconnection: warm Pacific water shifts winds and weather around the world. [3]
The warm water pools in the eastern Pacific, far from Asia's rice. [3] Yet this El Nino is linked to drier weather across South and Southeast Asia. [1]

Seen it before

A big wave at one end of a swimming pool rocks a swimmer at the other end.
The truth
- What is really going on A strong El Nino is linked to drier rice fields in Asia, and Thai rice reached $499 a ton while corn and wheat fell. [1]
- Kellogg's statement, as printed, names no country and no tonnage of lost rice. [4]
- Who gains Rice sellers in Thailand with stock to sell — They get more for each ton while world output is set to fall. [1]
- Who pays Rice buyers in the Philippines — Their country imports more than any other, so a dearer world price reaches their shops. [1]
- Who pays People with coeliac disease or a wheat allergy — Two cereals once labelled 'may contain gluten' now list wheat gluten as an ingredient. [4]
- Nobody knows yet
  How far world rice output will fall.
  
  The US farm department and the UN's food agency each expect a drop, and the report we read gives no size. [1]
- Nobody knows yet
  How much rice Kellogg's could not get, and from where.
  
  Its statement blames changing weather and names no country or tonnage. [4]
What comes next

The main risk ahead in Thailand is its off-season crop, which relies on irrigation. [1]

02
US small shops must stock 28 staples for food aid
What happened
- A US rule took effect on 4 November making shops that take food aid stock 28 staple foods, not 7. [13]
- The aid is SNAP, a US grocery programme for low-income families. [13] It is worth close to $100 billion a year. [13]
- The 28 items fall in 4 groups: dairy, protein, grains, and vegetables or fruit. [13] 3 of the groups must include something perishable. [13]
- The US Congress first asked for this in a 2014 law, and a 2016 attempt was repeatedly delayed. [13]
- 12 Republican senators asked for six more months, and the US farm department said no. [13]
How it unfolded
1. 2014 farm law asks for it
2. 2016 first rule, delayed
3. 4 Nov it takes effect
Why it matters

More than 117,000 US convenience stores take the aid, nearly half of all approved shops, the senators wrote. [13]
The senators warned that tens of thousands of them could lose approval, and families would lose a nearby shop. [13]

How it works

Economists call this a compliance cost: shops say changing stock to follow the rule takes about 3 months. [13]
The department's answers to shops' questions came out on 30 October, days before the deadline. [13] Shop groups say that left no time to order the right stock. [13]

Seen it before

A school that adds a new subject the week before exams has not left anyone time to study it.
The truth
- The department says it will check shops when they are approved or renewed, and approval usually lasts 5 years. [13]
- Who pays Small US convenience stores — They must find room and suppliers for more staple items or risk losing food aid customers. [13]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many US shops will lose approval to take food aid.
  
  Senators warned of tens of thousands, but shops are checked only when approved or renewed. [13]
03
One in three US shoppers cuts meals
What happened
- One in three US shoppers skipped or shrank meals for money reasons in the past year, a tracker found. [12]
- The tracker comes from dunnhumby, a firm that studies how people shop. [12] Its figure is up 7 percentage points since December. [12]
- Among middle-income homes, 31% said they lacked enough to eat, up from 19%. [12]
- Shoppers aged 65 and over who were short of food nearly doubled, to 17%. [12]
- A US anti-hunger group estimates food aid has lost about 5.2 million people since a 2025 law. [12] Another group counts 5.5 million. [14]
Why it matters

Democrats won the US Congress on 3 November after promising cheaper groceries, so this is now their test. [12]

How it works

Economists call this trading down: 45% of shoppers in the tracker used dollar stores, up 5 points. [12] And 63% chose shops with low everyday prices. [12]

Seen it before

When pocket money runs low, you buy the supermarket's own crisps instead of the famous brand.
The truth
- What is really going on In the US, one in three shoppers skipped or shrank meals for money reasons, just as new rules and a budget fight squeeze the food aid many rely on. [12]
- The figures come from dunnhumby's own consumer tracker, not a government count. [12]
04
Fresh food leads Europe's new price rise
What happened
- Unprocessed food rose 4.6% in the euro zone in the year to October. [6] Processed food, alcohol and tobacco rose only 0.5%. [6]
- In southern Italy, lorry drivers angry at diesel costs blocked roads and ports for about 2 weeks. [6]
- Unprocessed food in Italy then cost 7.5% more than a year before, up from 5.5%. [6]
- In France, fresh food rose 8%, and in Germany all food rose only 0.4%. [6]
- Since September 2021, food in the EU has become about a third dearer, and over half dearer in Hungary. [6]
Why it matters

Food takes a bigger share of household spending in countries such as Romania and Bulgaria. [6] So a family in Sofia feels each rise more. [6]

How it works

Economists call this cost pass-through: dearer diesel reaches shop prices, and fresh food can be most exposed. [6]
Tractors burn diesel and most food travels by lorry. [6] Fresh food cannot sit in a warehouse for months, so it can be more exposed when fuel jumps. [6]

Seen it before

Milk goes off this week, so a corner shop cannot wait for a cheaper delivery. A tin can sit on the shelf.
05
John Deere will close 2 Iowa factories
What happened
- John Deere, the world-famous maker of farm machines, says it will close 2 factories in Iowa. [18]
- Its Ottumwa plant goes after hay machines move to Des Moines, by the end of its 2028 business year. [18]
- Its Hagie plant in Clarion stops making sprayers by the 2029 business year, and the work goes to Louisiana. [18]
- Louisiana then loses its own sugar cane harvester work to Catalao, in Brazil, from the 2029 business year. [18] The Louisiana plant builds about 35 of them a year. [18]
- Deere says the moves match its factories to customer demand, and that it remains committed to US manufacturing. [18]
How it unfolded
1. By end 2028 hay machines gone
2. Then Ottumwa closes
Why it matters

