Congo's hunger count heads for a record 30.3 million as fighting and Ebola keep families from their fields

The stories

25 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.

1. 01

   Congo's hunger count heads for a record 30.3 million as fighting and Ebola keep families from their fields

   30.3 million

   people in Congo expected in crisis hunger or worse, January to June 2027

   a record, up from 26.5 million a year earlier [1]

   4.2 million

   expected in emergency hunger by early 2027

   up by nearly 600,000 from now [1]

   11 million

   of them in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri

   where 9 territories are expected to reach emergency [1]

   $700m of $962m

   paid out for Ebola that Africa CDC could not account for

   MSF says many front-line workers are unpaid [3]

   What happened

   • A record 30.3 million people in Congo are expected to face crisis-level hunger or worse from January to June 2027. [1]
   • That is up from 26.5 million in the same months of 2026, a UN-backed count published this week found. [1]
   • The count comes from the IPC, a UN-backed scale of hunger from phase 1, minimal, to phase 5, famine. [1] Crisis is phase 3, and emergency is phase 4. [1]
   • Nearly 29 million people already face crisis or worse, almost a quarter of Congo's population. [1]
   • The number in emergency is expected to rise from 3.6 million to 4.2 million by early 2027. [1]
   • The need is worst in the east. [1] More than 11 million people in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri face crisis or worse. [1]
   • In the east, 9 territories are expected to reach emergency, including Djugu in Ituri and Masisi in North Kivu. [1]
   • Fighting, families forced from their homes and rising food prices drive the crisis, the UN agencies say. [1]
   • Ebola makes it worse, because it disrupts farming, restricts movement and raises household costs. [1]
   • Congo declared its Ebola outbreak on 15 May. [6] It has since infected more than 11,000 people and killed more than 5,400. [3]
   • About 400 to 500 new Ebola cases are still found each week, the WHO's Chikwe Ihekweazu said. [2]
   • Armed groups attack villages and health workers across Ituri and North Kivu, UN responders say. [2]
   • This week fighters of the ADF, a group linked to Islamic State, killed at least 44 people in Ituri. [4]
   • Days earlier the same group killed 66 people in North Kivu, including 3 health workers. [4]
   • The WHO's chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said some people told him Ebola is a lesser evil than other threats. [2]
   • Children under 5 face the greatest risk, from acute malnutrition and poor health care, water and sanitation. [1]
   • UNICEF, the UN children's agency, said hunger there is not just driven by a lack of food. [1]

   Million people

   Jan-Jun 202626.5

   Sep-Dec 202629

   Jan-Jun 202730.3

   Who is involved

   • Armed groups attack villages and clinics
   • Health workers among those killed
   • FAO, WFP, UNICEF and WHO the UN's food and farming, food aid, children's and health agencies; they published the count and asked for money and access
   • The ADF an armed group formed from former Ugandan rebels and linked to Islamic State; it killed at least 44 people in Ituri this week
   • M23 rebels part of a rebel coalition fighting Congo's army in the east; Congo says Rwanda backs them, which Rwanda denies
   • Africa CDC Africa's disease control agency; it said $700 million of Ebola money paid out was unaccounted for

   How it unfolded

   1. Jan-Jun 2026 26.5 million in crisis hunger or worse [1]
   2. 15 May Congo declares its Ebola outbreak [6]
   3. Sep-Dec 2026 nearly 29 million in crisis or worse [1]
   4. This week ADF attacks kill at least 44 in Ituri [4]
   5. Jan-Jun 2027 30.3 million expected [1]

   Why it matters

   Every planting season missed deepens hunger and leaves families more dependent on aid, said the FAO's Rein Paulsen. [1]

   Help is falling dangerously behind the need, warn the FAO, the WFP, UNICEF and the WHO. [1]

   They ask donors to pay now, before the planting season, and all sides to let aid through safely. [1]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Is there simply not enough food in Congo?

      Not only that: fighting cuts families off from their fields and markets. [1] Insecurity and damaged roads keep food prices high. [1]

      Fighting→Fields and markets cut off→Prices stay high
   2. 2

      So who is doing the fighting?

      Congo's army fights a rebel coalition that includes the M23 group. [5] Congo's government says neighbouring Rwanda backs the M23, which Rwanda denies. [5]

   3. 3

      And who is killing villagers in Ituri?

      Mostly the ADF, a group formed from former Ugandan rebels. [4] Uganda's and Congo's armies have sent troops, so far without much success. [4]

      Former Ugandan rebels→The ADF→Linked to Islamic State
   4. 4

      Can Congo's own army protect people?

      A military court this week sentenced 66 soldiers to death for fleeing their posts. [5] Soldiers complain of poor pay and weak equipment. [5]

      66soldiers sentenced to death for fleeing

   5. 5

      Where has the Ebola money gone?

      Africa CDC, Africa's disease agency, said $700 million of $962 million paid out for Ebola was unaccounted for. [3]

      Paid out$962 million

      Unaccounted for$700 million
   6. 6

      Is Congo the only place where help is shrinking?

      No: in Sudan, the WFP cut food help to 900,000 people for lack of money. [8] Sudan's UN aid plan is only 47% funded. [7]

      47 of 100

      of Sudan's aid plan paid for

   7. 7

      Why does the timing matter so much now?

      Planting begins in early 2027, and farmers given seeds and tools in time can harvest by mid-year. [1] Acting late means another missed harvest, the FAO says. [1]

   8. 8

      So what is really going on?

