The New Lede (Newsletter)

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Brian Bienkowski, managing editor of The New Lede, joined The Happy Disruptors Podcast to talk about the state of environmental journalism and the challenges and opportunities ahead. Bienkowski and host Kaitie Hartmann of the Great Outdoors Foundation cover the importance of access to information, the skill of staying curious, and the need for media literacy in the digital age.

Dear readers, You may have noticed some changes on our Substack. We’re excited to let you know what’s changing — and what’s staying the same. Our editor-in-chief, veteran journalist Carey Gillam, launched TNL’s independent, non-profit newsroom with the support of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) as a place where old-school journalism can thrive and deliver objective and investigative reporting on issues that impact us all.

A global shift to mostly plant-based diets with minimal processed foods and red meat, coupled with a large decrease in food waste, would decrease greenhouse gas emissions by more than 85% by 2050 compared to 2020 agricultural emissions, according to a new study.

The number of large, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Iowa increased 13% over the past six years, according to a new report. It’s a mounting problem in a state that generates more than 100 million tons of manure annually, contributing to persistent water pollution and health problems.

A US district judge this week allowed one argument in a meatpacking company’s lawsuit against California over the state’s animal welfare law to proceed, while dismissing other aspects of the company’s argument. The ruling preserves a narrow path for the meat industry to challenge the law. Matt England, president and CEO of Triumph Foods, called the ruling "a win for the pork industry" in a statement. But animal rights groups expressed optimism over the judge's rejection of certain arguments.

Featured image: USDA Secretary Rollins at a July event. (Credit USDA) The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week it aims to rescind a series of Biden-era rules that were designed to protect farmers from any unfair practices by the large meat companies that dominate the market. Supporters of the rules say they helped protect farmers from retaliatory and discriminatory practices and bolstered transparency in contracts and payments.

Neuse River Waterdog, listed as threatened. (Credit: USFWS) Large concentrated hog farms that send manure contamination into local waterways not only impact human health but threaten the existence of more than a dozen endangered species, according to a new study.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should require cancer warnings on all pesticide products containing ingredients the agency has found show evidence of carcinogenicity, according to an emergency petition filed Wednesday by the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental health advocacy group.