Lisa Elaine Held

EPA Repeals Power Plant Regulations That Reduce Mercury in Fish Emissions from coal-fired power plants are a primary source of the mercury that accumulates in the fish Americans eat.

civileats.com/2026/02/24/e... @civileats.com

Interview with Art Cullen: Agriculture & Iowa's Shifting Political Landscape YouTube video by Civil Eats

There’s also a video! Watch it here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=08rw...

How Agricultural Concerns Are Shifting Iowa’s Political Landscape Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Art Cullen says agricultural issues like water pollution and cancer risk could sway the midterm elections.

I talked to @artcullen.bsky.social for @civileats.com about Iowans’ concerns around water quality, cancer, and other issues related to agriculture and how those might impact upcoming elections. Read it here: civileats.com/2026/02/24/h...

How the Trump Administration’s Embrace of Oil, Gas, and Chemical Industry Interests Will Endanger Children’s Health The Trump administration’s actions to eliminate lifesaving environmental protections would allow corporate polluters to emit more toxins and chemicals, exposing more than 2 million kids to pollutants ...

New report finds "2.19 million children under age 18—including 569,231 children younger than age 5" live within 3 miles of an industrial plant invited by the EPA to apply for exemptions from toxic air pollution limits under the Trump administration. www.americanprogress.org/article/how-...

Despite Federal Immigrant Crackdown, Food Workers Sue Over Workplace Abuses Farm and meatpacking workers are going to court seeking justice, even as the Trump administration's deportation efforts threaten their status.

Farm and meatpacking workers are going to court seeking justice, even as the Trump administration’s deportation efforts threaten their status.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social reports. ⬇️ civileats.com/2026/02/09/d...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. takes MAHA road show to Tennessee Kennedy’s MAHA tour goes to Nashville on the heels of a fight over pesticides. Consumer Brands Association touts economic heft in new ads. Food safety caucus to hold formula event. Plus, Tom Vilsack h...

Kennedy’s MAHA tour goes to Nashville on the heels of a fight over pesticides. Consumer Brands Association touts economic heft in new ads. Food safety caucus to hold formula event. Plus, Tom Vilsack has a podcast.

foodfix.co/robert-f-ken...

New Federal Policy Could Undercut Shareholder Food Activism Shareholder resolutions are often used to push food and agriculture companies to reduce antibiotic use, improve pesticide reporting, and cut food waste.

civileats.com/2026/02/02/n...

USDA Takes Over Food for Peace The agency is starting to roll out more than a billion dollars of food aid funding that went unspent after the dismantling of USAID last year.

Some news updates from me in the @civileats.com food policy tracker so far this week…. civileats.com/2026/02/04/u...

The EPA Is Not Starting a New Review of Paraquat Despite claims the EPA is ‘reassessing’ a controversial weedkiller, the Trump administration is not reevaluating its link to Parkinson’s.

Earlier this month, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said his agency was newly reviewing the safety of the weedkiller paraquat.

But the new review is really just an ongoing review started under the Biden admin and stemming from lawsuits.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social has the details for @civileats.com:

The EPA Is Not Starting a New Review of Paraquat Despite claims the EPA is ‘reassessing’ a controversial weedkiller, the Trump administration is not reevaluating its link to Parkinson’s.

Despite claims that the EPA is "reassessing" the controversial weedkiller paraquat, the Trump administration is simply continuing work started by the Biden administration—but not reevaluating the science on the herbicide’s link to Parkinson’s.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social reports. ⬇️

ICE Crackdown Is Impacting Minnesota’s Farms and Food System, Officials Say A state official warned of ‘serious ripple effects’ from immigration operations that are impacting farms, restaurants, and the food supply.

civileats.com/2026/01/15/i... “We’re talking grocery stores, we’re talking food processing facilities, we’re talking meat processors, we’re talking about dairy farms,” said Minnesota’s dep comm of ag. “The food supply will be significantly affected if this continues like this.” @civileats.com

Crop Shoot: Farmers Caught Up In Policy Turmoil Agriculture is directly responsible for 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and farmers and ranchers face growi

Farmers face growing #climate impacts every day, making it harder to grow food. Yet the Trump admin. is slashing programs that reduce emissions, feed people, & protect farmers. Tariffs & trade wars have increased costs & hurt crop sales. What does this mean for our food system?

🎧 Listen now:

The loss of TPS status for workers is already affecting agbiz and particularly meat/poultry companies. And they are worried. Some great reporting by @lisaelaineh.bsky.social

Thanks Ben!

My latest…

Legal Immunity for Pesticide Companies Removed From EPA Funding Bill In an exclusive interview, Representative Chellie Pingree, a Maine Democrat, said she pushed hard to fight the proposal, and it’s likely to come up again in the farm bill.

My latest for @civileats: civileats.com/2026/01/06/l...

