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Food Tank’s Weekly News Roundup: Extreme Heat Hits Europe, Regenerative Agriculture Grows, and SNAP Enrollment Falls
Each week, Food Tank is rounding up a few news stories that inspire excitement, infuriation, or curiosity.
Europe Hit by Extreme Heat
Europe’s extreme heatwave has led to at least 1,300 excess deaths linked to high temperatures since June 21, according to the World Health Organization. A few days ago, Germany recorded record-breaking temperatures of 41.7 °C — over 107 °F. Similar temperatures were reported in Poland and the Czech Republic. It was so hot that an event focused on the impacts of extreme heat in the UK had to be cancelled because temperatures were too high.
“The phenomenon of the ‘once-in-a-generation’ heatwave is now occurring nearly annually,” writes the WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He warns that Europe is heating at twice the global average.
Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group, who recently joined us for our London Climate Action Week programming, said that this last week proves “science has come to life, and reality is clearly showing there is more of this to come.”
Farmers are struggling in the face of high temperatures. France has reported the deaths of several hundred thousand poultry at indoor and outdoor farms. And the country’s dairy farmers are seeing milk production drop. Spain is warning that potato farmers are likely to see slowed crop development and reduced growth.
But many farmers are responding with creativity, BBC reports. Chickens are being fed at night and receiving vitamins to breathe better. One Spanish farmer is putting wool over her crops to keep the soil moist. And a British dairy farmer added misters and fans to keep her cows cool.
Regenerative Agriculture Is Not an Experiment
In a new op-ed by Sara Farley, Vice President for the Food Team at The Rockefeller Foundation, she writes “Climate volatility is turning drought and flooding into chronic risks, making crucial crops maladapted to their historic environments. The question is no longer whether agriculture must change, but how fast it can.”
Fortunately, the world is changing. Regenerative agriculture has been called niche or an experiment, Farley says. But she sees a different reality as regenerative gains momentum globally. As it scales, the definition is becoming more diverse. While that isn’t an issue, there is something missing: shared outcomes.
Farley argues that there needs to be clearer alignment on what regenerative agriculture is trying to achieve and without that, it “risks fragmentation, confusion, and the loss of trust.” That’s why she’s excited about the new and emerging systems to support regenerative agriculture.
The World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation is setting standards that must be met to flow into regenerative agriculture systems. The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative is translating into practice how companies measure and implement these practices. And now, a new framework from Regen10 outlines what regenerative food systems should result in without prescribing a single model or set of practices.
Farley believes that this is what will help us deploy finance at the speed and scale that’s needed. This will build what she says is “not an experiment, but a new operating system for agriculture already taking shape.”
4.7 Million People Pushed Off SNAP Since H.R.1
A new analysis from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) finds that 4.7 million people have lost access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since President Trump signed his tax and spending bill into law last year. In total, there are now 5.5 million fewer people enrolled in SNAP since Trump’s first days in office.
FRAC says the legislative package has “created instability for families, communities, local economies, and weakened state budgets” by “shifting program costs to states, expanding time limits, and putting a cap on future benefit adjustments.” They and other anti-hunger advocacy groups are urging Congress to reverse the funding cuts for the program, but lawmakers haven’t shown signs of action yet.
Last week, the Senate released the Agricultural Act of 2026, their version of the Farm Bill, which fails to tackle rising hunger rates. In a statement released by Democratic members of the Agriculture Committee, they said that the bill must meet the needs of both farmers and families, and right now it “does not address the devastating cuts to SNAP.”
Investing in Food and Agriculture Can Create Millions of Jobs in MENAAP
In the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP), investments and climate reforms can lead to the creation of millions of new jobs by 2050, according to a new World Bank report.
The region’s agrifood systems provide three in every 10 jobs, and the number of off-farm jobs—like processing, transport, and logistics—in the sector is growing quickly.
Many believe that jobs in food and agriculture are unappealing. But a new survey shows that, across six countries in the MENAAP, the majority of respondents believe that the sector offers opportunities to earn a stable income.
If the right finance is invested and reforms are put in place to boost private sector engagement and boost yields, it’s possible to create 5 million jobs on-farm and off. Food security could grow as well—a benefit much needed in the region. Around 18 percent of the population are food insecure and 40 percent can’t afford a healthy diet today. And in the next 25 years, food demand is expected to rise by 67 percent.
