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☆ Alpacas test positive for H5N1 bird flu for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Highly pathogenic avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu, has been confirmed in alpacas for the first time, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories. The animals that tested positive were on a farm in Idaho where poultry had tested positive for the virus and were culled in May. The alpacas tested positive May 16, the USDA said in a news release. The gene sequence of viruses isolated from the alpacas shows that it is closely related to the H5N1 viruses that are currently circulating in dairy cattle. Scientists have closely watched the H5N1 virus for roughly two decades.

Persons: Dr, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, US Department of, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, USDA, CNN Health, Alpaca Owners Association, Scientists Locations: alpacas, Idaho

☆ Social Security's 2025 bump is projected to be the smallest in 5 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-27 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Senior Citizens League's latest projection forecasts Social Security's 2025 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to be just 2.66%, the lowest increase since before the pandemic. AdvertisementAccording to the Social Security Administration, the average monthly benefit in 2024 is $1,907, up about $50 from 2023. Over 67 million Americans receive Social Security. AdvertisementOver 67 million Americans receive Social Security, and an increase is not guaranteed. Since the COLA was added to Social Security benefits in 1975, there have been three years without a bump in the monthly checks.

Persons: —, Shannon Benton, Benton, Ippei Naoi Organizations: Service, The, Business, Social Security, Senior Citizens League, Social Security Administration, Senior Citizen, Social, Labor Statistics, Citizen

☆ A 20% down payment is 'definitely not required' to buy a house, economist says. Here's how much you need
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Phynart Studio | E+ | Getty Images'The conundrum of the housing market'One way to reduce your monthly mortgage payment is to put down more money and borrow less. Nationally, the average down payment on a house is closer to 10% or 15%, Hale said. Even with a conventional loan, buyers' required down payment could be between 3% and 5%, depending on their credit score and other factors. While a lower down payment is one way to "attack affordability challenges," it can be a "mixed bag," Hamrick said. With a lower down payment, you will need to borrow more from your lender, which raises the monthly cost of your mortgage, Hale said.

Persons: Hale, there's, Hamrick Organizations: CNBC, SurveyMonkey, Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Federal Housing Administration, PMI Locations: U.S

☆ I've been a chef for 15 years. Here are my 6 tips for making the best grilled chicken.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Alissa Fitzgerald | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewWhether you're having people over or bringing a meal to a potluck, grilled chicken is always a crowd-pleaser. Buy high-quality chicken from a trusted sourceIt's important to read the labels on your chicken. Joe Gough/ShutterstockFirst and foremost, buy a good chicken from a trusted source. AdvertisementDon't underestimate the power of marinades, cures, and brinesA good marinade or brine can add even more flavor to a chicken. Getty ImagesA good BBQ sauce can bring finger-licking qualities to your chicken, but don't add it too soon.

Persons: —, I've, Joe Gough, Shutterstock, isn't, wiggle Organizations: Service, Business

☆ Bob Menendez: 4 big questions as senator’s corruption trial enters its second week
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Gregory Krieg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Here are four big questions facing Menendez, his lawyers and federal prosecutors as the trial intensifies. How hard does the defense lean on Nadine Menendez? The other half of their telling, in short, is that Nadine Menendez was the one pulling the strings — and hiding it from her husband. Republicans have been surprisingly absent from the hoopla around the Menendez trial. This dynamic could change later this week or next when Trump’s trial is expected to reach its denouement.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez’s, —, Menendez, Nadine, Wael Hana, Fred Daibes, Andy Kim, Lara Pomerantz, “, Pomerantz, James Bret Tate, Hana’s, Prosecutors, Nadine Menendez, Avi Weitzman, ” “, ” Weitzman, Weitzman, ”, Candace E, Hana, Will, hasn’t, Donald Trump Organizations: CNN, New, New Jersey Democrat, Garden, Democratic, Capitol, US Department of Agriculture, of Agriculture, USDA, Will Republicans, GOP, Republicans Locations: New Jersey, Egypt, Qatar, New York, Manhattan, Egyptian American, Cairo, Hana’s New Jersey, New York City

☆ Is America ready for a $400 pineapple? Luxury fruit is now a thing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The Rubyglow pineapple –— bred for its distinctive red exterior and its sweetness — costs $395.99 at Melissa’s Produce, a California-based seller of specialty fruit and veggies. It took Del Monte, a wholesaler which sells a variety of produce but specializes in pineapple, a decade and a half to develop the red-hued fruit. And yet, there’s interest in premium fruit — enough to convince Del Monte to bring the Rubyglow, which is grown in Costa Rica, stateside. Courtesy Fresh Del MonteThe Pinkglow was never supposed to be a grocery list staple, said Melissa Mackay, VP of marketing in North America at Del Monte. Melissa’s started with 50 pineapples, according to Robert Schueller, director of public relations at Melissa’s Produce.

