On Thursday, the lobby of the Hubert H. Humphrey building, which houses the Department of Health and Human Services, was abuzz. Food industry leaders, nutritionists, and social media influencers gathered in a room filled with “Eat Real Food” posters, awaiting members of the Trump administration to highlight the recently released

January 7, 2026 – New Dietary Guidelines from the Trump administration largely warned against “highly processed” foods and added sugar consumption, while giving animal protein, full-fat dairy, and fats a boost.

Throughout the 10-page document issued Wednesday, the 2025–2030 Di...

When people walk or drive past urban gardens, they often just see what’s on the surface. Raised beds on a small plot. Seedlings poking through the dirt. Perhaps bright pops of colorful produce, like tomatoes or peppers.

But when Kate Brown, an environmental historian at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), looks at urban gardens, she sees a deep-rooted hist...

January 6, 2026 – After a legislative fight led by Representative Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), members of Congress stripped a controversial provision out of the latest version of a bill that funds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bill is expected to move forward in the House this week, as lawmakers rush to finalize the 2026 appropriations process by Jan. 30...

This story was co-published and supported by the journalism nonprofit Economic Hardship Reporting Project.

On a late afternoon in early November, Xochitl Bervera launches The Roxie Girl from St. George Island into the gentle waters of Florida’s Ap...