The World Bank estimates that an investment of US$12 billion a year in water-efficient irrigation and agricultural innovation, supported by policy reforms, can dramatically increase the domestic food supply. They project that fruit and vegetable production could double and cereal yields could increase by over 70 percent.
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Photo courtesy of Freddie Marriage, Unsplash
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Here’s What’s Included in—and Missing from—the Senate Farm Bill Draft
A version of this piece was featured in Food Tank’s newsletter, released weekly on Thursdays. To make sure it lands straight in your inbox and to be among the first to receive it, subscribe now by clicking here.
Last week, the United States Senate Agriculture Committee released its draft version of the next Farm Bill, the cornerstone framework of U.S. agriculture policy that’s now more than three years overdue. The House of Representatives passed its own version earlier this year, which means the current Congress is on track to determine the country’s broad-scale food policy for the next five-plus years.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman called the legislation a “discussion draft of Farm Bill 2.0 that is built for the people who feed America.”
So what’s actually in this Farm Bill draft—and what did not make the cut?
The draft Bill will reauthorize a number of popular initiatives, including the Rural Energy for America Program and more than 60 research programs. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall praised the Bill as a “good first step” with benefits that include “improved access to credit, expanded investments in specialty crops, increased transparency in fertilizer markets, and enhanced research and conservation programs.”
But the Bill earned criticism from the National Family Farm Coalition for failing to tackle anti-competitive practices, and the organization Friends of the Earth worries that it cuts nearly US$2 billion from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and pushes subsidies toward the largest agribusiness operations.
In short, the Senate version appears to have some positive qualities but overall fails to take the level of ambitious action we need in this moment.
“The Senate is right to listen to the American people and abandon the politically toxic Cancer Gag provisions and the Save Our Bacon Act, but a Farm Bill that fails to protect farmers from corporate consolidation, invest in real climate solutions and ensure healthy, affordable food for all is not a solution—it’s just more of the same,” says Rebecca Wolf, Food & Water Watch Food Policy Director, in a statement.
What could a better version of the 2026 Farm Bill look like?
“This Senate Farm Bill draft falls far short of what the farmers and rural communities we work alongside need. We believe the Farm Bill must do more to address the farm crisis, support independent farmers, and protect nutrition programs. It must challenge policies that prioritize corporate agribusiness over farmers,” per a statement from RAFI-USA.
After the House passed its version, I talked to one of my favorite food systems experts, Kathleen Merrigan, who is Executive Director of the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems at Arizona State University. A bad Farm Bill, she told me, “is not worth it.” One of the things we need to see in a good Farm Bill, she said, is protections and expansion for food relief programs like SNAP.
Right now, SNAP access is getting more difficult. According to recent analysis from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), there are now more than 5.5 million fewer people receiving SNAP than there were when President Trump took office in January 2025. And for Kathleen, in her home state of Arizona, food pantries are seeing longer and longer lines as the safety net becomes weaker.
“I want people to think big,” she told me on the Food Talk podcast. “Be creative and be ready to roll up your sleeves and do what it takes…We have enough power to say no if it doesn’t address the SNAP inequities. We have the power to say no if we all stand together, and that’s what I want people to realize: Even in this very different (political) climate, they do have the ways to act to make a difference.”
The Bill is set to be debated and potentially amended in the Ag Committee sometime after the July 4 holiday and before Congress’ August recess, Boozman says. And there’s plenty of discussion remaining, since the Senate and House will both need to agree on a version of the Farm Bill text for it to be sent to the President and signed into law.
Especially if your elected officials in Congress sit on Agriculture Committees—but even if they don’t—let’s make sure we’re being clear about our priorities, empowering them to fight for an equitable Farm Bill, and holding them accountable to represent the health of people and the planet.Farm Bill, food and farming policy, SNAP, subsidies
Articles like the one you just read are made possible through the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we please count on you to be part of our growing movement? Become a member today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Roger Starnes Sr., Unsplash
The post Here’s What’s Included in—and Missing from—the Senate Farm Bill Draft appeared first on Food Tank.
The Senate Should Not Use Farmers as a Deal “Sweetener”
Farmers need a real Farm Bill — not short-term relief used as a bargaining chip for unrelated war funding. As farm families face rising input costs, inflation, disrupted programs, and delayed action from Congress, small- and mid-scale independent farmers need policy that addresses the roots of the crisis. A strong Farm Bill should strengthen farm credit, restaff local USDA offices, rebuild regional food infrastructure, protect SNAP, and curb corporate price gouging.