Persons: Del, ”, Cindy van Rijswick, “ there’s, Cotton Candy, McIntosh, Jim Luby, Patrick T, Fallon, Luby, Lane Turner, Oishii, Hiroki Koga, Jerod Harris, Melissa Mackay, “, It’s, Melanie Zanoza Bartelme, pricey, Hailey, Strawberry, it’s, Melissa’s, Robert Schueller, ” Schueller, Bo Corley, ” Corley, Corley Organizations: New, New York CNN, “, University of Minnesota, Getty, Rabobank, Citrus, Boston Globe, Vox Media, Del, Mintel, Melissa’s Locations: New York, California, Del Monte, China, United States, America, Costa Rica, AFP, Minnesota, Beverly Hills , California, North America, Erewhon, Angeles, Las Vegas, Southern California

☆ Meet a couple with 5 kids who are barely making it despite working 4 jobs: 'It shocks me that $100k feels like poverty'
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

April Schultz, 40, and her husband Kevin, 45, bring in $130,000 a year in gross income combined between their four jobs and side gigs. Still, Schultz said it shocks her that such an income "feels like poverty." "We shouldn't have to have four jobs in one family," Schultz said. She said that while there are job opportunities in her area, most don't pay enough for the area's cost of living. They both anticipate downsizing once their kids have moved out and relocating to a more rural and cheaper place.

Persons: Schultz, Kevin, — Schultz, ALICE —, Stephanie Hoopes, United For ALICE, She's, Louis, she's, there's, We've, they're, they've, hasn't, It's, we've Organizations: Service, Costco, United For, Department of Defense, Scott Air Force Base, Amazon, Netflix, USDA, Aldi, Sam's Locations: California , Arizona, Minnesota, Idaho, Mascoutah , Illinois, St, Illinois, Missouri

☆ A 20% home down payment isn't 'the law of the land,' analyst says. Here's how much people are paying
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tetra Images | Tetra Images | Getty ImagesPutting 20% down is 'definitely not required'One way to reduce your monthly mortgage payment is by putting down more money and borrowing less. But for many households, trying to get a higher down payment can be challenging, said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. While a lower down payment is one way to "attack affordability challenges," it can be a "mixed bag," Hamrick said. With a lower down payment, you will need to borrow more from your lender, which raises the monthly cost of your mortgage, Hale said. A smaller down payment can also mean you don't qualify for a lender's best -available interest rate.

Persons: Danielle Hale, there's, SurveyMonkey, Hale, It's, Hamrick Organizations: CNBC, Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Federal Housing Association Locations: U.S

☆ Beewise: 2024 CNBC Disruptor 50
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Cnbc.Com Staff | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli agtech startup Beewise Technologies is using AI, sensor, robots and computer vision to save more honeybees as climate change has threatened their survival, leading to more than one-third of bee colonies disappearing each year and threatening food supplies. This social impact business has designed and built high-tech hives that help the bee's chances of survival, and keep it harvesting honey and pollinating crops. Honeybees pollinate $15 billion worth of crops in the U.S. each year, such as vegetables, fruits and nuts, not to mention produce honey. Beewise is not the only startup going after the growing market for commercial beekeeping pollination services, estimated by the USDA at $320 million annually. Former Disruptor BeeHero, also from Israel, is a close competitor.

