"The Obama administration signed its final plan for renewable fuel use in the United States last week, leaving an oil industry reeling from the most aggressive biofuel targets yet as President-elect Donald Trump takes over. ... The policy was designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions ....It has pitted two of Trump's support bases against each other: Big Oil and Big Corn."

"EPA has added epidemiological expertise to a scientific advisory panel (SAP) that will meet next month to consider the carcinogenic potential of glyphosate. The previously postponed meeting is now scheduled to take place Dec. 13-16 in Arlington, Virginia."

"Independent testing on an array of popular American food products found many samples contained residue levels of the weed killer called glyphosate, leading the nonprofit organization behind the testing to call for corporate and regulatory action to address consumer safety concerns."

"Donald Trump's surprising electoral win is likely to dominate the headlines for weeks.  But, across the nation there were a variety of less-well-publicized votes on issues related to food and agriculture.  Here are a few of those results."

"Are the many hog and poultry farms of eastern North Carolina creating 'fields of filth,' as two groups of environmental activists put it last summer? And if they are, what happens when a hurricane comes along and dumps a foot and a half of water on them?"

"There's a seductive idea, currently being road-tested, for how to stop the world's forests from disappearing. It relies on big food companies."

"Testing for residues of an herbicide developed by Monsanto Co. that has been linked to cancer has turned up high levels in honey from the key farm state of Iowa, adding to concerns about contamination that have triggered at least two lawsuits against honey industry players and prompted scrutiny by regulators."

"The Environmental Protection Agency once again gave its stamp of approval to a new weed-killing pesticide from Dow Chemical Co. following a review a court granted in response to an agency request."

"California on Tuesday moved to ease water conservation rules for farmers in the northern and central parts of the state, a sign that a wet fall may portend an easing of the state's five-year drought."

"The German cabinet has approved a draft law banning cultivation of crops with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), government sources told Reuters on Wednesday."