Deere says it will talk to workers, unions and local leaders. [18] It will also look for a future use for both sites. [18]

How it works

Economists call this economies of scale: Deere says one location for cane harvesters improves efficiency. [18]
Deere is moving cane harvesters to Brazil because its largest group of buyers is in South America. [18] It already builds them there. [18]

Seen it before

Two half-empty buses on one route cost more to run than one full bus.
The truth
- Deere has not said in this statement how many jobs will go. [18]
- Who pays Workers at Deere's Iowa plants — Their factories close once the work moves elsewhere. [18]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many jobs will end when Deere moves the work.
  
  Its statement gives dates and sites and no job number. [18]
06
Records detail lapses before a soybean plant blast
What happened
- US safety records show how a 2023 explosion hit an ADM soybean plant in Decatur, Illinois. [19]
- ADM is a large US crop processing company. [19] Its plant uses hexane, a flammable liquid, to pull oil from soybeans. [19]
- 8 people were severely hurt that night, one of them burned across his whole face. [19]
- A sensor picked up hexane about 50 minutes before the blast. [19] No record shows an evacuation in time. [19]
- A supervisor ran the shutdown from memory. [19] ADM's own guide wrongly said a safety gate closed at the push of a button. [19]
- ADM's safety papers from 1997 named this exact kind of leak as a risk. [19]
- The US safety agency, OSHA, fined ADM $50,000, cut to about $25,000 after ADM contested it. [19]
How it unfolded
1. First the sensor alarm sounds
2. 50 minutes on the building explodes
3. 1997 ADM names the risk
4. 2023 the leak and blast
Why it matters

About 4,000 people are on the site by day. [19] A contractor told OSHA a daytime blast would have hurt far more. [19]

How it works

Safety engineers call this process safety: controlling a dangerous substance before it ever gets out. [19]
Soybeans in a tunnel normally blocked the gas, but a shutdown emptied it. [19] The 2 backups were a valve that often stuck and a gate left open. [19]

Seen it before

If a bath plug fails and the overflow is blocked with soap, water reaches the floor.
The truth
- ADM did not answer more than a dozen emails from the reporters. [19] The records do not say what caused the spark or settle how the gas got out. [19]
- Nobody knows yet
  How the gas got out at ADM's plant, and what lit it.
  
  The safety records do not settle whether the faulty backups or open doors let it through, and they do not name the spark. [19]
07
Bluetongue jabs went abroad before the outbreak
What happened
- Bluetongue vaccine meant for Britain went to Europe because too few farmers ordered early, a regulator told MPs. [20]
- Bluetongue is a virus of sheep and cattle, and it can leave rams infertile. [21]
- Makers moved the doses so they would not expire unsold. [20] Abigail Seager, head of the UK's Veterinary Medicines Directorate, gave this evidence to MPs. [20]
- The UK has had 3,472 infected farms this season: 2,917 in England, 500 in Wales and 55 in Scotland. [20]
- The regulator had to arrange emergency imports, and nearly 5 million doses came in a very short time. [20]
Why it matters

Lambing next spring will show more of the damage, the head of the British vets' group says. [21]
Wales's chief vet says the virus will last the winter and could cause more losses next year. [20]

How it works

Factory planners call this demand forecasting, and the regulator says better forecasting is now central to its vaccine plan. [20]
Seager said regulators do not normally ask makers what demand to expect. [20] So low early orders told makers to send the doses elsewhere. [20]

Seen it before

A baker who sold little last week bakes less this week, then runs out when a crowd arrives.
The truth
- Some farmers waited more than 3 weeks for test results, MPs heard. [21] The outbreak map ran 2 to 3 weeks behind. [21]
- Who gains Vaccine makers selling bluetongue doses into Europe — They avoided doses expiring unsold in Britain by sending them where demand was. [20]
- Who pays Sheep farmers who could not get a jab in July — Next spring's lambing will show what the virus did to their flocks. [21]
Good news
- Nearly 5 million bluetongue vaccine doses reached Britain in a very short time, with a further 5 to 6 million expected by April 2027.

08
India's regulator says energy drink labels dupe shoppers
What happened
- India's food regulator told a court that PepsiCo and Monster sold drinks as energy drinks "to dupe the consumers". [16]
- The regulator, FSSAI, banned the term in June. [16] The firms sued, saying they were given no warning and no hearing. [16]
- FSSAI says India never set a legal standard for a category called energy drink. [16]
- A Delhi court let the firms sell old stock with the label, but not put it on new stock. [16]
- Red Bull, Hell Energy and India's Reliance Consumer have sued too. [16]
Why it matters

India's market is set to be worth $1.6 billion by 2028, growing 12.6% a year. [16]
The case tests how far India's regulator can go in policing labels. [16] It is due to be heard this week. [16]
How it works

Food lawyers call this a standard of identity: a legal line on what a name may be sold as. [16]
FSSAI says India has no such line for energy drinks. [16] So it argues the words have no place on a label at all. [16]

Seen it before

A club cannot hand out a black belt if nobody ever said what earns one.
Why a shopper can check the price but not what is inside the food

Economists call them credence goods: a shopper cannot tell by eating whether a food holds lead or burns fat, so labs, courts and regulators do the checking.