Persons: Saar, Elijah Radzyner, Disruptor BeeHero, Beewise Organizations: Saar Safra, UN, USDA, Partners Locations: U.S, Israel, New York

☆ More home sellers are paying capital gains taxes — here’s how to reduce your bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

More Americans are paying capital gains taxes on home sale profits amid soaring property values — but there are ways to reduce your bill, experts say. In 2023, nearly 8% of U.S. home sales yielded profits exceeding $500,000, compared to about 3% in 2019, according to an April report from real estate data firm CoreLogic. It's key for a special tax break for homeowners who make a profit when selling a primary residence. Married couples filing together can make up to $500,000 on the sale without owing capital gains taxes. "With the recent rise in home values, more sellers have been facing a capital gains tax hit," Quinones said.

Persons: Jaime Quinones, " Quinones Organizations: Finance, Stockade Wealth Management Locations: U.S, Marlboro , New Jersey

☆ These sisters became co-owners of the family farm at 22 and 24, joining the ranks of women as key decision-makers on farms
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Rebekah Alstede Modery, left, and Sarah Alstede, sisters and co-owners of Alstede Farms in Chester, New Jersey. Courtesy: Alstede FarmsSisters Rebekah Alstede Modery and Sarah Alstede were raised on a New Jersey farm. In February, the sisters joined their father, Kurt Alstede, and their stepmother, Mary Thompson-Alstede, as co-owners of Alstede Farms. 'A huge undertaking' as a familyCo-owners of Alstede Farms from left to right: Mary Thompson-Alstede, Rebekah Alstede Modery, Kurt Alstede and Sarah Alstede. Rebekah Alstede Modery, left, and Sarah Alstede, sisters and co-owners of Alstede Farms in Chester, New Jersey.

Persons: Rebekah Alstede Modery, Sarah Alstede, Rebekah, Kurt Alstede, Mary Thompson, It's, Dominique Sims, NASS, Agriculture hasn't, Inwood, Lance Honig, Sarah, that's, Bernt Nelson, Rachel Schattman, Alstede Organizations: Delaware Valley University, CNBC, Centenary University, Alstede, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S . Department of Agriculture, The Ohio State University, Agriculture, Agricultural Resource Management, USDA Economic Research Service, American Farm Bureau Federation, University of Maine, Farmers Locations: Chester , New Jersey, New Jersey, Sarah, Agriculture, U.S

☆ Eight tons of ground beef sold at Walmart locations nationwide recalled for possible E. coli contamination
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —More than 16,000 pounds of raw ground beef products were recalled by the US Department of Agriculture on Wednesday on concerns the meat may be contaminated with E. coli. The meat items, produced by Cargill Meat Solutions, were sold at Walmart retail locations across the United States. According to a recall notice from the USDA, the potentially contaminated beef was produced on April 26 and April 27. “At Walmart, the health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” a Walmart spokesperson told CNN in a statement. Walmart customers who have purchased any affected products should throw them away or return them to the place where they were purchased, according to the agency.

Persons: haven’t, “, ” Cargill, Cargill Organizations: CNN, US Department of Agriculture, Cargill Meat Solutions, Walmart, “, Lean Locations: United States, Connecticut , Massachusetts, Maryland , New Hampshire , New York, North Carolina , Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington

One of the architects of that plan for a Trump second term said as much in a video last year for the Heritage Foundation. Reissuing Schedule F is part of a roadmap, known as Project 2025, drafted for a second Trump term by scores of conservative groups and published by the Heritage Foundation. The new rules would not fully block reclassifying workers in a second Trump term. Greene said she worries for federal workers who might face the same choice in a second Trump term. The project includes a personnel database for potential hires in a second Trump administration.

Persons: Donald Trump, it’s, —, Trump, Joe Biden, Donald Moynihan, Georgetown University's, ” Donald Moynihan, ” Moynihan, “ It’s, ”, Russell Vought, “, you’re, Doreen Greenwald, Moynihan, Kenneth Baer, Barack Obama, ” Kenneth Baer, Peter Orszag, Pete Souza, Robert Shea, Eva Shea, George W, Bush, Laura Bush, Tina Hager, ” Biden, Baer, George Frey, ” Trump, Max Stier, Verna Daniels, ” Daniels, Catherine Greene, ” Greene, Tom Bewick, NIFA, ” Bewick, we’ll, Greene, Biden, “ We’ve, He’s, Hillary Clinton, he’d, James Comey, Bill Barr, Barr, Jeffrey Clark, Clark, Mark Meadows, Stephen Miller, Peter Navarro, he’ll Organizations: CNN, United, Republican, Democratic, Trump, ”, Georgetown, Georgetown University's McCourt School, Public, Georgetown University, Heritage Foundation, Management, Budget, of Justice, FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Vought, National Treasury Employees Union, OMB, White, Personnel Management, Land Management, Department of Agriculture, Kansas City, Partnership for Public Service, Government, Office, GAO, Economic Research Service, National Institute of Food, Agriculture, USDA, National Institute for Food, NIFA, Applied Economics Association, BLM, Getty, Department of Justice, Justice Department, Univision, Justice, Department, U.S . Justice, Center, Washington Post, National Security and Intelligence, of Homeland Security, of Education and Commerce, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission Locations: United States, Washington, Georgetown, , Colorado, DC, Kansas, Colorado, Virginia, America, Grand Junction, Washington ,, New York City, New York, Georgia