      Attacks by armed groups limit where aid workers can safely go. [2] Donors hold the money, and the aid charity Caritas International says they are giving less worldwide. [7]

      Armed groupslimit the access

      vsvs

      Donorsgive less money

   How it works

   Development economists call this a negative coping strategy. It gets a family through today but leaves it weaker for tomorrow.

   As money runs short, Congo's families cope in ways that leave them less able to withstand the next shock. [1] Lost tools and land cut what they grow. [1]

   Seen it before

   A family that sells its car to pay the rent then cannot drive to work, so next month is harder.

   The truth

   • What is really going on In eastern Congo, attacks by armed groups and an Ebola outbreak keep families from their fields and markets, and the UN's count of people in crisis hunger is heading for a record 30.3 million. [1] [2]
   • These are forecasts for January to June 2027, not counts of what is happening now, the IPC says. [1]
   • Its phase 3 figures already include phase 4, so the two must not be added together. [1]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Where most of the $962 million paid out for Congo's Ebola response went.

     Africa CDC said $700 million was unaccounted for, and its chief said it was too early to call it embezzlement. [3]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many people Sudan's war has killed.

     Estimates run from 40,000 to 250,000, because fighting, internet cuts and departing aid groups block a count. [7]

   Good news

   • In Congo, prevention work has sharply cut Ebola's spread in former hotspots such as Bunia and Mongbwalu, the WHO says.

1. 02

   WFP cuts food help in Sudan

   What happened

   • Luke Lindberg, the WFP's new head, called for an end to Sudan's war on a visit there. [8]
   • The WFP, the UN's World Food Programme, was feeding 4 million people in Sudan in August. [8]
   • Then a lack of money forced it to cut help, leaving 900,000 people without it. [8]
   • It is asking for $520 million to feed 5.4 million people until April 2027. [8]
   • The UN's aid plan for Sudan needs $2.9 billion, and only 47% has been raised. [7]

   Who is involved

   • Luke Lindberg new head of the WFP
   • Sudan's army one side since April 2023
   • Rapid Support Forces the paramilitary side

   How it unfolded

   Sudan's war began in April 2023, between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group. [8]

   Why it matters

   About 34 million people, almost 2 in 3 Sudanese, need help, the UN says. [8]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why are some people going back to towns at war?

      Marina Peter, a Sudan expert, links it to sharp cuts in food rations in the camps. [7] Some people have survived by eating roots. [7]

      Camp rations cut→People leave the camps→Some return to war zones
   2. 2

      Does Sudan's government admit there is a famine?

      No: in October it said food reserves and farming were enough to meet demand. [7] It called Western warnings a politicising of the crisis. [7]

   How it works

   Aid agencies call it a funding gap: the plan sets out what is needed, but donors decide what is paid.

   Sudan needs shelter and household goods for 15.4 million people, but lack of money let aid groups reach only 10%. [7]

   Seen it before

   A class fund that collects half the money can only buy half the books, however many pupils need them.

   Why each hungry season leaves a family less able to face the next

   Development economists call it a negative coping strategy: to eat today, a family gives up what it needs to grow food next year.

   The twist

   A family can live through a bad season by giving up its tools, land or seed. Then it has less to plant, so the next bad season hits it harder.

   The picture

   Million people

   Jan-Jun 202626.5

   Sep-Dec 202629

   Jan-Jun 202730.3

   Step by step

   1. 1 Fighting or disease cuts a family off from its field or market
   2. 2 With less to eat or sell, it uses up what it owns
   3. 3 Tools, land or seed are lost
   4. 4 Less gets planted the next season
   5. 5 So the next shock hits a weaker family

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • WFP cuts food help in Sudan

     Camp food rations were cut, and a Sudan expert links that to people going back to towns still at war, trading hunger for more danger.

   Where you've seen this

   Cattle ranchers in a drought

   selling breeding cows to buy feed leaves a smaller herd for years

   A household in debt

   borrowing at a high rate to pay this month's bills leaves less for next month's

   A business in a slump

   cutting the staff who win new orders saves money now and loses sales later

   The catch

   Not every hard season traps a family: savings, insurance or aid that arrives before planting can carry it through without selling what it needs.

   And the whole of it

   The family in Ituri deciding whether to eat its seed is one link in a chain that runs through aid workers, armed groups and donors' budgets. Most of us sit somewhere along that chain, far from the field, and see only our own link.

   The truth

   • What is really going on The money to help is shrinking too: in Sudan, the WFP has already cut 900,000 people off food aid. [8]
   • Most of the countries now appealing for aid to Sudan have cut their own aid budgets, Marina Peter says. [7]

1. 03

   Democrats win the US Congress, and farm laws may shift

   What happened

   • Democrats won control of both the US House and Senate in the midterm elections on 3 November. [9]
   • Food and farm issues helped them win, Investigate Midwest, a nonprofit newsroom, reports. [9]
   • "Tariffs, diesel, fertilizer, farm labor, and grocery bills were all on the ballot," said economist David Ortega. [9]
   • The new US Congress is sworn in next year, and President Trump keeps his veto. [10]

   Who is involved

   • Democrats in the US Congress control both houses next year
   • President Trump can still veto
   • Michael Bennet Colorado senator
   • Sherrod Brown Ohio senator

   How it unfolded

   The farm bill, the law that sets most US farm and food aid policy, is 3 years late. [9]

   It stalled in the US Senate over Republican changes to SNAP, the main US food aid for poorer households. [9]

   Why it matters

   A USDA proposal this week would cut 6.3 million more people off SNAP. [10] That is on top of 5.5 million who lost benefits under last year's law. [10]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Can Democrats now undo the SNAP cuts?

