Judges Order Trump Administration To Continue Funding SNAP Benefits Amid Government Shutdown
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Earlier this month, the Trump Administration warned that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits would be revoked during the current government shutdown. The program provides low-income Americans with a monthly loaded debit card earmarked for groceries and food products. Approximately 42 million U.S. citizens rely on the program to get by. This past week, U.S. judges determined the removal of these funds to be unlawful in two different rulings. Dozens of U.S. states have already sued the administration and are likely to win their cases, according to Massachusetts U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani. "Congress intended the funding of SNAP benefits, at a reduced rate if necessary, when appropriated funds prove insufficient," she says.
Brazilian Beef Importers Suspend Buys Due To Food Safety Questions
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Brazil is a world-leading beef exporter, but tensions over food safety are reducing imports in the U.S. President Donald Trump pushed for a 76% tariff on imported Brazilian goods in the name of accountability. Meanwhile, Senators Mike Rounds and Jon Tester sponsored a bipartisan bill to suspend Brazilian beef imports all together. “Producers' livelihoods are being compromised by Brazilian beef imports that fail to meet our country’s food safety and animal health standards, as Brazil has a history of failing to report, in a timely and accurate manner, diseases found in their herds,” said Senator Rounds.
NYC Plans To Ban Processed Meats In All Government Run Food Programs
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New York City announced major changes to the city's food standards, and processed meats of any kind will no longer be served in hospitals and public schools. This change will effect hundreds of meals distributed annually among school children, seniors, and patients in hospitals throughout NYC. Michelle Morse of the New York City Health Department said, "Every New Yorker deserves access to delicious healthy food that they feel good about eating. The new Standards underline our longstanding work to ensure New Yorkers have access to healthier foods while advancing our commitment to health equity and climate health."
California Bill Aims To Streamline Restaurant Permitting Process
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Opening a restaurant in California is notoriously difficult due to never-ending heaps of paperwork and dragged out permitting processes. Saltwater Bakeshop in San Francisco had their opening delayed more than two years due to government red tape. Assembly Bill 671 could fix that, recently brought forth by Assembly Members Buffy Wicks of Oakland and Jesse Gabriel of Los Angeles County. The bill proposes a requirement for "local building departments to approve or deny restaurants' permit applications within 20 business days.” The bill will be heard in the chamber on August 18th.
Global Cases Of Food Fraud Soar This Year As Suffering Supply Chains Are Exploited
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There has been a significant increase in globally reported food fraud cases in 2025. "Tracking incidents of food adulteration and fraud in high-risk commodities worldwide reveals a complex picture emerging in the first quarter of 2025," says Konstantinos Pehlivanis of FoodAkai, a software company that tracks food safety data. The company released a Global Food Fraud Index that predicts which food categories will see the highest up-tick in forecasted food fraud cases. Eggs, dairy, and nuts are the most at risk groups of food for fraud in 2025, followed by fats and oils, seafood, and cereal products. Meanwhile meat and poultry, juices, and coffee should show significant decreases in food fraud cases for the year.
These Are The 3 New Naturally Made Colored Food Additives Approved By The FDA
Image Source / AP Photo Jeff Roberson
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the goal to eliminate artificial food dyes from the nation's food supply by the end of 2026 earlier this year. Since, companies have been left wondering what dyes will be approved as substitutes. This month, the FDA granted petitions for 3 new naturally made dyes. There's galdieria extract blue, a blue color made from algae and another more popular blue dye, butterfly pea flower extract, which is extracted from dried flower petals. Lastly, calcium phosphate minerals create a white color alternative. These approvals have already been published in the federal register and will take effect this month.