☆ Bird flu could jump to humans any day. A former surgeon general says it feels like 2020 again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

In recent months the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has been spreading through US cattle herds for the first time ever. The cow-to-cow transmission is the latest escalation in a global outbreak that began when the virus reemerged in Europe in 2020. Bill Powers with his flock of white turkeys, kept under shelter to prevent exposure to bird flu, in Townsend, Delaware. Nathan Howard/Getty ImagesDr. Jerome Adams, a former surgeon general and the director of health equity at Purdue University, is getting deja vu. AdvertisementOnly testing the sickSo far, the USDA has only been testing cattle herds when an animal appears sick.

Persons: —, Jeremy Farrar, Nathan Frandino, Farrar, Bill Powers, Nathan Howard, Jerome Adams, they've, Adams, Donald Trump, hasn't, Terry Chea, they're, Zeynep Tufekci, Jean Carroll, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, President Trump, Trump, Biden Organizations: Service, Business, World Health Organization, Washington Post, Food and Drug Administration, New York Times, FDA, Johann, Reuters, US Centers for Disease Control, Purdue University, CDC, US Department of Agriculture, White, USDA Locations: Europe, South America, Fresno , California, Texas, Townsend , Delaware, COVID, Sonoma County , California

☆ Opinion: I loved my Lunchables as a kid. Now, all I see is what’s in them
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Opinion Hasan Merali | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

So why are we now feeding Lunchables to children as part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)? We are proud of Lunchables and stand by the quality and integrity that goes into making them,” Kraft Heinz said. In Canada, for example, a country that often outperforms the US in public health measures such as vaccination rates, there is no national food program for children. Meals that adhered to a higher nutritional standard were also thrown away less, according to a study published in Childhood Obesity in 2015. A modeling study published in Public Health Nutrition in 2022 estimates a 20% tax would reduce purchases of UPFs by 24%.

Persons: Hasan Merali, ”, Hasan Merali Chris Hartlove, Kraft Heinz, Lunchables, Fresh, ” Kraft Heinz, UPFs, Tony Organizations: of Pediatrics, McMaster University, CNN, Consumer, British Medical, American, Clinical Nutrition, Public Health Nutrition Locations: Canada, Lunchables, America, Colombia, Chile, France

☆ I was happy in the UK and dead against moving to New York. When my partner was made redundant, it felt like our only option.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Hannah Crown | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Leaving London for New York City felt like the only option. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTwo years ago, my partner and I were still living in a one-and-a-half-bedroom basement in London. AdvertisementLeaving London for New York felt like the only optionAfter that, I had to admit, grudgingly, that going to New York seemed like the best option. The poverty in New York City is reported to have increased in recent years, bringing the total number of New Yorkers living in poverty to 2 million, according to a report from Robin Hood, an anti-poverty philanthropy.