      Not fully: with Trump's veto, there is little chance all the cuts are rolled back, an anti-hunger group says. [10]

      The US Congress passes a fix→The president vetoes→The cuts stay
   2. 2

      So what are they pushing for first?

      Advocates want to delay a shift of SNAP costs onto the states. [10] Some states say they may cut SNAP services or leave the programme. [10]

      Federal governmentshifts costs

      ↓→

      Statesmay cut services
   3. 3

      Did the Make America Healthy Again movement win?

      Its picks did badly: MAHA-backed Zach Lahn lost Iowa's governor race to Democrat Rob Sand. [9]

   How it works

   Political scientists call anyone whose 'no' can stop a law a veto player.

   Democrats will run the US Congress, but they cannot overcome Trump's veto, so any farm bill still needs him. [10]

   Seen it before

   In a group project, one member who refuses to sign off can stop the whole thing being handed in.

   The truth

   • Investigate Midwest sees a clear path to major changes. [9] Many people in US politics believe little will happen in the next few months, Civil Eats reports. [10]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether the US Congress passes a farm bill before the new Congress sits.

     Senator Michael Bennet said he does not know what is possible in the weeks left. [10]

   What comes next

   Senators Michael Bennet and Sherrod Brown could each end up chairing the US Senate farm committee. [9]

2. 04

   Shops get 90 more days on SNAP rule

   What happened

   • The USDA, the US farm department, gave stores that take SNAP 90 more days to meet new stocking rules. [11]
   • SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is US food aid that shoppers spend in stores. [12]
   • The rules took effect on 4 November, and will now be enforced from 2 February. [11]
   • Stores must carry 28 kinds of staple food, up from 7. [11]
   • New York's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, said he persuaded President Trump to allow the delay. [12]
   • Convenience-store groups and 12 Republican senators had also asked for more time. [11]

   Who is involved

   • Zohran Mamdani New York's mayor, asked for the delay

   How it unfolded

   1. 4 Nov rules take effect
   2. 2 Feb enforcement begins

   Why it matters

   In New York City, SNAP can make up 15% to 30% of a corner shop's sales. [12]

   Without more time, many shops risked losing SNAP, Mamdani said. [11] That would make it harder for families to put food on the table. [11]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why would a shop struggle to stock more food?

      Small retailers say the rules are complex and the USDA's guidance kept shifting. [11] The extra time lets them buy goods and storage equipment. [12]

      Complex rules28 staples

      ++

      Small shopsneed goods and storage
   2. 2

      Who wins from the delay?

      Convenience-store groups called it a victory. [11] The USDA said their lobby spent millions fighting healthier food for children. [11]

      Store groupsa victory

      vsvs

      The USDAlobby fought healthy food

   How it works

   Economists call it a compliance cost: what a firm spends to meet a rule.

   Mamdani said the rules were little challenge for big grocery chains. [12] Corner shops had to find new goods and storage. [12]

   Seen it before

   A school asking every club to buy new kit hurts the tiny chess club more than the big football team.

   The truth

   • The USDA set the new date as 2 February. [11] Mamdani said the extra time would last at least 90 days. [12]
3. 05

   Senate bill restores WIC money

   What happened

   • A US Senate committee wrote $8.5 billion for WIC into next year's spending bill for food and farm agencies. [13]
   • WIC is US food aid for mothers, babies and young children. [13]
   • The US Senate committee rejected those cuts. [13] Its bill also lets WIC hold appointments online for good. [13]

   How it unfolded

   In spring, the House version cut WIC by $200 million. [13]

   It also cut a benefit that let WIC families buy more fruit and vegetables. [13]

   1. Now Senate draft
   2. 11 Dec deadline to agree

   Why it matters

   Under the bill, moving USDA staff so a farm office has 2 or fewer needs the US Congress's approval. [13]

   At the end of 2025, 144 US counties had no staff from the USDA's conservation service. [13]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why is WIC usually safe when other aid is cut?

      WIC has long had support from both parties, Civil Eats reports. [13]

   2. 2

      Is the money certain now?

      No: it is a draft, and control of the US Congress changes hands in January. [13]

      Senate draft→Deal with the House→Law

   The truth

   • The bill is only a draft text, and the House's version still differs. [13]

   Good news

   • The National WIC Association says $8.5 billion is enough to serve every eligible family that applies in 2027. [13]

   What comes next

   Both houses must agree a bill by 11 December, so a stopgap is likely. [13]

4. 06

   UK bird flu cases rise to 9

   What happened

   • The UK has confirmed 9 cases of bird flu in poultry so far this autumn. [23]
   • One was found near Market Rasen in Lincolnshire on Wednesday. [22] Another was found near Dereham in Norfolk on Thursday. [23]
   • All poultry on infected farms are culled, with a 3km protection zone and a 10km watch zone around them. [22]
   • Wales, which has had no case this year, announced stricter rules on Friday. [24]

   Who is involved

   • Wales no case yet, stricter rules

   How it unfolded

   England's order to keep flocks of more than 50 birds indoors began on Friday. [22]

   1. Wed Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
   2. Thu Dereham, Norfolk

   Why it matters

   The UK government said it expects no shortage of Christmas turkeys. [24]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Is bird flu a danger to people eating chicken?