The post The Senate Should Not Use Farmers as a Deal “Sweetener” appeared first on RAFI.
Job Opening: Southeast (SE) Cohort Project Manager
The Southeast Cohort Project Manager is a full-time RAFI role leading a regional cohort of Direct Service Providers who help Southeastern farmers navigate financial distress. Reporting to the DBAN Project Manager, duties include supervising DSPs, coordinating trainings, managing operations, and planning events.
The post Job Opening: Southeast (SE) Cohort Project Manager appeared first on RAFI.
Press Release: Senate Farm Bill Fails Farmers
Our coalition partners at NFFC have responded to the Senate Farm Bill with this press release. This Farm Bill will directly affect the farmers and rural communities we work alongside. The release calls for a Farm Bill that addresses the farm crisis, supports independent producers, protects nutrition programs, and challenges corporate agribusiness's power.
The post Press Release: Senate Farm Bill Fails Farmers appeared first on RAFI.
CFS High-Level Forum on Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization and Data Governance
- Time and date: 30 June 2026 from 9.30–17.00 CEST (Rome time)
- Hybrid format: World Food Programme headquarters (Auditorium) in Rome, Italy, and online.
The CFS High-Level Forum on “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization and Data Governance for Food Security and Nutrition” will explore the potential and risks of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in addressing the challenges of food security and nutrition with a focus on promoting inclusive, transparent and accountable data governance in agriculture and food systems.
The discussion will underscore the need for governance on AI and digital technologies to ensure their responsible adoption and the effective use of data in decision-making, to protect and promote people-centred food systems that are based on the right to adequate food.
A summary of the meeting will be presented by the CFS Chairperson at the 54th CFS Plenary Session in October, under Item II on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World – Strengthening Coordination and Collaborative Actions.
The discussion will also contribute to identifying key messages and policy considerations for future discussions or potential workstreams of the CFS.
RegistrationFor online participation, please register through this link.
Participants wishing to attend the event in person are kindly requested to register by contacting the CFS Secretariat at cfs@fao.org
Concept Note More informationThe post CFS High-Level Forum on Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization and Data Governance appeared first on CSIPM.
Bolivia: CLOC – La Vía Campesina Rejects the Divisive and Polarizing Actions Promoted by Rodrigo Paz
CLOC-LVC rejects Rodrigo Paz's divisive and polarizing actions criminalizing protest and failing Bolivia's peasant, Indigenous, and working-class organizations.
The post Bolivia: CLOC – La Vía Campesina Rejects the Divisive and Polarizing Actions Promoted by Rodrigo Paz appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Bolivia: The “Bartolina Sisa” Organization Reaffirms Unity. Denounces Government Attempts at Division and Co-optation
Statement from the National Confederation of Indigenous Native Peasant Women of Bolivia “Bartolina Sisa" - alerting about persecution, illegal detentions, and acts of torture.
The post Bolivia: The “Bartolina Sisa” Organization Reaffirms Unity. Denounces Government Attempts at Division and Co-optation appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Peasants Mobilize Against the Threat of a Setback for Democracy
The country is currently facing a runoff election to choose its new president. National organizations representing Indigenous Peoples and peasants have outlined a critical agenda to ensure full respect for their rights.
The post Peru: Indigenous Peoples and Peasants Mobilize Against the Threat of a Setback for Democracy appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
It’s Time for a Progressive Policy to Protect Agricultural Supply Chains
Brazil: The MST and Allies are Building a Social Movement-led AI Tool (IARAA) for Agroecology
For the construction of the technical and political foundations, a team of agroecology experts from the movements, representing all regions of Brazil, has been established.
The post Brazil: The MST and Allies are Building a Social Movement-led AI Tool (IARAA) for Agroecology appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
La Vía Campesina Brasil expresses solidarity with the Cuban people in the face of the US economic, commercial, and financial blockade
CLOC and LVC Brazil stand in solidarity with the Cuban people at a time when the Revolutionary Government is under threat following decades of repression and political persecution that have plagued the population.
The post La Vía Campesina Brasil expresses solidarity with the Cuban people in the face of the US economic, commercial, and financial blockade appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Canada: National Farmers Union Nova Scotia to Host Agroecology Brigade with Partners from Puerto Rico
Participants from the Maritimes, Ontario, and Puerto Rico will take part in a week of farm work, discussions, and workshops.