The twist

You can taste whether a soup is salty, but you cannot taste lead. So for the things that matter most in food, the eater has to rely on somebody else's test.

The picture

Too saltyyou taste it
Lead in cinnamona lab finds it
Two faults in food. A shopper catches the first at the first mouthful. The second stays hidden unless somebody tests for it.
Step by step
1. A shopper can see a food's price and its label
2. Some things stay hidden even after eating: lead, a fat-burning effect, how a cow was treated
3. Economists call these hidden qualities credence goods
4. A seller gains by making a claim the buyer cannot test
5. So someone else has to test it: a lab, a regulator, a court
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- The 21st cinnamon on the US lead list
  
  no cook can taste the lead, so state labs buy cinnamon from shops, test it and send the results to the FDA.
- The Celsius lawsuit
  
  a drinker cannot feel fat burning, so the fight over the label goes to a judge and to the firm's own studies.
- Arla stops collecting milk
  
  milk in a glass does not show how the cow was treated, and Arla confirmed cases after a campaign group's film.
- India's energy drink label fight
  
  a shopper cannot test what "energy" means on a can, so India's regulator tells a court the word misleads.
Where you've seen this

Car repairs

a driver rarely knows whether the new part was needed, even after driving away.

Vitamin pills

a pill tastes the same whether or not it holds what the bottle says.

Second-hand phones

a hidden fault can stay hidden for months, so sellers offer a test report.

The catch

A test only covers what somebody chose to test and how often. A label or a lab report can also be wrong, and a tester paid by the seller has a reason to go easy.

And the whole of it

A cook in Connecticut, a dairy farmer in Britain and a can buyer in Delhi each see only their own small part of this. Each of us eats every day on trust in people we will never meet, and those people cannot see all of it either.
What comes next

England will ban such drinks for under-16s from next April. [16]

09
A lawsuit says Celsius cannot burn your fat
What happened
- Celsius, a US energy drink company, faces a class action over labels saying it "burns body fat". [17]
- A class action is a case brought for everyone who bought the product. [17] It was filed on 28 October in Illinois, 2 days after a similar case in Washington state. [17]
- The suit calls this healthwashing and says the firm's own studies were funded by Celsius and misleading. [17]
- It says the research gives no evidence of meaningful fat loss without changes in diet and exercise. [17]
- Celsius says it stands by its peer-reviewed studies and that its labels go beyond US rules. [17]
How it unfolded
1. First a case in Washington state
2. 2 days on a case in Illinois
Why it matters

Chobani, Liquid Death and David Protein also faced similar label cases this year. [17]

How it works

Economists call this a credence good: the label says it burns fat, and only a study can test that. [17]
The suit leans on Celsius's own research. [17] So a court, not a drinker, will weigh the claim. [17]

Seen it before

A vitamin pill tastes the same whether or not it holds what the bottle says.

a drinker cannot feel fat burning, so the fight over the label goes to a judge and to the firm's own studies.
The idea, in story 08: Why a shopper can check the price but not what is inside the food →
The truth
- A judge dismissed a similar 2011 case from a California consumer, so this claim has been in court before. [17]
10
US lists a 21st cinnamon with too much lead
What happened
- The US food regulator, the FDA, added Wise Wife cinnamon to its list of products with too much lead. [15] The list now has 21. [15]
- It is the third such alert this year, because cinnamon goes into foods that babies eat. [15]
- Wise Wife was sold in 14 US states between September 2025 and June 2026. [15] A Connecticut lab found the lead. [15]
- Products on the list hold 2.03 to 7.68 parts per million of lead. [15] The 2023 apple puree case held 2,270 to 5,110. [15]
Why it matters

Eating lead over months or years harms the very young most, with learning disabilities among the effects. [15]

How it works

Economists call this a credence good: the lead in this cinnamon turned up in a lab, not in the cooking. [15]
State labs kept sampling shop cinnamon and sent the results to the FDA. [15]

Seen it before

Clean tap water and dirty tap water can look the same in a glass.

no cook can taste the lead, so state labs buy cinnamon from shops, test it and send the results to the FDA.
The idea, in story 08: Why a shopper can check the price but not what is inside the food →

What comes next

More products may follow, since the FDA is still reading state results. [15]
11
Arla stops collecting milk from some farms
What happened
- Arla, the big dairy co-operative that supplies Tesco, has stopped collecting milk from some UK farms after welfare breaches. [22]
- Animal Justice Project, a group that wants to end animal farming, investigated 16 Arla-supplying farms across 13 counties. [22]
- It claims it filmed lame cows being walked, violent handling and tail twisting. [22]
- Arla says its own investigation confirmed unacceptable behaviour on some farms, and they now have action plans. [22]
Why it matters

Arla says farms that fail their action plans face further action, and it is tightening its welfare checks. [22]

How it works

Economists call this a credence good too: milk cannot show how a cow was treated, and a film did. [22]
So shoppers rely on Arla's checks. [22] After a campaign group's film, Arla investigated and confirmed cases. [22]

Seen it before

You cannot tell from a T-shirt who sewed it or what they were paid.

