FI Fast Break audio news: Sept. 13, 2023
The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on California’s proposal for a $20-per-hour minimum wage for most fast-food workers.
The latest Food Institute news podcast touches on California’s proposal for a $20-per-hour minimum wage for most fast-food workers.
Free-range eggs returned to store shelves in the U.K., a sign that the bird flu outbreak has abated enough for the government to reduce the risk level to medium.
The California strawberry crop is “at the mercy of Mother Nature” this year, but production should reach normal levels by the summer. That’s according to Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute Sector Manager Brad Rubin, who noted …
Perris, California has become the second U.S. city to ban junk food at supermarket checkouts, replacing sugary snacks with healthier alternatives.
Atmospheric rivers have deluged California in recent weeks, dumping 8.61 inches on the San Francisco area since December 26, yet drought persists.
New York and California are the first of more than a dozen states banning or considering bans on poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) ‘forever chemicals.’
This week’s FI news podcast touches on the latest innovative plant-based product, along with the recent rise in-store bakery products.
Florida’s citrus industry appears to have borne the brunt of Hurricane Ian. Reports from the region indicate that the damage could potentially be worse than after Hurricane Irma, which cut Florida citrus production by a …
California’s recently passed FAST Recovery Act is causing waves in the industry, but what will the real impacts be?
California’s FAST Recovery Act – the first bill of its kind to take on the fast-food industry – could prove a boon for workers and labor unions but a burden to the mom-and-pop restaurants that …
Criollo cattle have adapted to dry rangelands and could help regenerate soil while needing less water and feed than other cattle.
California could experience “megafloods” as a large portion of the country experiences “megaheat,” according to a UCLA study.
Though drought conditions have improved in the Pacific Northwest and areas of the Midwest, parts of California and the Southwest have seen no relief from dry weather.
New rules on animal welfare are slated to take effect Jan. 1 in California, but a coalition of restaurants and grocery stores have filed suit to block implementation for more than two years, arguing they …
The historic drought in the U.S. West is hitting California’s top agricultural export especially hard. The state’s $6 billion almond industry produces approximately 80% of the world’s almonds, but more and more growers are expected …
As an unrelenting drought torments California’s farmers, many of them are now dealing with an additional concern: water theft. With water increasingly scarce in California in recent months, thieves have stolen several millions of gallons …
Starting Thursday, hundreds of San Francisco bars will require patrons to show proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test before they can drink inside. The decision was made by the San Francisco Bar Owner …
While Americans are paying more for everything from lumber to computer parts, and with most of the food industry contending with price increases, one surprising exception can be found: avocados. While often considered one of …
Pork has been making headlines of late, with one of the most notable updates being that prices for U.S. hogs have slipped since the Chinese government said its supplies have nearly fully recovered from African …
Dangerous heat waves in much of the western U.S. could soon break all-time temperature records. And, those temperatures are worsening drought conditions that were already plenty worrisome. The latest drought monitor released June 10 categorizes a …
Editor’s Note: This is an update to The Food Institute’s April article “Is the U.S. Facing a Megadrought?” Central Valley Farmers to Get No Allocation Farmers in California’s Central Valley Project will get none of …
Matt Thomas didn’t found his company, Brew Dr., thinking he would someday sell kombucha that’s infused with hemp derived CBD. In fact, in 2021, CBD-infused products still only make up roughly one-tenth of 1% of …
Nothing says Cinco de Mayo like tacos and guacamole, and this year avocados appear to be plentiful – at least in the near term. Some 100 million Americans are expected to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, …
A persistent kink in the global supply chain is getting straightened out – slowly, but relatively surely. The backlog at southern California ports appears to finally be easing, even as imports continue to flood into …
Congested ports in the U.S. continue to cause major supply chain disruptions. The California ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach — which together handle more than a third of U.S. container imports — are …
Non-profit organization Conscious Kitchen recently shifted an entire California school district’s food supply chain to 100% organic. The West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) and Conscious Kitchen provided their first 100% USDA-certified organic weekly …
In 2020 election referendums, voters approved two milestone initiatives that amount to a win and loss for food-industry companies in two states. California workers with app-based ride-hailing and delivery services will remain independent contractors after …
California wildfires mean Napa area wine producers are losing stored wine and warehouses, reported The New York Times (Oct. 5). Damage to vineyards has been less severe in the fires in the last weekend of …
Several crops are suffering from the effects of severe weather over the last month or so. Rice Arkansas’ rice harvest is off to a slow start because of weather not conductive to drying grain and …
Friday and Saturday night takeout is emerging as a lasting trend during the pandemic, according to Technomic. Research found that off-premise meals on Friday and Saturday nights accounted for 24% of overall sales in the …