      The Food Standards Agency calls bird flu a very low food safety risk. [24] Properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat, it says. [24]

      Bird fluvery low food risk

      vsvs

      Cooked poultry and eggssafe to eat
   2. 2

      Why act in Wales before any case?

      Cases across the border have escalated in recent weeks. [24] The rules aim to stop wild birds spreading the virus to farms. [24]

      Wild birds carry it→Cases rise in England→Wales tightens rules

   How it works

   Vets call it biosecurity: the steps that keep a germ from getting onto a farm.

   Wales' tighter rules aim to keep wild birds, which carry the virus, away from its flocks. [24]

   Seen it before

   Keeping your door shut while a cold goes round the street keeps it out of your house for longer.

5. 07

   FDA hides a pepper grower's name

   What happened

   • The FDA, the US food and drug regulator, posted its final report on a Salmonella outbreak traced to jalapeno peppers. [21]
   • The outbreak made 488 people ill in 38 states, and 26 went to hospital. [21]
   • Investigators traced the peppers to Coast Citrus Distributors of San Diego, which imported them from Sinaloa, Mexico. [21]
   • The report blacks out the names of the supplier, the grower and the ranch. [21]
   • An FDA inspection in September found sanitation and cross-contamination problems at the blacked-out firm. [21]

   How it unfolded

   It began in July with cases tied to Chipotle Mexican Grill, a US restaurant chain. [21]

   Why it matters

   The CDC, the US public health agency, estimates 29 cases go uncounted for every Salmonella case it finds. [21]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why hide the grower's name?

      The report does not say. [21] The FDA has refused throughout to name the supplier or grower. [21]

      Investigatorsfound the farm

      vsvs

      The publicnot told
   2. 2

      Can the farm still sell to the US?

      Not easily: in September the FDA put the firm on a list whose produce is held at the border. [21]

      Firm added to the list→Produce held at the border→No easy sale

   How it works

   Epidemiologists call it a traceback: following a food from sick people back to the farm.

   FDA teams gathered shipping records 3 times and took 4 water samples to trace the peppers. [21]

   Seen it before

   Finding which lunch made a class ill means asking what everyone ate, then where the kitchen bought it.

   The truth

   • Every sample taken from Chipotle restaurants tested negative for Salmonella. [21] The FDA tied the outbreak to the peppers by tracing them. [21]
6. 08

   Lords want the costs of the EU food deal shown

   What happened

   • A House of Lords committee asked the UK government to publish the costs of its food deal with the EU. [26]
   • The deal is an SPS agreement, which sets shared rules for food, plant and animal checks. [26]
   • The UK government says the deal could add up to £5.1 billion to the economy by 2040. [26]
   • Peers said that estimate leaves out costs on firms that do not trade with the EU. [26]
   • Importers of fresh food from outside the EU could face a £300 million yearly bill, a produce group warns. [26]

   How it unfolded

   1. Now Lords report
   2. 20 Nov UK-EU summit

   Why it matters

   The committee heard the deal alone may bring at least 780 pieces of EU law a year to follow. [26]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Who would pay for following EU rules?

      Peers say a UK payment towards EU costs is inevitable. [26] Its amount is not yet known. [26]

   2. 2

      What could it mean for UK farmers?

      A crop-spray industry study says losing some herbicides and fungicides could cost farms over £800 million a year. [26]

      £800 milliona year, if some sprays are banned

   How it works

   Trade lawyers call it dynamic alignment: one side agrees to copy the other's rules as they change.

   Each new EU food rule would then apply in the UK, so Parliament must check far more laws. [26]

   Seen it before

   Joining a club means following its rules, including the ones it writes after you join.

   The truth

   • Peers questioned whether the deal will really boost growth. [26] Burnham insists it can be a win-win. [26]
   • Who pays UK importers of fresh produce from outside the EU — Under the deal their goods would need to meet EU rules and border checks, the Fresh Produce Consortium warns. [26]

   What comes next

   Prime minister Andy Burnham is expected to seal it at a summit on 20 November. [26]

7. 09

   Brothers guilty in $240m cattle fraud

   What happened

   • A US federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, convicted brothers Joshua and Jason Link on 10 November. [17]
   • Their firm, Agridime, sold investors cattle at $2,000 each, promising to raise them and sell the beef. [17]
   • It took more than $240 million from over 2,200 people between 2021 and 2023. [17]
   • Prosecutors said it sold contracts for about 60,000 more cattle than it really had. [17]

   Who is involved

   • Joshua Link co-owner of Agridime
   • Jason Link its livestock broker

   How it unfolded

   Federal authorities took control of Agridime in late 2023. [17]

   1. 10 Nov convicted
   2. 4 Mar 2027 sentencing

   Why it matters

   In North Dakota alone, investors were owed about $40 million when the authorities stepped in. [17]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Where did the money go?

      Prosecutors said it paid salaries, loans and earlier investors. [17] Nearly $1.5 million built a luxury house in Kansas. [17]

      $1.5 millionspent on a house in Kansas, nearly

   2. 2

      Who else has been caught?