milk in a glass does not show how the cow was treated, and Arla confirmed cases after a campaign group's film.
The idea, in story 08: Why a shopper can check the price but not what is inside the food →
The truth
- Arla has not said how many farms are affected. [22]
12
Most UK milk buyers hold December prices
What happened
- Muller, First Milk and Barber's, 3 big UK milk buyers, will hold their December prices. [23] Arla cut its price by 0.45p a litre for November. [23]
- Arla now pays 40.41p a litre and Barber's 40.11p. [23] First Milk pays 39p and Muller 37.5p. [23]
- Freshways had already said it would cut 7p a litre in December. [23] Its base price falls to 29.4p. [23]
- Cream fell 11% in October and butter 7%, while skimmed milk powder rose 7%. [23]
- UK milk supply fell an estimated 4% in October against a year before. [23]
Why it matters

Falling butter and cream values threaten what farms get paid into 2027. [23]

How it works

Economists call this a lag: lower supply should lift wholesale prices, but the process can take time. [23]
European milk supply only dipped below last year's in September, down 0.4%. [23] Dairy fat prices stayed weak anyway. [23]

Seen it before

A shop that over-orders has to clear the old stock before new orders pick up again.

What comes next

Chris Walkland, a market analyst, says cuts in January cannot be ruled out. [23]
13
US food aid costs split the farm bill talks
What happened
- US farm law leaders return on 9 November with about 4 working weeks to pass a farm bill. [14]
- A farm bill sets US crop support and food aid. [24] This one is already 3 years late. [24]
- The fight is over when states must start paying part of food aid. [14] A 2025 US law requires it from 2027 for states with high error rates. [14]
- Republicans offer a 1-year delay, and Democrats want 2. [25]
- Democrats take both houses in January, so they may prefer to wait, says former US farm committee chair Collin Peterson. [25]
Why it matters

New Jersey says the rule could cost it $98 million to $293 million more a year. [14]

How it works

Economists call this a performance target: a state keeps its money only if errors stay below 6%. [14]
New Jersey cut its error rate from 14% to just under 7%. [14] Its officials say one missing sheet of paper can count a month's aid as wrong. [14]

Seen it before

A pupil can lose a whole test's marks for forgetting their name, and still know the answers.
The truth
- Who gains Democrats on the US farm committees — They may hold out for a better farm bill deal once they run both houses in January. [25]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether the US farm bill passes before January.
  
  Republicans offer a 1-year delay on state costs and Democrats want 2, and Democrats may prefer to wait until they take over. [25]
Good news
- New Jersey cut the error rate in its food aid payments from 14% to just under 7% in one year.
14
Farm states help hand the US Congress to Democrats
What happened
- Democrats won Senate and House seats in farm states including Iowa, Kansas, Texas and Ohio on 3 November, Agri-Pulse reports. [26]
- Kansas will have its first Democratic senator in nearly a century, Adam Hamilton, a Methodist pastor. [26]
- Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, is preparing to chair the US Senate's farm committee. [24] Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, could get it instead. [24]
- Iowa Farmers Union backed all 5 Iowa Democrats in federal races, its first political endorsement in years. [26]
Why it matters

President Trump keeps his veto, and says he expects to use it. [26]

How it works

Political scientists call this retrospective voting: judging those in power by recent events, here rising farm costs. [26]
These wins followed a surge in fuel and fertiliser prices after the US war with Iran, Agri-Pulse notes. [26] Peterson says some farmers were "fed up". [25]

Seen it before

A team that keeps losing sacks its coach, whatever he promised last year.
The truth
- These are early readings, and no source here gives a count of how farmers themselves voted. [26]
15
Texas and Georgia elect Democrats to run farming
What happened
- Clayton Tucker, a Lampasas rancher, won Texas's farm commissioner post 51% to 47%, with about 96% counted. [27]
- No Democrat had won the Texas job in nearly 40 years. [27] It carries a $1.8 billion budget, school lunches and food aid. [27]
- In Georgia, Democrat Katherine Juhan-Arnold beat the Republican who held the post. [28] Her agency inspects food, animals and fuel pumps in 159 counties. [28]
- Republicans kept the post in Florida, South Carolina and North Dakota. [28]
Why it matters

Texas is on the front line against New World screwworm, and Tucker must work with Republican-led US officials. [27] Its larvae eat living tissue. [29]
The truth
- Tucker has accused the US farm department of not using every tool against screwworm. [27] He also campaigned against big firms like Tyson and John Deere. [27]
16
Kraft Heinz sells Maxwell House coffee for $650m
What happened
- Kraft Heinz will sell its North American coffee brands to One Rock, a private equity firm, for $650 million. [8]
- Kraft Heinz will keep a 30% share of its coffee brands. [8]
- About 250 staff and factories in Jacksonville and Vancouver move across, and the deal should close in mid-2027. [8]
- Kraft Heinz expects about $500 million in cash and will use it to pay down debt. [30]
- Steve Cahillane, its boss since January, wants to focus on faster-growing foods such as condiments. [30]
Why it matters

Cahillane also says prices are likely to rise in 2027 as costs climb. [8]

How it works

Business strategists call this divesting: selling one part so money and attention go to the rest. [8]
Kraft Heinz has reportedly tried to sell coffee for years, up against Nestle and Smucker. [30] Now the $500 million goes to its debt. [30]

Seen it before

You sell an old bike to pay off what you owe on your phone.
The truth
- Who gains One Rock, the private equity firm — It gets Maxwell House and Sanka in one deal, with factories and 250 staff. [8]
What comes next

