Civil Eats

Civil Eats https://civileats.com/ Daily News and Commentary About the American Food System Wed, 28 Oct 2026 22:20:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 In Puerto Rico, New Farm Models Avoid Imports and Industrial Food https://civileats.com/2026/10/29/in-puerto-rico-new-models-avoid-imports-and-industrial-food/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/29/in-puerto-rico-new-models-avoid-imports-and-industrial-food/#respond Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:00:28 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76414 3 – Marissa Reyes (left) and Stephanie Monserrate (right), co-founders of Finca Güakiá. Through Güakiá’s farm box program, Reyes and Monserrate seek to bring fresh produce grown in the mountains of San Lorenzo to consumers in urban areas. (Courtesy of Finca Güakiá)

3 – Marissa Reyes (left) and Stephanie Monserrate (right), co-founders of Finca Güakiá. Through Güakiá’s farm box program, Reyes and Monserrate seek to bring fresh produce grown in the mountains of San Lorenzo to consumers in urban areas. (Courtesy of Finca Güakiá)

By Heather Gies • October 29, 2026A growing number of food and farming operations are working together to get healthy food directly to their communities. Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/29/in-puerto-rico-new-models-avoid-imports-and-industrial-food/feed/ 0 Dollar General Sued Over Alleged Overcharges https://civileats.com/2026/10/28/dollar-general-sued-over-alleged-overcharges/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/28/dollar-general-sued-over-alleged-overcharges/#respond Wed, 28 Oct 2026 18:46:20 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76397

The outside of a Dollar General retail store. (Photo credit: JetCityImages, Getty News)

By Rebekah Alvey • October 28, 2026A group of 20 states and the Federal Trade Commission allege that Dollar General has failed to address thousands of complaints from customers.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/28/dollar-general-sued-over-alleged-overcharges/feed/ 0 Confessions From a Farmer on the Edge https://civileats.com/2026/10/28/confessions-from-a-farmer-on-the-edge/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/28/confessions-from-a-farmer-on-the-edge/#respond Wed, 28 Oct 2026 08:00:12 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76381 The author at work, in “the joy and the toil of it.“ (Photo courtesy of Caiti Hachmyer)

The author at work, in “the joy and the toil of it.“ (Photo courtesy of Caiti Hachmyer)

By Caiti Hachmyer • October 28, 2026My dedication to farming nearly broke me. But we can find a better way.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/28/confessions-from-a-farmer-on-the-edge/feed/ 0 ICE Enforcement Surge Hits Workers Across the Food System https://civileats.com/2026/10/27/ice-enforcement-surge-hits-workers-across-the-food-system/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/27/ice-enforcement-surge-hits-workers-across-the-food-system/#respond Tue, 27 Oct 2026 08:00:31 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76355

Protestors face off with US Customs and Border Protection officers outside a Federal Immigration raid at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California, July 10, 2025. Federal immigration agentsbacked by CBP, Border Patrol units, National Guard troops, helicopters, and military style vehiclesraided Glass House Farms in Camarillo early July 10, 2025, targeting state licensed cannabis and other crop operations, detaining between a dozen and 100 farmworkers, and deploying smoke or tear gas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of several hundred protesters on Laguna Road. (Photo by BLAKE FAGAN / AFP) (Photo by BLAKE FAGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

By Lisa Held • October 27, 2026As the midterms approach, the Trump administration’s immigration push is rippling through communities at a high cost.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/27/ice-enforcement-surge-hits-workers-across-the-food-system/feed/ 0 Study: Regenerative Agriculture Farms Hold Key Climate Solutions https://civileats.com/2026/10/26/study-regenerative-agriculture-farms-hold-key-climate-solutions/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/26/study-regenerative-agriculture-farms-hold-key-climate-solutions/#respond Mon, 26 Oct 2026 08:00:07 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76337 (Photo courtesy of the Ecdysis Foundation)

(Photo courtesy of the Ecdysis Foundation)

By Lisa Held • October 26, 2026Ecologist Jonathan Lundgren launched the 1,000 Farms Initiative to compare regenerative and conventional farming. Here’s what we know now.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/26/study-regenerative-agriculture-farms-hold-key-climate-solutions/feed/ 0 Top MAHA Food Policy Adviser Exits Trump Administration https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/top-maha-food-policy-adviser-exits-trump-administration/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/top-maha-food-policy-adviser-exits-trump-administration/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2026 22:06:17 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76326

Calley Means speaks during a news conference at the Health and Human Services Department on April 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo credit: Andrew Harnik, Getty Images)

By Rebekah Alvey • October 22, 2026Calley Means, a driving force behind the Trump administration’s nutrition efforts, resigned from the administration days ahead of midterm elections.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/top-maha-food-policy-adviser-exits-trump-administration/feed/ 0 Food Access Organizers See Empty Promises from MAHA https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/food-access-organizers-see-empty-promises-from-maha/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/food-access-organizers-see-empty-promises-from-maha/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:46 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76278 Marvin Miller sorts goods at the food pantry at Sandyville United Methodist Church. (Photo credit: Rebekah Alvey)

