"The former congressman who drew scrutiny for anti-vaccine views did not appear to have the votes for confirmation amid a measles outbreak, according to people familiar."

"The practice Kennedy is targeting, known as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), can occur when companies self-certify the safety of a food additive."

"The new head of the Food and Drug Administration division that regulates infant formula was in recent months a corporate lawyer defending a top formula maker from claims that its product gave rise to debilitating harm to premature babies."

"With egg prices spiking due to bird flu, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced steps last week to control the H5N1 virus, such as increasing financial relief for farmers with affected flocks and exploring vaccines and therapeutics for chickens. While these steps might help stabilize the egg supply in the short term, they’re insufficient for one simple reason: Chickens are not the only animals affected by this disease."

"The United Nations Environment Programme on Monday said a new round of negotiations toward a global plastics treaty will take place from August 5 to 14 in Geneva, Switzerland, after countries failed to agree on the parameters of a final agreement last December in Busan, South Korea."

"The U.S. lobster industry’s catch keeps sliding as fishermen contend with the northward migration of the valuable crustaceans."

"A new study adds to evidence that farmers in the US corn belt have over-planted a type of genetically modified (GM) corn, leading to estimated losses of more than $1 billion as the pests the corn was designed to repel have grown resistant over time."

"An executive order issued in the early days of the Trump administration hit pause on at least $4 billion set aside to protect the flow of the Colorado River. The funds from the Inflation Reduction Act were offered to protect the flow of the water supply for about 40 million people and a massive agricultural economy. With the money on hold, Colorado River users are worried about the future of the dwindling water supply."