Kraft Heinz plans more news on prices at its investor meeting next week. [8]
17
Barry Callebaut's sales fall 15% as cocoa gets cheaper
What happened
- Barry Callebaut, the world's largest cocoa and chocolate supplier, said its yearly sales revenue fell 15.2%. [31]
- It blames lower cocoa prices than a year earlier. [31]
- Operating profit fell 14.1% to 604.5 million Swiss francs, and the amount it sold fell just 0.7%. [31]
- Its deal with Hershey, the US chocolate maker, ends in 2027. [31] Hershey is about 4% of what it sells. [31]
Why it matters

It also signed a 15-year deal with Mondelez, the Oreo maker, to farm cocoa in Brazil. [31]

How it works

Economists call this diversifying supply: the Brazil deal aims to widen sourcing and steady the cocoa supply. [31]
The truth
- The firm forecasts 1% to 3% more volume and about 30% more pre-tax profit next year. [31] That is its own forecast, not a result. [31]
Good news
- Net debt fell 42.5%, helped by more than 2 billion Swiss francs of cash in the year. [31]
18
PepsiCo writes down what Poppi's owners may get
What happened
- PepsiCo paid nearly $2 billion for Poppi, a prebiotic soda, in 2025. [32] Now it thinks it will owe the sellers far less extra. [32]
- The extra is an earnout: more money paid later if the brand hits targets. [32] PepsiCo's estimate fell from $278 million to $117 million to $12 million. [32]
- Prebiotic sodas are sold on gut health. [32] Across the category, sales still grew 13%, and the amount sold grew 15.6%. [32]
Why it matters

Coca-Cola is now testing 6 grams of prebiotic fibre in Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite Zero and Fresca. [32]

How it works

Deal-makers call this an earnout: part of the price gets paid only if the brand does well. [32]
PepsiCo paid nearly $2 billion for the brand. [32] Its falling estimate means it now expects to pay little of the extra. [32]

Seen it before

A friend buys your bike for a bit now and the rest only if it still runs next summer.
The truth
- The filings show a lower estimate, and they do not say whether Poppi itself is losing sales. [32]
19
Diageo sells more after cutting prices
What happened
- Diageo, the big drinks group, said sales grew 1.4% to $4.9 billion in its first quarter. [9]
- The amount it sold grew 1.1%, well above what analysts expected. [9] Without East African Breweries, which it is selling, volumes were flat. [9]
- Diageo's average prices fell about 2% in Latin America, Asia Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. [9]
Why it matters

North America stayed weak, with the amount sold falling despite flat prices. [9] Boss Dave Lewis called it Diageo's biggest challenge. [9]

How it works

Economists call this price elasticity of demand: where Diageo's prices fell about 2%, people bought more. [9]
Diageo calls it targeted price repositioning, and it won volume in every market except North America and India. [9]

Seen it before

A cinema with half-price Tuesdays fills seats it would have left empty.
20
Tate and Lyle grows after cutting prices
What happened
- Tate and Lyle, a British food ingredients group, said revenue grew 1% to 1 billion pounds. [10]
- The amount it sold rose 3% after it cut prices in the half year. [10] Its main profit measure fell 8% to 197 million pounds. [10]
- The US firm Ingredion is buying it. [10] It saved 27 million dollars in the half under a 200 million dollar savings plan. [10]
Why it matters

It warns it will have to pass on more costs than planned this year as the Iran war goes on. [10]
21
A third of Lidl's UK goods cost less than a year ago
What happened
- Of 4,108 products Lidl sold in Britain in both years, 1,351 cost less than a year before. [11]
- That is 32.9%, and another 1,679 were unchanged, The Grocer found. [11]
- Rival Aldi says more than a third of its products got cheaper. [11] Lidl says it has spent over 400 million pounds on cuts and promotions this year. [11]
Why it matters

Lidl says shoppers spent 1 billion pounds on its premium Deluxe range in a year, up 100 million. [33]

How it works

Retail analysts call this trading up: 50% of British households now buy from Lidl's premium range. [33]
The Grocer has found the average price of what people buy at Lidl pulling away from Aldi's. [33] That suggests shoppers there are choosing dearer goods. [33]

Seen it before

At a cheap cafe you might still treat yourself to the fancy cake.
The truth
- The Grocer compares shelf prices only, and it does not say how much each item fell. [11]
Good news
- About a third of the products Lidl sells in Britain cost less than a year ago, and Aldi reports the same.
22
UK sugar beet yields fall as a factory closes
What happened
- UK sugar beet may average 65 tonnes a hectare this season, the farmers' union says. [5] The five-year average is near 75. [5]
- Drought, a plant disease called virus yellows, and new pests hit the crop. [5] Some growers may not cover their harvesting bill. [5]
- British Sugar, which buys and processes UK beet, plans to close its Cantley factory in Norfolk after this harvest. [5]
- Next season's fixed contract pays 28.50 pounds a tonne, down from 30. [5] A market-linked one guarantees 25.50 pounds plus a bonus. [5]
Why it matters

The union fears Cantley might keep refining imported cane sugar. [5] A UK rule lets 325,000 tonnes of raw cane in tariff-free. [5]

How it works

Economists call this risk sharing: a fixed contract lets a grower trade a higher chance for a known price. [5]
A grower can fix up to 50% of contracted beet at 28.50 pounds. [5] The market-linked part pays more only if sugar prices rise. [5]