Persons: Hannah Crown, —, we've, we'd, Peter, We've, I've, Robin Hood, It's Organizations: Service, Apple, Radio City, London Locations: British, England, London, New York City, New York, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Macy's, Radio, Dyker Heights, Long

☆ The GOP's got a growing beef with lab-made meat
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I know the legislature is doing a bill to try to protect our meat — You need meat, OK? "There's nothing about cultivated meat that is a conservative or a liberal thing," said Josh Tetrick, CEO of GOOD Meat — a cultivated meat company with the largest market share of the global industry so far. Other red-state politicians are also responding to the threat to their red meat, including Alabama State Sen. Jack Williams and Tennessee State Rep. Bud Hulsey, who have supported or proposed legislation to ban cultivated meat in their states. A nugget made from lab-grown chicken meat is seen during a media presentation in Singapore, the first country to allow the sale of meat created without slaughtering any animals.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Josh Tetrick, Mark Post, David Parry, Reuters SB1084, David Marshall, Alabama State Sen, Jack Williams, Bud Hulsey, Williams, Hulsey, hasn't, George Peppou, Justin Sullivan, there's, OpenSecrets, Alabama Sen, NICHOLAS YEO, Tetrick, Lauš Organizations: Service, GOP, Business, Maastricht University, Reuters, DeSantis, Arizona, Alabama State, Tennessee State, Marshall, FDA, USDA, Cargill, Foster Farms, US Department of Agriculture, Getty, Alabama, Foods Locations: Florida, Netherlands, Singapore, Alameda , California, California, AFP, United States, Czech

USDA's recommended monthly food budget for a family of four has risen 27% since 2020. AdvertisementOn average, across the four food plans, the monthly budget recommendation has risen 27% since the start of 2020. Meanwhile, as of November, grocery prices were up 25.1% since the start of 2020, outpacing the 18.9% increase in overall prices. USDA Food Plan recommended monthly budgets. Andy Kiersz/Business InsiderWith food prices still weighing down consumers, some are becoming more conscious of how much they're spending and where.

Persons: USDA's, Andy Kiersz Organizations: US Department of Agriculture, USDA, USDA Food Locations: Alaska, Hawai'i

But a new report from Consumer Reports said it recently compared the nutritional profiles of two Lunchables kits served in schools and found they have even higher levels of sodium than the Lunchables kits consumers can buy in stores. The non-profit consumer group said it has petitioned the US Department of Agriculture, which oversees the federally assisted school meal program, to remove Lunchables food kits from school cafeterias, as a result. The introduction of Lunchables in schools came amid proposed changes to school food guidelines by the USDA, which oversees the federally assisted school meal program. The proposed changes aimed to reduce added sugars and sodium levels in school-provided lunches. Food additives are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration, but not everyone agrees.

Persons: Lunchables, Armour LunchMakers, Oscar Mayer, can’t, “, Brian Ronholm, Kraft Heinz, ” Kraft Heinz, Carlos Monteiro, Monteiro, ” Monteiro, Heinz “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, Consumer, Natural Meat, World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control, US Department of Agriculture, CNN, USDA, University of Sao, NOVA, US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Science, Environmental, Kraft Locations: New York, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

☆ What you need to know about eating meat, dairy, and eggs during the bird flu outbreak, according to a food safety expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Julia Pugachevsky | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Embrace firm egg yolksTo be extra safe, fully cook your meat and eggs, said Alcaine. Just as you would to prevent salmonella or E.coli infections, you should cook meat and eggs at hot-enough temperatures to prevent illness. AdvertisementAdditionally, Alcaine said you'll want to be wary of cross-contamination, such as keeping the utensils used to handle raw meat and eggs away from cooked food. However, some states allow the sale of raw milk and unpasteurized cheese, which have been growing in popularity over recent years. AdvertisementIn general, drinking raw milk can lead to side effects like vomiting and diarrhea, and just to be safe, the CDC also suggests abstaining in light of this recent outbreak.

Persons: —, Samuel Alcaine, Alcaine, Cook, you'll, Sumiko Mekaru Organizations: Service, USDA, Business, Maine Foods, Cornell University, CDC, New York Times, PHC, ABC News Locations: Texas, Cal

Setting a down payment goalBefore you can set a down payment goal, you first need to figure out how much you'll need for a lender to approve you for a mortgage. Determining the size of down payment neededThe minimum size of your down payment will depend on the loan program you use. Exploring down payment assistance programsDown payment assistance programs can help cover part or all of your down payment. But if you can save up a down payment of at least 20% of the home's purchase price, you'll avoid paying PMI (private mortgage insurance), which can reduce your monthly payment. To save for a down payment, create (and stick to) a budget, reduce unnecessary expenses, increase your income through side jobs, automate your savings, and explore down payment assistance programs.