What the Shutdown Revealed About Food and Agriculture Policy Experts warn that the longest government shutdown in history will continue to impact how the country farms and eats.

Experts say the shutdown provided new insights into the Trump administration’s priorities on food and agriculture and resulted in changes that will likely have long-lasting consequences.

Staff reporters Rebekah Alvey and @lisaelaineh.bsky.social report. ⬇️

Marion Nestle Tells Us ‘What to Eat Now’ The renowned nutritionist’s new book helps readers navigate a food system designed for profit over health.

In a Q&A with @lisaelaineh.bsky.social, @marionnestle.bsky.social discusses what went into developing her latest book, “What to Eat Now,” how the grocery industry has changed over the past 20 years, and why she hopes MAHA moms will read it.

At COP30, Brazilian Meat Giant JBS Recommends Climate Policy The world's biggest meat company, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, is leading food-company efforts in global climate talks.

#COP30, the 30th United Nations climate summit, kicked off this week in Brazil. The global food industry has been working to bring “a private sector voice” to the event. JBS, the world’s largest meat company, is at the forefront of those efforts.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social reports ⬇️

Poultry Plants Consistently Violate Salmonella Standards, Report Finds Perdue, Butterball, and Costco are among the companies that break food safety rules. Industry reps say contaminated chicken is not a danger.

Also new this week, my @civileats.com reporting on salmonella in major poultry plants: civileats.com/2025/11/03/p...

USDA Warns Retailers Not to Give Discounts to SNAP Recipients Farms and grocery stores complied, scrapping plans to reduce prices for food-insecure families.

New on @civileats.com yesterday morning: civileats.com/2025/11/03/u...

Trump Administration Dismisses Risks of Atrazine, a Farm Herbicide Experts say the chemical’s continued use will likely harm hundreds of endangered species, rendering some extinct.

According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, atrazine use poses little to no risk to endangered species if farmers follow EPA rules. But multiple assessments by the EPA detail the common herbicide’s environmental risks.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social reports ⬇️

Making sense of the mass, mid-shutdown CDC layoffs Core CDC functions threatened by mass layoffs during the government shutdown. Plus, MAHA is setting its sights on next year’s midterms.

Core CDC functions threatened by mass layoffs during the government shutdown. Plus, MAHA is setting its sights on next year’s midterms.

foodfix.co/making-sense...

At 40, Farm Aid Is Still About Music. It’s Also a Movement. Willie Nelson launched the festival in 1985 to save family farms. Amid corporate consolidation, it’s now a platform for populist organizing.

@willienelsonmusic.bsky.social launched @farmaid.org in 1985 as a fundraiser to save family farms. With corporate consolidation a continuing threat to farms, it’s now a platform for populist organizing, too.

Read more from Senior Staff Reporter @lisaelaineh.bsky.social. ⬇️

Trump Administration Eases Application Process and Lowers Wages for Guest Farmworkers United Farm Workers said the shifts will hurt both migrant and domestic farmworkers. Farm groups praised the changes.

My latest news story for @civileats.com civileats.com/2025/10/06/l...

The Industry Ties Within Trump’s Food and Ag Leadership Many of the president’s top officials at USDA, EPA, HHS, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

During his first term, President Trump appointed leaders to the government’s food and farm departments that had strong industry ties. This time, many top officials at the USDA, EPA, and FDA have connections to chemical, agribusiness, or fossil fuel interests.

@lisaelaineh.bsky.social reports ⬇️

How Civil Eats helps reporters and audiences understand federal food policy - Journalism Institute As government cuts and the current shutdown threaten food safety and food access across the country, journalists need timely information about how communities may be affected. To connect federal food…

"We believe everyone who eats should know how policy decisions shape their food options."

Hear from our Operations Director @mattwheeland.bsky.social and Senior Staff Reporter and Contributing Editor @lisaelaineh.bsky.social in a Q&A interview with @npcinstitute.bsky.social. ⬇️

Booming beef demand could get a boost from dietary guidelines Why our agriculture secretary sees growing demand for beef (and whole milk) even amid high prices. Ben Carson dings processed foods, touting SNAP stocking rule. Plus, a new documentary turns up the he...

Why our agriculture secretary sees growing demand for beef (and whole milk) even amid high prices. Ben Carson dings processed foods, touting SNAP stocking rule. Plus, a new documentary turns up the heat on Big Food.

foodfix.co/booming-beef...

Jessica Knurick Is on a Crusade to Correct MAHA Misinformation The researcher has been studying food and chronic disease prevention for years. Now she’s a leading fact-checker in a national conversation.

At @civileats.com, @lisaelaineh.bsky.social is up with a fascinating interview with influencer Jessica Knurick, who recently rose to fame on Instagram with her reels fact-checking MAHA.

civileats.com/2025/09/30/j...