Seen it before

You can pay a fixed bill for your phone, or a low one that jumps if you use more.
The truth
- British Sugar's wording, "ceasing beet production", leaves the site's future unclear, the union says. [5]
- Who pays UK sugar beet growers — Some cannot cover their harvesting bill, and next year's fixed price is lower. [5]
23
UK nitrogen fertiliser stays dear as gas climbs
What happened
- UK urea, a nitrogen fertiliser, averaged 482 pounds a tonne in late October, up 2 pounds in a week. [7]
- Ammonium nitrate, another nitrogen fertiliser, made in the UK rose 1 pound to 486 pounds. [7]
- Nitrogen fertiliser is made using gas, so rising European gas prices make it dearer to produce. [7]
Why it matters

Frontier, a UK farm supplier, warns that European plants may cut output. [7] Michael Pater, of Origin Soil Nutrition, expects high prices into 2027. [7]

How it works

Economists call this an input cost: gas is an input for nitrogen, so a gas rise lands on the farm. [7]

Seen it before

A pizza shop pays more for flour, then the pizza costs more.
The truth
- Pater says the UK's new border carbon charge will matter little at first, with a 97.5% free allowance. [7]
What comes next

Pater says supply could struggle in February and March, when European buyers are active. [7]
24
UK farmers' union calls the roadmap a road to nowhere
What happened
- Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers' Union, called the government's 25-year Farming Roadmap "a road to nowhere". [34]
- Asked if the plan gave clarity, not one of about 90 union council members raised a hand. [34]
- He wants a 5-year plan and a 10-year vision instead. [34] A 25-year plan, he says, lets governments put off decisions. [34]
Why it matters

The union says the October Budget met none of its 5 priorities, including inheritance tax. [34]
The truth
- The source for the show of hands is the union's own president. [34] The government says the roadmap gives clear long-term direction. [34]
25
UK may follow EU pesticide rules with no vote
What happened
- Britain would have the "rights and obligations" of an EU member on pesticides, but no vote. [35] A source told Farmers Weekly that UK officials said so. [35]
- This is part of a planned UK-EU food deal to cut border checks, which may start in early 2028. [36]
- Under dynamic alignment, Britain would keep updating its rules as the EU's change. [36]
Why it matters

CropLife UK, a pesticide trade body, warns growers may have to meet EU limits even selling only in Britain. [35]

How it works

Trade lawyers call this regulatory alignment: 2 places share rules so goods cross with fewer checks. [36]
A firm selling only in Britain could be bound as well. [36] An exporter gets easier access, and a home-only seller gets only the new rules. [35]

Seen it before

If your class agrees to follow another class's timetable, you get their trips, and their homework too.
The truth
- Few people have seen the deal's wording. [36] This rests on a source's account of a meeting. [35]
26
US closes outbreak files without naming the food's maker
What happened
- The US food regulator, the FDA, closed its case on a Salmonella outbreak traced to romaine lettuce. [37] It had 43 confirmed patients. [37]
- Its closing notice ran to 102 words and named no brand or grower. [37]
- A 175-person parsley outbreak also closed with no name. [37] Two more, of 119 and 99 people, closed with no cause found. [37]
- The US also declared a broccoli sprout outbreak over, with 34 sick in 6 states. [38] It named the sprout brand, but not the seed firm. [38]
How it unfolded

The seeds came from New Zealand and were sold online through Amazon, Walmart and others. [38]

Why it matters

Food Safety News notes that for each confirmed Salmonella case, US officials estimate 29 go undetected. [37]
The truth
- The FDA says the lettuce was past its shelf life by the time it was sure. [37] It did not say what it traced or where it inspected. [37]
- Nobody knows yet
  Which firms supplied the romaine and the parsley behind US outbreaks.
  
  The FDA closed both cases without naming a brand or a grower. [37]
27
Bird flu reaches a Colorado dairy again
What happened
- Colorado found bird flu in a Weld County dairy herd, its first since 2024. [39] That outbreak hit 64 dairies. [39]
- Routine testing of milk from the farm's bulk tank found it, and the dairy is now under quarantine. [39]
- Washington state has had over 40 cow detections since October, mostly in Yakima County. [39] Indiana confirmed a case on Monday. [39]
How it unfolded
1. 2024 64 Colorado dairies infected
2. Friday a herd in Weld County
Why it matters

A Washington resident exposed to infected cattle died on Sunday, the third US death since 2024. [39]

How it works

Vets call this surveillance: testing shared milk finds a sick herd without testing every cow. [39]
Colorado's mandatory tank tests caught this herd, its vet says. [39] A shared tank holds milk from the whole herd, so one test covers them all. [39]

Seen it before

Testing a school's whole water supply is quicker than testing every tap.
28
A columnist says Utah left a bird flu mink farm alone
What happened
- George Monbiot, a Guardian columnist, writes that bird flu has run in a Utah mink farm since August. [40] He cites ProPublica, a US news site. [40]
- He writes that officials did not test or trace workers, after complaints that "farmers were annoyed". [40]
- Mink can carry both bird and human flu, he writes, so the 2 viruses can swap genes. [40]
- Utah's state vet called the outbreak "devastating" for the farmer, and spoke of "sitting and waiting". [40]
How it unfolded
1. August bird flu on the farm
2. Now flu season begins
Why it matters

Flu season has begun, and more time means more chances for a variant to arise, Monbiot argues. [40]
The truth
- This is a comment piece relaying ProPublica's reporting, and we could not read the original report ourselves. [40]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether the Utah mink farm has infected any workers.
  