Marvin Miller sorts goods at the food pantry at Sandyville United Methodist Church. (Photo credit: Rebekah Alvey)

By Rebekah Alvey • October 22, 2026West Virginia was an early adopter of the Make America Healthy Again movement, but those on the ground are disappointed and say food and clean water access is more pressing.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/food-access-organizers-see-empty-promises-from-maha/feed/ 0 SNAP Participation Has Dropped. The Need Hasn’t. https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/snap-participation-has-dropped-the-need-hasnt/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/snap-participation-has-dropped-the-need-hasnt/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:10 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76269 Staff and clients at Telamon Corporation in Martinsburg, West Virginia, discuss changes to SNAP benefits under the Trump administration. (Phot credit: Rebekah Alvey)

Staff and clients at Telamon Corporation in Martinsburg, West Virginia, discuss changes to SNAP benefits under the Trump administration. (Phot credit: Rebekah Alvey)

By Rebekah Alvey • October 22, 2026The Trump administration has called recent drops in nationwide federal food assistance enrollment good news. Food access advocates and hungry recipients disagree.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/22/snap-participation-has-dropped-the-need-hasnt/feed/ 0 USDA Proposes Efforts to Boost EBT Card Security https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/usda-proposes-efforts-to-boost-ebt-card-security/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/usda-proposes-efforts-to-boost-ebt-card-security/#respond Wed, 21 Oct 2026 22:16:36 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76298

A convenience store advertises that they except EBT cards. (Photo by Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

By Rebekah Alvey • October 21, 2026A long-awaited proposal is a positive step forward, but could also push food assistant costs to states already facing new budgetary challenges due to the One Big Beautiful Bill.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/usda-proposes-efforts-to-boost-ebt-card-security/feed/ 0 In West Virginia, Federal Funding Cuts Leave Farmers Struggling to Feed Communities https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/in-west-virginia-federal-funding-cuts-leave-farmers-struggling-to-feed-communities/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/in-west-virginia-federal-funding-cuts-leave-farmers-struggling-to-feed-communities/#respond Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:00:31 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76249 In West Virginia, Federal Funding Cuts Leave Farmers Struggling to Feed Communities

In West Virginia, Federal Funding Cuts Leave Farmers Struggling to Feed Communities

By Lisa Held • October 21, 2026After a scramble to replace lost federal dollars, farmers Tim and Rebecca Cooper are now confronting high input prices, and a growing number of people seeking to make ends meet.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/in-west-virginia-federal-funding-cuts-leave-farmers-struggling-to-feed-communities/feed/ 0 As Midterms Approach, Federal Food Policies Have West Virginians Turning Toward Community https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/as-midterms-approach-federal-food-policies-have-west-virginians-turning-toward-community/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/as-midterms-approach-federal-food-policies-have-west-virginians-turning-toward-community/#respond Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:00:04 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76243 Farmer Tim Cooper and his family harvest carrots ahead of a trip to market. (Photo credit: Lisa Held)

Farmer Tim Cooper and his family harvest carrots ahead of a trip to market. (Photo credit: Lisa Held)

By Lisa Held and Rebekah Alvey • October 21, 2026West Virginia residents describe the impact of the past two years of the Trump administration on the food system.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/21/as-midterms-approach-federal-food-policies-have-west-virginians-turning-toward-community/feed/ 0 USDA Will Pay Farmers $8 Billion to Make Up for High Diesel Prices https://civileats.com/2026/10/20/usda-will-pay-farmers-8-billion-to-make-up-for-high-diesel-prices/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/20/usda-will-pay-farmers-8-billion-to-make-up-for-high-diesel-prices/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:15:43 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76233

A John Deere tractor in the field. (Photo CC-licensed by Lutz Blohm, Flickr)

By Lisa Held • October 20, 2026President Trump announced his fuel relief program at a rally for Republicans running for office in Kansas.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/20/usda-will-pay-farmers-8-billion-to-make-up-for-high-diesel-prices/feed/ 0 In Chicago, Historic Hull House Shares Lessons on Urban Farming https://civileats.com/2026/10/20/in-chicago-historic-hull-house-shares-lessons-on-urban-farming/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/20/in-chicago-historic-hull-house-shares-lessons-on-urban-farming/#respond Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:00:52 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76214 Rodeo Farm is a training, commercial crop, and composting production site for Windy City Harvest, which is part of Chicago Botanic Garden. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden)

Rodeo Farm is a training, commercial crop, and composting production site for Windy City Harvest, which is part of Chicago Botanic Garden. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden)

By Elsa Wenzel • October 20, 2026An exhibit on the experimental space and its impact asks what it means to cultivate a city rooted in care.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/20/in-chicago-historic-hull-house-shares-lessons-on-urban-farming/feed/ 0 Mary Berry Lives Out Her Father’s Farming Vision in an ‘Unsettled America’ https://civileats.com/2026/10/15/mary-berry-lives-out-her-fathers-farming-vision-in-an-unsettled-america/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/15/mary-berry-lives-out-her-fathers-farming-vision-in-an-unsettled-america/#respond Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:00:17 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76181