      Three other Agridime staff pleaded guilty, and so did Taylor Bang, a North Dakota cattle broker. [17]

   How it works

   Fraud investigators call it a Ponzi scheme: earlier investors are paid with money from newer ones.

   A judge found in 2024 that Agridime paid earlier investors with new investors' money, not beef profits. [17]

   Seen it before

   A friend who repays you with money borrowed from someone else only looks as if they can pay.

   What comes next

   Both are due to be sentenced on 4 March 2027, and face up to 20 years for each fraud count. [17]

8. 10

   E. coli outbreak grows at Ohio University

   What happened

   • An E. coli outbreak at Ohio University has grown to 11 students, up from 7 on 11 November. [20]
   • E. coli is a gut germ, and some kinds cause severe stomach cramps and bloody diarrhoea. [20]
   • Health officials are interviewing the students to find a shared source. [20]
   • The university has stepped up cleaning in dining halls and inspected its kitchens. [20]
   • "I anticipate that this is not the end of what we're seeing," said Dr Carl Ortman, the county health commissioner. [20]

   Who is involved

   • County health officials interviewing students
   • Ohio University cleaning and checks

   Why it matters

   About 5% to 10% of people diagnosed develop HUS, a kidney failure that can kill. [20]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Who has fallen ill?

      All 11 confirmed patients are Ohio University students, health officials said on Friday. [20]

      11 of 11

      students confirmed ill

   2. 2

      How long does it usually last?

      Most patients recover within 5 to 7 days. [20] Others can develop severe or life-threatening problems. [20]

      Infection→Most recover in 5 to 7 days→A few get severely ill

   How it works

   Epidemiologists hunt for a common exposure: the one thing all the sick people shared.

   Ohio's team compares when each student fell ill, where they spent time and what they ate. [20]

   Seen it before

   If everyone at a party gets a stomach bug, you ask what they all ate.

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     What made 11 Ohio University students ill.

     Investigators are still interviewing students to find a shared source, and expect more cases. [20]

9. 11

   Kraft Heinz bets $700m on a comeback

   What happened

   • Kraft Heinz, maker of Heinz ketchup and Philadelphia cream cheese, set out its $700 million turnaround plan on Thursday. [14]
   • It is spending $325 million on marketing and $250 million on its prices. [14] Another $75 million goes on staff, and $50 million on products and packaging. [14]

   How it unfolded

   Its sales fell 3% in 2024 and 3.5% in 2025, to $24.9 billion. [14]

   Price rises failed to make up for weaker demand, FoodNavigator reports. [14]

   1. Now a year of reinvesting
   2. Late 2027 growth expected

   Why it matters

   Shoppers have moved away from processed foods towards healthier ones, Food Dive says. [15]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why spend more when sales are falling?

      "Brands that stop being invested in stop being relevant," said boss Steve Cahillane. [14]

   2. 2

      What is it selling more of?

      Lower-sugar ketchups, Heinz Simply and Heinz Zero, grew by double digits. [15] Nearly half its new products aim at health. [15]

   How it works

   Marketers call it brand investment: spending to keep a famous name in shoppers' minds.

   Kraft Heinz says Heinz stalled because the company stopped investing in the brand. [14]

   Seen it before

   A shop that stops putting its sign out gets fewer people walking in, even if nothing inside has changed.

   The truth

   • The return to growth in 2027 is the company's own forecast. [15]

   What comes next

   Kraft Heinz expects sales to grow again in the second half of 2027. [15]

10. 12

    US crop insurance shifts to county cover

    What happened

    • Two add-on crop insurance products now take 35% of US premium subsidies for 9 big crops, farmdoc daily says. [31]
    • That share was 4% in 2024 and 16.7% in 2025. [31]
    • farmdoc daily is a farm economics site run by the University of Illinois. [31]
    • The products, SCO and ECO, pay out when a whole county's crop falls short, not one farm's. [31]
    • Use of ECO jumped from 6.5% of eligible acres in 2024 to 51.8% in 2026. [31]

    How it unfolded

    A 2025 US law raised the government's share of their premiums from 65% to 80%. [31]

    1. 2026 ECO band 86% to 95%
    2. 2027 ECO band 90% to 95%

    Why it matters

    Subsidies on these 2 products grew more than tenfold, from $0.3 billion to $3.5 billion. [31]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Does a bigger subsidy mean farmers get more?

       Not always: when policies pay out less than they cost, farmers gain less than the subsidy, the authors say. [31]

       Bigger subsidy→Payouts can be smaller→Less real gain
    2. 2

       Who switched the most?

       Cotton farms in the Texas panhandle, where SCO passed 50% of acres. [31] Switching also made them eligible for other federal payments. [31]

       50%of acres with SCO in the Texas panhandle, more than

    How it works

    Insurers call it area-based insurance: it pays on a county's average loss, not one farm's own.

    ECO-95 starts paying when a county's crop falls below 95% of expected, so it pays often and costs more. [31]

    Seen it before

    A class prize for the whole class's average helps you even when your own test went fine.

