Civil Eats

Civil Eats is a daily news platform focused on important discussions surrounding the American food system. We share articles that encourage new perspectives on sustainable farming, aiming to foster communities that are fair both economically and socially. Established in January 2009, Civil Eats serves as a community hub with more than 100 contributors who are engaged in the changing food scene from Washington, D.C. to local neighborhoods. In 2014, Civil Eats was honored as the Publication of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.

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Democrats Decry Proposed SNAP Cuts In Capitol Hill Hearing

3 days ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

She said SNAP “serves as an automatic stabilizer in difficult economic times,” explaining that as more people need benefits, that money circulates back into the economy almost immediately. “By design, SNAP can very quickly adapt when we have an economic downturn.” States, however, generally face budget crises during recessions, she said, and wouldn’t be able to deal with ups and downs in the same way.
USDA Drops Rules Requiring Farmers to Record Their Use of the Most Toxic Pesticides

4 days ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

USDA Drops Rules Requiring Farmers to Record Their Use of the Most Toxic PesticidesPesticide watchdog groups say the regulations should be strengthened, not thrown out. June 3, 2025 – Many farmers will no longer have to keep any records of when, where, or how they’re using pesticides known to pose the highest risks to human health and the environment after a recent change made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Farmworker Youth Take to the Streets as Deportations and Displacement Threaten Their Parents

5 days ago | civileats.com | David F. Bacon

Unlock the Full Story with a Civil Eats MembershipExpand your understanding of food systems as a Civil Eats member. Enjoy unlimited access to our groundbreaking reporting, engage with experts, and connect with a community of changemakers. This is the second of two articles about the strawberry workers of Santa Maria. Read the first story here. All photos by David Bacon.
Food and Ag Agencies Plan to Cut Billions from Research, Conservation, and More

5 days ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

Food and Ag Agencies Plan to Cut Billions from Research, Conservation, and MoreMothers and children using the WIC program would also get fewer dollars to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. June 2, 2025 – Over the weekend, the three agencies that have the most impact on the American food system released more details on how they would cut spending to align with the broader budget President Trump outlined for fiscal year 2026.
Everything You Know About the Dietary Guidelines Is Wrong

6 days ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

In April, two weeks after being sworn in as the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Marty Makary sat down for an interview with conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly. Over the course of an hour, the food pyramid came up several times. “Are we redoing the food pyramid?” Kelly asked, in one exchange. “We’re redoing the food pyramid,” Makary confirmed, with gusto. “Thank God!” Kelly replied.
HHS Cancels Funding for Trial of Bird Flu Vaccine

1 week ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

May 29, 2025 – The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has terminated funding for a major trial testing the safety and efficacy of a vaccine to protect Americans from bird flu, should the virus begin circulating in humans. Moderna announced yesterday that it had achieved promising results in the first stage of its trials and was expecting to advance to “late-stage development” of the vaccines, when the HHS notified the drug company that the funding had been canceled.
EPA Approves First Fish Farm in Federal Waters

1 week ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

May 28, 2025 – Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a permit that will allow the first industrial-scale fish farm to begin operating in federal waters. The pilot project, called Velella Epsilon, has been stalled for about six years; its approval follows an executive order signed by President Trump in April ordering the deregulation of aquaculture and the opening of some protected waters to commercial fishing.
Helping Ramps Flourish Through Forest Farming

1 week ago | civileats.com | Ben Seal

Near the banks of the Delaware River in northeast Pennsylvania, Steven Schwartz, his silver hair tied back beneath his hat, is searching for a seed. It’s ramp season, and finding one of the tiny black pellets is like searching for a needle in an endless green haystack. For a ramp farmer like Schwartz, the seeds are a critical indicator that the population is healthy and multiplying. At 71, Schwartz has learned plenty about these wild alliums since he moved here in 2006—and he’s eager to share.
FDA Expanding Use of AI in Food Safety Inspection

1 week ago | civileats.com | Lisa Elaine Held

May 27, 2025 – During an appearance in front of a Senate committee last week, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency is now using artificial intelligence (AI) to help oversee the safety of the nation’s food supply.
Warming Waters Bring the Invasive Sea Squirt to Maine Fisheries

1 week ago | civileats.com | Kirsten Lie-Nielsen

In the summer of 2020, Alicia Gaiero began to realize that sea squirts were putting the success of her new oyster farm in jeopardy. She and her two sisters, Amy and Chelsea, were working together to fulfill their dream of a family aquaculture business, Nauti Sisters Sea Farm, in Yarmouth, Maine. But the critical work of flipping oyster cages—turning them over to combat biofouling and introduce sunlight and air to the bottom—had become impossible.