Mary Berry (Photo courtesy of the Berry Center)

By Christina Cooke • October 15, 2026How the daughter of author Wendell Berry and executive director of the Berry Center advocates for agrarian ideals.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/15/mary-berry-lives-out-her-fathers-farming-vision-in-an-unsettled-america/feed/ 0 30 Days After Increased Beef Imports, US Ranchers Are Getting Paid Less for Cattle https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/30-days-after-increased-beef-imports-us-ranchers-are-getting-paid-less-for-cattle/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/30-days-after-increased-beef-imports-us-ranchers-are-getting-paid-less-for-cattle/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:17:07 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76172

Cowboys herding cattle in a feedlot in Texas. (Photo credit: Andy Sacks, Getty Images)

By Lisa Held • October 14, 2026According to a new analysis, ground beef prices at the grocery store have only come down by 2 percent, but prices paid to beef producers decreased more than 12 percent.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/30-days-after-increased-beef-imports-us-ranchers-are-getting-paid-less-for-cattle/feed/ 0 In the Right to Repair Revolt, Nebraska Leads With Farm-Data Ownership Law https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/in-the-right-to-repair-revolt-nebraska-leads-with-farm-data-ownership-law/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/in-the-right-to-repair-revolt-nebraska-leads-with-farm-data-ownership-law/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:00:02 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76155 A farmer inputs data into the yield monitor in the cab of a combine during the soybean harvest near Northland, Minnesota. (Photo by: Richard Hamilton Smith/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

A farmer inputs data into the yield monitor in the cab of a combine during the soybean harvest near Northland, Minnesota. (Photo by: Richard Hamilton Smith/Design Pics Editorial/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

By Elsa Wenzel • October 14, 2026Farmers are organizing against equipment and seed companies profiting from their data and using it against them. Similar laws in other states have so far failed.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/14/in-the-right-to-repair-revolt-nebraska-leads-with-farm-data-ownership-law/feed/ 0 Op-ed: There’s a Future for Farming in Chicago and Cities Beyond https://civileats.com/2026/10/13/op-ed-theres-a-future-for-farming-in-chicago-and-cities-beyond/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/13/op-ed-theres-a-future-for-farming-in-chicago-and-cities-beyond/#respond Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:00:45 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76138 The Conservation Fund has permanently protected Z-Farm on Chicago’s South Side, a working farm that has spent the last two years bringing local food back to the community. The land now belongs to Urban Growers Collective, the nonprofit that has farmed it since 2024, giving the organization permanent ownership and ensuring the property will stay farmland for good.

The Conservation Fund has permanently protected Z-Farm on Chicago’s South Side, a working farm that has spent the last two years bringing local food back to the community. The land now belongs to Urban Growers Collective, the nonprofit that has farmed it since 2024, giving the organization permanent ownership and ensuring the property will stay farmland for good.

By Kelly Larsen • October 13, 2026Conservation efforts can help prevent the loss of land that is currently stymying small farming.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/13/op-ed-theres-a-future-for-farming-in-chicago-and-cities-beyond/feed/ 0 USDA Announces $180 Million to Fund Seed Research https://civileats.com/2026/10/09/usda-announces-180-million-to-fund-seed-research/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/09/usda-announces-180-million-to-fund-seed-research/#respond Fri, 09 Oct 2026 17:18:18 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76126

By Lisa Held • October 9, 2026The agency says the effort will bolster seed sovereignty and food security, but advocates say it doesn’t adequately address corporate control of seeds.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/09/usda-announces-180-million-to-fund-seed-research/feed/ 0 In Washington State, the Oyster Industry Is At War With Ghost Shrimp https://civileats.com/2026/10/08/in-washington-state-the-oyster-industry-is-at-war-with-ghost-shrimp/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/08/in-washington-state-the-oyster-industry-is-at-war-with-ghost-shrimp/#respond Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:00:41 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76099 Human hand holding a freshly caught ghost shrimp in front of a beach.

Human hand holding a freshly caught ghost shrimp in front of a beach.

By Jesse Koji Fukumoto • October 8, 2026For decades, Willapa Bay kept native shrimp in check with pesticides that are now banned. New solutions have been hard to come by.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/08/in-washington-state-the-oyster-industry-is-at-war-with-ghost-shrimp/feed/ 0 Foraging for ‘Deep Exploration’ https://civileats.com/2026/10/07/foraging-for-deep-exploration/ https://civileats.com/2026/10/07/foraging-for-deep-exploration/#respond Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:18 +0000 https://civileats.com/?p=76081 Robin Greenfield shares tea with students at a Foraging School in Florida in January 2026. (Photo courtesy of Robin Greenfield)

Robin Greenfield shares tea with students at a Foraging School in Florida in January 2026. (Photo courtesy of Robin Greenfield)

By Paula Cristobal Madina • October 7, 2026Activist Robin Greenfield shares how (and why) he spent the past year living off the land.Read the full article →]]> https://civileats.com/2026/10/07/foraging-for-deep-exploration/feed/ 0