    What comes next

    From 2027, ECO will cover a narrower band, from 90% to 95%, instead of 86% to 95%. [31]

11. 13

    First hard freeze hits the US South

    What happened

    • The first widespread freeze of the season is due in the US South on 14 and 15 November. [19] AccuWeather, a weather forecasting firm, issued the warning. [19]
    • Temperatures may drop into the 20s Fahrenheit, well below freezing, from eastern Texas to northern Florida. [19]
    • Several hours below freezing can kill warm-season plants and end the growing season. [19]
    • Tomatoes, peppers and squash still in the fields are most at risk. [19]
    • The cold comes in two stages: eastern Texas to Tennessee on Saturday, then the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida on Sunday. [19]

    How it unfolded

    1. Sat eastern Texas to Tennessee
    2. Sun Carolinas, Georgia, Florida

    Why it matters

    For farmers still harvesting, the next day or two may be the last chance to bring crops in. [19]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Can covers protect the crops?

       Only partly: long freezes can damage plants even under protective covers. [19]

    2. 2

       Will cities be hit as hard?

       Atlanta may fall to the mid-30s Fahrenheit, while nearby rural areas near freezing. [19]

       Atlantamid-30s F

       vsvs

       Rural areas nearbynear freezing

    How it works

    Plant scientists call it a killing freeze: cold long enough to kill a plant, not just nip its leaves.

    That is why the timing and length of the cold matter as much as how low it goes, AgDaily says. [19]

    Seen it before

    A puddle needs a long cold night to freeze solid, not just a cold minute.

12. 14

    USDA moves to undo horse soring rules

    What happened

    • The USDA, the US farm department, proposed on 13 November to withdraw much of its 2024 Horse Protection Act rules. [18]
    • The Horse Protection Act bans soring: hurting a horse's legs or hooves on purpose to exaggerate its walk. [18]
    • The 2024 rules would have replaced inspectors licensed by the horse industry with USDA-trained ones. [18]
    • The new plan keeps industry inspectors but adds conflict-of-interest checks and blood tests for masking drugs. [18]

    How it unfolded

    A court in Texas struck down key parts of those rules in January 2025. [18]

    1. 2024 new rules written
    2. Jan 2025 court strikes parts down

    Why it matters

    Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses are the breeds at the centre of it. [18]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why did the USDA want its own inspectors?

       The USDA admits industry inspectors find different results when federal officials are not there. [18]

       Officials watchingone result

       vsvs

       Officials absentanother
    2. 2

       So why back down now?

       Court losses, too little money and too few qualified inspectors, the USDA says. [18] The 2024 rules could have cost it up to $3.2 million more a year. [18]

       $3.2 milliona year, the 2024 rules' extra cost

    How it works

    Regulators call it independence: whoever checks should not depend on whoever is checked.

    Horse industry groups train and license the inspectors, so the USDA now adds conflict-of-interest screening. [18]

    Seen it before

    A referee paid by one of the two teams would find it hard to call fouls against them.

    The truth

    • The USDA argues training and testing can fix enforcement without replacing the system. [18]

    What comes next

    Public comments are open until 14 December. [18]

13. 15

    Bluetongue returns to Northern Ireland

    What happened

    • Northern Ireland confirmed its first bluetongue case of the season, in 3 sheep at Kilkeel, County Down. [25]
    • Bluetongue is a virus of cattle, sheep, goats and deer, spread by biting midges. [25]
    • It poses no risk to people, and milk and meat are safe to eat, officials say. [25]
    • England has 2,950 cases, Wales 512 and Scotland 57. [25]
    • There will be no new movement limits, because the virus is already present. [25]

    How it unfolded

    The virus first reached Northern Ireland near Bangor in November 2025. [25]

    Why it matters

    Ireland has had more than 100 cases in recent months. [25]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why so many cases this year?

       The mild winter means more midges have likely survived and become infectious, the BBC reports. [25]

       Mild winter→More midges survive→More cases
    2. 2

       What are farmers told to do?

       Officials urge vaccination and careful buying of animals. [25] Animals imported from mainland Europe are tested after they arrive. [25]

    How it works

    Epidemiologists call midges vectors: insects that carry a virus from one animal to another.

    An infected midge bites one sheep, then the next, so the virus moves with the insects. [25]

    Seen it before

    One mosquito biting everyone at a barbecue can pass a germ from guest to guest.

14. 16

    Snack-bar recall costs $30m

    What happened

    • Once Upon a Farm, a US children's food company, expects its Tractor Wheels recall to cost about $30 million. [16]
    • The bars made up about 18% of its sales this year before the recall. [16]
    • It cut its 2026 sales outlook to $290 million to $300 million, from $327 million to $335 million. [16]
    • Its third-quarter sales still rose 34.9%, to $89.1 million. [16]

    How it unfolded

    It recalled the soft-baked bars nationwide on 30 October, after 3 reports of a possible choking hazard. [16]

    Why it matters

    The bars were on sale in more than 20,000 shops before the recall. [16]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Can the company afford it?

       It had $106.4 million in cash and no debt at the end of the quarter. [16]

       $106.4 millioncash, with no debt

    2. 2

       When do the bars come back?

       Safety checks will take 8 to 10 weeks before it decides on a relaunch, boss John Foraker said. [16]

    How it works

    Accountants call it a write-off: stock that can no longer be sold is counted as a loss.

    Most of the recall's cost is bars written off and removed from shelves, the company says. [16]

    Seen it before

    A bakery that finds a fault in a batch bins the whole tray, and has still paid for the flour.