Persons: You'll, you'll, windfalls, Windfalls Organizations: Netflix, Spotify, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, PMI Locations: homebuyers, Chevron

☆ Chick-fil-A will stop using its ‘no antibiotics ever’ label on chicken
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Citing diminishing chicken supply, Chick-fil-A will back off its pledge never to serve chicken that was fed antibiotics, and instead it will embrace a looser industry standard: “no antibiotics important to human medicine.” Chick-fil-A first announced that it would abandon antibiotics in 2014. The change comes after Tyson, America’s biggest poultry company, last summer ended its eight-year-pledge to keep antibiotics out of its chicken. That particular disease is not treatable with antibiotics, but other diseases that can kill chickens do respond to antibiotics. In addition to chickens’ health, antibiotics are particularly important to promote poultry growth — particularly for items like large broiler chickens. It noted in that 2007 publication that “an appropriate balance should be struck between animal health needs and human health considerations – human health being, however, paramount compared to animal health.”

Persons: New York CNN —, ”, Tyson, Perdue Organizations: New, New York CNN, USDA, World Health Organization, WHO Locations: New York

☆ Strawberries still have the most pesticides of any American produce, a report says. Here are the 12 fruits and vegetables on the 2024 'Dirty Dozen' list.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Strawberries topped the "Dirty Dozen," a list of 12 fruits and vegetables ranked by pesticide contamination. AdvertisementStrawberries continue to reign supreme on the Environmental Working Group's annual "Dirty Dozen" list, which ranks fruits and vegetables by pesticide contamination. The "Dirty Dozen" list is part of EWG's 2024 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce published on Wednesday. However, a toxicologist told Business Insider in 2017 that the amount of pesticides in produce on the "Dirty Dozen" list is likely too small to have significant consequences. Here are the fruits and vegetables ranked on this year's "Dirty Dozen."

Persons: — Organizations: Service, USDA, FDA, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Locations: United States

☆ Why your favorite summer fruits are increasingly at risk
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | Elisa Raffa | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Peach trees are blooming at Jaemor Farms in Alto, Georgia, this week. Owner Drew Echols, a fifth-generation farmer, said it has become harder to predict when fruits like the iconic Georgia peaches would start blooming. Blooming peach trees are seen alongside a covered field of strawberries at Jaemor Farms in Alto, Georgia, on March 19, 2024. The fruits begin to bloom as temperatures warm, but when a cold spell comes back, they become susceptible to damage. Fruits like peaches, strawberries, mangoes and plums typically reach their peak ripeness during the summer months.

Persons: Drew Echols, he’s, ” Echols, “ You’re, Meridith Edwards, Echols, ” Louise Ferguson, Davis, Ferguson, Dorothy Suput, Ben Clark, Lane Turner, Benjamin Cook, ” Cook, ” Ferguson, Doug Engle, Suput, ” Suput, “, ” Organizations: CNN, University of California, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Croatan Institute, Boston Globe, Columbia University, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, University of Florida, Science Research, Unit, Ocala Star Banner, USA Locations: Alto , Georgia, Georgia, Boston, New Hampshire, Ocala, New England

Six years ago, Illinois farmer John Ackerman didn't hire any contract workers at all. He enjoys mentoring young people, but says it's felt harder lately to justify hiring inexperienced workers when contract workers do the same hard, physical jobs faster and better. Climate change affects all farm workers, but advocates and researchers say this is a reason to focus particularly on these workers. The USDA data showed an uptick in the number of farms using migrant labor, both within farms that already hired contract workers and overall. He’s tried reaching out H-2A workers on nearby farms, but says their supervisors won’t let them talk to him.

Persons: John Ackerman didn't, Ackerman, it's, Alexis Guild, Rebecca Young, ”, Jennifer Vanos, Abigail Kerfoot, Luis Jimenez, farmworkers, Jimenez, He’s, won’t, “, Jed Clark, he's, Stephanie McBath, ” McBath, “ it’s, ” Bruce Cline, Scott Kuegel, ” Jimenez, Dorany Pineda, Joshua A, Bickel, Melina Walling Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Farmworker, Arizona State University, Centro de, Alianza Agrícola, “, National Association of State, of Agriculture, Associated Press Locations: Illinois, U.S, New York, North Carolina, Kentucky, Crofton , Kentucky, Owensboro, AP.org

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