  Monbiot, citing ProPublica, writes that officials did not test or trace them. [40]
29
The US has lost 4 in 10 cattle ranches since 1978
What happened
- The US has lost roughly 4 in 10 cattle ranches since the late 1970s, US census figures show. [41]
- Over 1 million operations raised beef cows in 1978, against about 622,000 in 2022. [41]
- A wave of mergers left 4 companies controlling more than 80% of US beef processing. [41] Now 10 plants handle nearly half. [41]
- On 2 November the US announced nearly $4 million for 10 Kansas meat plants. [42] One expects to raise its daily capacity by 200%. [42]
Why it matters

Fewer feedlots mean fewer buyers for a rancher's cattle. [41] Beef prices are at record highs as the herd shrinks. [41]

How it works

Economists call this concentration: a few firms handle most of a trade. [41]
Big plants favoured big herds, the report says, so smaller ranches closed. [41] US grants aim to give ranchers more options nearby, the US farm secretary says. [42]

Seen it before

When one big supermarket opens, the small shops nearby can close, and shoppers have less choice.
The truth
- Rancher group R-CALF blames trade deals and mergers. [41] Drought has also forced ranchers to sell cattle, so no one cause is settled. [41]
- Who gains Small meat plants in Kansas — US grants pay for new equipment that lets them handle more cattle. [42]
30
A Kentucky family refuses $26m for a data centre
What happened
- Delsia Bare and her mother, Ida Huddleston, turned down over $26 million for their Kentucky farmland. [43] The buyer was a data centre developer. [43]
- The offer rose to $48,000 and $60,000 an acre, from $30,000. [43]
- Their county's court has since approved a deal with Meta, Facebook's owner, to build near Maysville anyway. [43]
- On one road in Virginia, about 204 of 220 homes signed up, a holdout says. [43]
Why it matters

County officials point to jobs and to hundreds of millions in payments and taxes. [43]

How it works

Economists call this opportunity cost: the money refused is the price of keeping a farm. [43]
Bare weighed $26 million against land her family has farmed for generations. [43] Once built on, experts say, farmland never returns. [43]

Seen it before

Spending your savings on a car means giving up the trip they would have paid for.
The truth
- No one seems to count how many acres US data centres take, the report notes. [43] Cropland covers 377 million acres. [43]
31
A US farm lender is charged over $65m
What happened
- US prosecutors charged Ron Cook, head of Fresno-based Corporate America Lending, over a scheme worth nearly $65 million. [44]
- His firm lends to farmers and ranchers, then sells shares of those loans to investors. [44]
- Prosecutors say he took out loans in customers' names and sold shares of loans that did not exist. [44]
- He allegedly kept $58 million when a farm paid off its loan. [44] It belonged to the lender who had bought that loan. [44]
Why it matters

Prosecutors say he took some of those loans from Farmer Mac, a US-chartered firm that buys farm loans. [44]

How it works

Financiers call this a secondary market: lenders sell loans on, so they can lend again. [44]
Prosecutors say Cook sold a loan to one firm and refinanced it with another, without telling the first. [44] The first firm did not know the money had come back. [44]

Seen it before

If a friend collects your share of a class fund, you only know what they tell you.
The truth
- These are charges, not a verdict, and Cook has not been convicted. [44]
32
Lab-grown meat is still barely on sale
What happened
- In 2013 the first lab-grown burger cost 250,000 euros to make, and a boom followed, a Guardian report recounts. [45]
- About 140 companies formed, and $3 billion poured in. [45]
- But the meat never really arrived. [45] Plants cost a fortune to build and use huge amounts of energy. [45]
- 7 US states, including Florida and Texas, have banned its sale, its production, or both. [45]
- Believer Meats built a huge North Carolina plant and was then sued for $34 million by its builder. [45]
Why it matters

In Singapore, a 3% chicken cell product costs $5.62 for 110 grams, far above supermarket chicken. [45]

How it works

Engineers call this scale-up: the hard part was making enough, at a price people would pay. [45]
One burger took 2 years to make. [45] Big plants need heavy building costs, energy and rare skills, so the price stays high. [45]

Seen it before

Baking one good cake at home does not mean you can run a bakery.
33
Bayer and IdeeLab team up on living crop sprays
What happened
- Bayer, the crop chemical giant, and IdeeLab, a Brazilian firm, will develop fungus-fighting biological products for Brazil's farms. [46]
- The deal runs 12 months. [46] Bayer also plans 17 new biological products in Latin America by 2030. [46]
- Asian soybean rust and white mold hit soybeans, and leaf rust hits coffee. [46]
Why it matters

Growers need more options, says Bayer's Benoit Hartmann, as fungi get harder to control and costs climb. [46]

How it works

Biologists call this resistance: a chemical sprayed often stops working on the fungi that survive. [46]
Brazilian farmers face fungi that shrug off common sprays. [46] So they spray more, and costs rise. [46]
The truth
- The firms have not named which fungi they will target. [46]
34
Miyoko's plant butter returns with recalls
What happened
- Miyoko's Creamery, a US maker of plant-based butter and cheese, has had recalls since September under its new owner. [47]
- Shops warned customers after complaints of mould, poor yeast counts and possible E coli in its plant butters. [47]
- The firm went into an insolvency process in October 2025 and Prosperity Organic Foods bought it. [47]
- She says it swapped cashews for coconut oil, and protein fell from 3 grams to 1. [47]
Who is involved