The post Canada: National Farmers Union Nova Scotia to Host Agroecology Brigade with Partners from Puerto Rico appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
With the Agrarian Jurisdiction, Social Justice Advances in Colombia
The approval of the Agrarian Jurisdiction Law represents one of the most important advances and a historic victory for the defenders of the land, the territory, and the right to live with dignity in rural Colombia.
The post With the Agrarian Jurisdiction, Social Justice Advances in Colombia appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
The Nyéléni Common Political Action Agenda is Finally Out
After the 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum in Sri Lanka in September 2025, which brought together over 500 representatives of social movements and grassroots organizations from across the world, the Common Political Action Agenda (that will guide the movement actions in the years to come is finally out.
The post The Nyéléni Common Political Action Agenda is Finally Out appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Cuba Solidarity: Join Us To Raise 100,000 Euros in 40 Days!
The resilient and beloved people of Cuba now require a massive show of solidarity from all the concerned peoples of the world.
The post Cuba Solidarity: Join Us To Raise 100,000 Euros in 40 Days! appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
CLOC Members in Central America and Mexico Denouce the Massacre in Colón, Honduras
The statement notes that this brutal act, which so far has left at least 20 people dead 17 men and 3 women constitutes a serious violation of human rights.
The post CLOC Members in Central America and Mexico Denouce the Massacre in Colón, Honduras appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Europe: Investigative Report Finds UAE-Controlled Subsidiaries Received Over €71 Million in EU CAP Payments
The size of payouts to the UAE reflects major issues with the way CAP subsidies are calculated, which are largely based on the area of land farmed.
The post Europe: Investigative Report Finds UAE-Controlled Subsidiaries Received Over €71 Million in EU CAP Payments appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
South Korea: Full-Scale Survey of Farmland Status Rolls Out
This can effectively be regarded as the first comprehensive nationwide survey since the founding of the Republic, reports IKP News
The post South Korea: Full-Scale Survey of Farmland Status Rolls Out appeared first on La Via Campesina - EN.
Youth & Territory: Building Community Through Agroecology
Creating community around agroecology was the core mission of our educational pathways on youth leadership and ecoliteracy. These journeys culminated in Youth & Territory: Pathways in Agroecology and Citizenship, an event that brought together a diverse range of actors from the Lake Bracciano area.
Students, school communities, and local farmers met with representatives from the Ministry of the Environment (MASE), Mara Cossu and Tiziana Occhino, alongside regional councillor Marta Bonafoni and the mayor of Bracciano, Marco Crocicchi, to share their visions for a territory rooted in active citizenship and agroecological practices.
Students presented the projects they co-created during this year’s participatory processes focused on caring for the land: tangible outcomes of a collective journey in ecoliteracy and agroecology. A shared vision emerged: that of a living territory, where environmental protection and the production of healthy, local food become concrete, collective action.
At the close of the dialogue with institutions, the young participants had the opportunity to present their work through a collective art exhibition, while outside an aperitivo featuring local products was set up, to be enjoyed to the sounds of a student-led DJ set.
This is a tangible outcome of the Terrae Vivae program, whose results were shared within the framework of the Officine Municipali project, a community space offering free coworking and a collaborative platform dedicated to ecological action, ecoliteracy, and agroecology, open to all. An open, shared, and participatory space where agroecology becomes collective, community-driven action.
The projects are supported by the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security within the framework of the SNSvS6 Call – Sustainability Drivers and Ecology, and by the Italian Buddhist Union through its Ecology programme and 8×1000 funding scheme.
They were implemented in collaboration with the agricultural institute “Salvo D’Acquisto,” IIS Luca Paciolo, and the Ignazio Vian Scientific High School, together with the farms Fattoria Ecologica Le Bricchiette, Azienda Agricola La Argentina, and L’Orto di Clapi.
We thank Erbaccelab, together with Azienda Agricola Gentili and Fattoria Faraoni, for the agroecological catering.
The event was promoted within the framework of the project “Coworking Space Bracciano – Ecofficine,” co-funded by PR Lazio ESF+ 2021–2027, and hosted at the Officine Municipali in Bracciano.
Project “Coworking Space Bracciano” – CUP F11I24000190009 – co-funded by the European Union under PR Lazio ESF+ 2021–2027, Priority 1 Employment, Specific Objective ESO4.2 AC19, Call “Officine Municipali” (DD G05680/2023).
Beneficiary: Municipality of Bracciano. Managing partner: Navdanya International ETS.
CUP: F11I24000190009 – Sigem Code: 23019DC000000106
Photo credits: Maela Bonafede
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