    The truth

    • The $30 million figure is the company's own estimate. [16]
15. 17

    Asda's food sales stall after price cuts

    What happened

    • Asda, a UK supermarket chain, said food sales rose just 0.1% in the 13 weeks to 30 September. [27]
    • Group sales rose 3.1% to £6.5 billion, or £5.1 billion without fuel. [27]
    • Asda has cut prices on more than 1,000 everyday products and will hold them until Christmas. [27]
    • It says that spending on lower prices held back its food sales. [27]
    • Online grocery sales grew 6.9%. [27]
    • Its new boss, David Potts, has just finished his first week. [27]

    Why it matters

    Asda's own tracker shows the poorest households £76 a week short of covering essential bills. [27]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why cut prices if it hurts sales?

       Asda says it is the lowest-priced full-range supermarket. [27] It won The Grocer's weekly price check 9 times since July. [27]

    2. 2

       Is it working?

       Like-for-like food sales returned to growth, its finance chief Michael Gleeson said. [27]

    The truth

    • Asda calls the results "encouraging", on food sales up 0.1%. [27]
16. 18

    Tesco asks 400 suppliers for climate data

    What happened

    • Tesco asked 400 of its biggest suppliers to share climate data on a new platform. [28]
    • The platform is run by OpenClimat, a European network of 15 big retailers and 300 food makers. [28]
    • Those 400 suppliers make up 80% of Tesco's supply chain in the UK and Ireland. [28]

    How it unfolded

    Tesco says it cut emissions from its own operations and the power it buys by 68% since 2015-16. [28]

    Why it matters

    But 99% of its emissions come from its wider supply chain, which it calls Scope 3. [28]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why does Tesco need its suppliers for this?

       Almost all its emissions sit with suppliers, so it cannot cut them alone, its boss Ken Murphy has said. [28]

       Emissions sit with suppliers→Tesco cannot cut them alone→Suppliers asked to join
    2. 2

       Who does the work?

       The suppliers do the reporting, and Tesco offers them guidance and resources. [28]

       Suppliersreport data

       ↓→

       Tescooffers guidance

    How it works

    Climate accountants sort a firm's pollution into scopes, and the widest scope is what others make for it.

    Tesco's 68% cut covers only its own operations and power, not the 99% made in its supply chain. [28]

    Seen it before

    A team captain can train hard, but the team only improves if every player does too.

    What comes next

    They must fill in a questionnaire before work with them starts in February. [28]

17. 19

    Weight-loss drugs change what people eat

    What happened

    • About 89 million people worldwide use weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, the data firm Kline and Company estimates. [30]
    • But 2.1 billion adults eat in a similar way, it says, which food makers call the halo. [30]
    • That is 56% of adults in the 25 countries Kline studied. [30]
    • About $10 billion of yearly US food spending is already moving to yogurt, meat snacks, nutrition bars and fruit. [30]
    • Snacks, bakery goods and breakfast cereals may lose out, Kline says. [30]

    Why it matters

    Kline predicts users will double by 2035, and 1 in 3 who ever used them will have recently stopped. [30]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why do food firms care about people not on the drugs?

       Because the halo is far bigger than the number of users, especially outside North America. [30]

    2. 2

       Are shoppers on the drugs spending less?

       In the UK, households on them spent £418 less on groceries than others, Worldpanel data show. [37]

       £418less on groceries for UK households on the drugs

    How it works

    Marketers call it a halo effect: a habit spreads beyond the people who started it.

    Kline counts everyone with a strong concern about metabolic health, not only drug users. [30] That is how its halo reaches 2.1 billion. [30]

    Seen it before

    When the best player wears a new trainer, half the school buys it, even pupils who never play.

    The truth

    • Kline and Company is a data business, and the 2.1 billion is its estimate, not a count. [30]
18. 20

    Most Egyptian beef sandwiches tested were not just beef

    What happened

    • Scientists tested 90 beef hawawshi sandwiches from restaurants in Assiut, Egypt, bought in March and April 2026. [35]
    • Hawawshi is a popular Egyptian ready-to-eat sandwich of minced, seasoned meat. [35]
    • Tests found 73.3% of them, 66 of 90, held meat or tissue that should not be there. [35]
    • Chicken DNA turned up in 100% of the cheapest sandwiches. [35]
    • Pig DNA turned up in 26.7% and donkey DNA in 13.3%, mostly in cheaper ones. [35]
    • Cheap ones also held lung, cartilage and bone, while dear ones were mostly muscle. [35]

    Why it matters

    Hidden meats can break religious and ethical food rules, the authors note. [35]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why would a seller add chicken to beef?

       Chicken is cheaper than beef, the authors say. [35] Poultry trimmings like skin and necks are also left over in bulk. [35]

       Chickencheaper

       vsvs

       Beefdearer
    2. 2

       Does paying more protect the buyer?

       Only partly: something was added in 100% of cheap sandwiches and in 50% of the dearest. [35]

       % adulterated

       Cheapest100

       Dearest50

    How it works

    Food scientists call it economically motivated adulteration: swapping in cheaper meat to save money. [35]

    Mincing and seasoning hide what the meat looks like, so only lab tests reveal the swap. [35]

    Seen it before

    A smoothie hides which fruits went into it, so you only know if someone tells you.

    The truth

    • All 90 samples came from restaurants in one region, Assiut Governorate. [35]
19. 21

    Ode expands cod farming in Norway

    What happened

    • Ode, a Norwegian cod farmer, bought 51% of Namdal Settefisk to expand into central Norway. [29]
    • The new firm, Ode Namdal, will run 6 sea sites in Trondelag. [29]
    • The sites can grow 11,700 tonnes now, and over 25,000 tonnes over time. [29]
    • That would lift Ode's yearly capacity above 60,000 tonnes. [29]

    Why it matters

    Farmed cod is a new and growing kind of seafood in world markets, Ode says. [29]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why buy an existing firm?