Founder Miyoko Schinner, ousted in 2022, says the new cream cheese is "not my cream cheese". [47]
How it unfolded
1. Oct 2025 insolvency
2. Nov 2025 Prosperity wins the brand
3. Since Sept recalls
Why it matters

New owner Scott Fischer says the problems are temporary and shelves should refill in months. [47]

How it works

Food makers call this co-packing: another factory makes your product for you. [47]
Moving to new co-packers changed how the food could be made, Fischer says. [47] So the recipe shifted while the name stayed. [47]

Seen it before

The same recipe tastes different when your friend cooks it on a different stove.
35
Mondelez sues a YouTuber's sweet brand
What happened
- Mondelez, which makes Oreos, sued Joyride Sweets in Illinois over Sour Smacks, saying they copy its Sour Patch Kids. [48]
- Joyride is part-owned by the YouTube star Ryan Trahan and backed by private equity. [48]
- Mondelez says the kid-shaped sweets and yellow and green packs trick shoppers, and it wants damages. [48]
Why it matters

Big food firms have sued more over look-alikes, as Smucker did against Trader Joe's in 2025. [48]

How it works

Lawyers call this trade dress: the look of a pack can be protected like a name. [48]
A 2018 survey found 72% of shoppers said pack design swayed their choice. [48] So a similar look can take sales from a known brand, Mondelez argues. [48]

Seen it before

Wearing a shirt that looks like your school's team shirt can make strangers think you play for them.
The truth
- Joyride did not answer a request for comment. [48]
36
Northern Ireland's farm fire costs jump 73%
What happened
- Farm fires cost Northern Ireland's farmers an estimated 11.8 million pounds in 2025, up 73%, the insurer NFU Mutual says. [49]
- That rose 4 times faster than the UK's. [49] UK farms lost an estimated 118 million pounds, up 18%. [49]
- Tractor fires added 16.1 million pounds and combine harvester fires 4.8 million. [49]
Why it matters

Diana Armstrong, a Northern Ireland politician, says rural fire services need more money. [49]
The truth
- The estimate comes from an insurer's report, not a public count. [49]
37
Northern Ireland asks older farmers to adapt
What happened
- Northern Ireland has launched a campaign, Farm Wiser to Farm Longer, aimed at older farmers. [50]
- 46 older farmers died in farm accidents there between 2014 and 2026. [50]
- It targets 3 dangers: vehicles and machinery, working with livestock, and working at heights. [50]
Why it matters

It runs until the end of November on television, radio, social media and at livestock markets. [50]
38
Shearing ewes earlier gives heavier lambs, a study finds
What happened
- Shearing pregnant ewes on day 50, not after day 100, produced heavier lambs, a South Dakota State University study found. [51]
- US farmers commonly shear near day 120, to keep ewes cleaner for lambing. [51]
- The result applies to ewes carrying twins or triplets, and it appeared in the Journal of Animal Science. [51]
How it unfolded
1. Day 50 shear here
2. Day 120 the usual US time
Why it matters

The work points to better survival for lambs carried as twins or triplets. [51]

How it works

Animal scientists call this fetal programming: the ewe's body passes signals to the growing lamb, the lead researcher says. [51]
A shorn ewe works to keep warm. [51] The study's title says that improves blood flow through the cord to her lambs. [51]
The truth
- It is the first US test of a method tried abroad. [51] The lead researcher is still testing whether shearing itself, not the cold, drives the gains. [51]
Good news
- Farmers get a no-cost way to raise the birth weight of twin and triplet lambs. [51]
39
Battery farm robots cost less in some scenarios, a study finds
What happened
- A Nature Communications study modelled a small battery-powered farm robot on strawberries, onions, lettuce and peanuts. [52]
- Costs ranged from 76% below to 17% above the usual reference range. [52]
- Inputs, led by seed, fertiliser and water, made up 72% to 90% of costs. [52]
Why it matters

So the robot's own price matters less than how far it cuts inputs and labour. [52]
The truth
- These are modelled scenarios, not results from working farms. [52]
Good news
- Modelled greenhouse gases stayed within or below published ranges. [52]
40
Texas A&M maps screwworm genes
What happened
- Researchers at Texas A&M University are reading the genes of New World screwworm on a $4 million US grant. [29]
- They will study thousands of specimens from the outbreak in Honduras. [29]
- The larvae eat living flesh through a wound, and a bad case can kill. [29]
- A US campaign from the 1950s wiped it out there. [29] It came back in June 2026. [29]
How it unfolded
1. 1950s US campaign begins
2. June 2026 reaches the US
Why it matters

Knowing how groups of the parasite link up shows where outbreaks came from. [29]
The truth
- They also want to learn whether it could develop resistance to treatments. [29]
41
Chapel Down raises 6m pounds for sparkling wine
What happened
- Chapel Down, an English winemaker, will sell 6 million pounds of new shares at 43p to expand. [53]
- It will build a pressing plant in Kent, raising capacity 14% to 2.4 million bottles. [53]
- Its target is 2.5 million bottles by 2035, equal to 1% of global Champagne volumes. [53]
Why it matters

The press cuts pressing from 30 days to about 21, which it says helps quality. [53]

Across the day

What is true of the whole day.

More good news

In 14 of the EU's 27 countries, food and soft drinks cost less in September than a year before.

Asian rice hits its highest price in almost two years as El Nino dries harvests, and Philippine rice jumps 21%

41 stories on this beat today.

Why a shopper can check the price but not what is inside the food

What is true of the whole day.