Monthly Archives: February 2021

By Jules Bernstein There’s a better end for used food than taking up space in landfills and contributing to global warming.  UC Riverside scientists have discovered fermented food waste can boost bacteria that increase crop growth, making plants more resistant to pathogens and reducing carbon emissions from farming. “Beneficial microbes increased dramatically when we added fermented food waste to plant …

A University of California, San Francisco study of the jobs at most risk for death from COVID-19 shows line cooks, machine operators, agricultural workers, bakers, and construction laborers at the top of the list. The study looked at occupational sectors associated with high excess mortality during the pandemic, with a focus on racial and ethnic groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19. …

The USDA has released its annual count of certified organic operations calculated from the USDA National Organic Program  Organic INTEGRITY Database. The number of certified organic operations worldwide grew to 45,578 in 2020 with 28,454 — more than 62 percent — located in the United States. California remains the leader domestically with more than 5,000 certified operations. The Great Lakes …