       Securing licence capacity, the right to farm at sea, lets Ode invest and grow, it says. [29]

       Licence to farm at sea→More investment→More cod grown
    2. 2

       Why does steady supply matter?

       Ode says fish every week of the year lets it make long-term deals with shops and restaurants. [29]

       Fish every week→Long-term deals→A bigger market for cod

    How it works

    Economists call it vertical integration: one firm runs every step, from hatchery to sale.

    Ode runs its own hatcheries, farms, processing and sales, so it controls supply all year. [29]

    Seen it before

    A bakery that grows its own wheat never waits for a flour delivery.

    What comes next

    Two sites start work at once, and the rest over the coming years. [29]

20. 22

    Russia writes down 'proper' Russian food

    What happened

    • Rosstandart, Russia's standards agency, approved a state standard for traditional Russian cuisine. [33]
    • It holds recipes and serving tips for 132 dishes. [33]
    • It says okroshka, a soup served cold, should be made with kvass, a sour bread drink, not kefir. [33]
    • It lists Chicken Kiev and a 'Little Russian' borscht among the dishes. [33]

    Why it matters

    The trade minister says only 1% of Russia's restaurants describe their food as Russian. [33]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why would a government write recipes?

       Minister Anton Alikhanov said Russia has lost "an important part of our cultural identity". [33]

    2. 2

       Why does Chicken Kiev get a note?

       The standard says the dish's name probably does not show where it comes from. [33]

    How it works

    Food historians call it codifying a cuisine: writing down which version of a dish counts.

    A working group of officials and restaurant owners chose the versions, such as kvass in okroshka. [33]

    Seen it before

    A school that writes down one right way to play a playground game makes the other ways look wrong.

    What comes next

    Following it is voluntary, and it takes effect on 1 January 2027. [33]

21. 23

    1,000 stray cows roam a Macedonian town

    What happened

    • Kriva Palanka, a town in north-eastern North Macedonia, has asked the government to declare a 30-day crisis. [34]
    • More than 1,000 cattle roam its streets, parks and farmland, up from about 400 5 years ago. [34]
    • Many belonged to one family, whose members were detained after allegedly obstructing a seizure by the food and veterinary agency. [34]
    • The animals damage farmland and town property, officials say. [34]

    How it unfolded

    The cattle were then reportedly not properly sheltered, and kept roaming. [34]

    Why it matters

    Residents say meeting large animals without warning, sometimes after dark, is frightening. [34]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why can't the town round them up?

       Officials say it lacks the resources and buildings to manage a herd of more than 1,000. [34]

       A herd of 1,000+→No buildings or money→The town asks the state
    2. 2

       What would a crisis declaration do?

       It would let local and national authorities pool resources and act daily, mayor Sasko Mitovski says. [34]

       The townlocal resources

       ++

       The statenational resources

    How it works

    Lawyers call it a duty of care: whoever takes charge of animals must look after them.

    The agency took charge of the cattle but reportedly did not shelter them, so they kept roaming. [34]

    Seen it before

    A teacher who confiscates a phone now has to keep it safe.

22. 24

    A study maps women's food knowledge

    What happened

    • The University of East Anglia, in England, has started a £1.3 million study of women's food knowledge. [36]
    • It is funded by a European Research Council grant and runs for 5 years. [36]
    • It traces dishes shared by communities in The Gambia and Afro-Colombia, separated by the slave trade in the 1500s. [36]
    • The team will publish the first free dataset of heritage dishes, with lab tests of their nutrition. [36]

    Why it matters

    Such knowledge is rarely treated as evidence in food security decisions, project leader Paola Vargas Arana says. [36]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why link The Gambia and Colombia?

       Her book found 71% of enslaved people at Antioquia's gold mines came from the upper Guinea coast. [36]

       71 of 100

       from the upper Guinea coast

    2. 2

       What could it change?

       It aims to build food security policy from the ground up, from what communities already know. [36]

       Women's food knowledge→Recorded and tested→Used in policy

    The truth

    • The project runs for 5 years, so it has no findings yet. [36]
23. 25

    Dairy farmer's marathon buys milk for food banks

    What happened

    • Tyler Beck, a dairy farmer from Freeville, New York, raised $30,722 for milk by running the New York City Marathon. [32]
    • The goal was $1,000 a mile, or $26,200. [32]
    • Feeding New York State, a food bank network, expects the money to buy about 8,000 gallons of fresh milk. [32]
    • That is roughly 250,000 servings, handed out through 4,000 partner groups. [32]

    How it unfolded

    He finished his second marathon in 2 hours 57 minutes, under 3 hours. [32]

    Why it matters

    Milk is one of the foods banks are asked for most and given least, the dairy group says. [32]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Who runs the campaign?

       Pennsylvania dairy farmers started Fill a Glass with Hope in 2015, with food bank groups. [32]

    2. 2

       Does it add up to much?

       The campaign has raised more than $1.5 million and supplied 49 million servings of milk. [32]

       49 millionservings of milk since 2015

    The truth

    • The 8,000 gallons is the food bank network's own estimate of what the money buys. [32]