Vaccine Changes and Decreases in Deforestation

Each week, Food Tank compiles a selection of news stories that inspire excitement, anger, or curiosity.

New Data Show Regenerative Practices Outperform Conventional Farming in Europe

A new study by the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) reveals that farmers can produce “significantly more food for less” by shifting to regenerative agriculture, in comparison to average conventional practices.

The report indicates that input-intensive conventional farming, which prioritizes short-term yield gains at the expense of environmental health, will struggle to address Europe’s challenges regarding soil health degradation, biodiversity loss, lack of food sovereignty, and climate stability. Regenerative forms of agriculture, the study asserts, are “not only viable but already superior in most contexts” compared to conventional practices.

This report, backed by EIT Food, analyzed 78 farms across 14 countries, covering more than 7,000 hectares. Farms utilizing regenerative agricultural systems—from agroforestry to holistic management to conservation agriculture—achieved 1 percent lower yields on average while utilizing 62 percent less synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and 76 percent fewer pesticides.

The research found that regenerative farms exhibited over 15 percent higher photosynthesis, soil cover, and plant diversity compared to neighboring conventional farms, and maintained cooler surface temperatures during summer. Researchers estimate that if scaled, these practices could offset 141.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually—around 84 percent of net emissions from the EU’s agricultural sector. Regenerative farms also demonstrated 27 percent higher productivity than the average European farmer according to a new metric, the Regenerating Full Productivity Index, which accounts for both agronomic and ecological outcomes.

These results challenge the belief that only conventional, synthetic, input-heavy agriculture can sustain Europe, and illustrate that Europe’s food security relies on a symbiotic and innovative relationship with nature, as stated by EIT Food.

HHS Secretary Kennedy Removes All Members of CDC Vaccine Committee

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the group responsible for making national vaccine recommendations.

Kennedy announced the firings in an HHS press release and in a Wall Street Journal opinion column, where Kennedy argued that a “clean sweep is essential to restore public confidence in vaccine science.” He also noted that approximately two-thirds of the panel had been appointed during the final year of the Biden administration.

ACIP exerts significant influence, according to the New York Times. The independent vaccine committee conducts public meetings to examine the latest scientific evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness and to make clinical recommendations to the CDC. Their guidance determines which groups will be recommended vaccines, the timing and frequency of those recommendations, and whether health insurance will cover costs.

As HHS Secretary, Kennedy has the authority to terminate and appoint ACIP members. However, this decision contradicts precedent and has been widely condemned by medical groups and public health organizations. Experts in global health and bioethics struggled to recall a situation where an entire committee was dismissed en masse since its inception in 1964, noting that it is highly unusual for an HHS Secretary to inject party politics into such decisions. The American Medical Association stated that this action “disrupts a transparent process that has saved countless lives.” Dr. Sean O’Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics declared the decision “a profound public health disaster,” warning it will aggravate mistrust in vaccines.

HHS announced that the upcoming ACIP meeting, scheduled for June 25 through 27, will proceed as planned. It remains unclear who Kennedy will choose to fill the now-empty seats on the committee, although HHS indicates that new members are under consideration.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, has serious concerns regarding whether future committee members will be impartial, stating the organization intends to monitor Kennedy closely. Senator Bill Cassidy expressed that the fear is the ACIP will be filled with individuals who know little about vaccines, other than suspicion.

New Data Show Key Crops Could Lose Half the Best Land for Production by 2100

New projections from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicate that five out of nine staple and cash crops, including coffee and wheat, may lose half of their “best or optimally suitable land” in the next 75 years.

The findings derive from an updated version of FAO’s Adaptation, Biodiversity, and Carbon Mapping Tool (ABC-Map), which now features a new crop suitability indicator. This indicator includes data from a study by French fintech firm Finres, employing a novel method to evaluate agricultural land suitability under various emissions scenarios.

Users of the ABC-Map can input a location and crop, and the tool showcases the suitability of that crop in the area over various time periods. While the app previously presented historical trends, the new indicator now provides insights on future trends extending to 2100, along with a crop suitability score for two different climate emission scenarios.

New data suggests that coffee production in key regions may decline significantly by the century’s end, while wheat and bean yields are anticipated to drop in regions like North America and Europe. Although maize and rice might discover new suitable areas in the short term, researchers warn that these advantages could reverse if greenhouse gas emissions remain elevated.

The new indicator is designed to assist policymakers and project developers in understanding long-term climate risks and planning accordingly.

Kenya Takes Action to Address Diet-Related Diseases

Kenya’s Ministry of Health is implementing new strategies to tackle the growing

Africa is experiencing an epidemiological shift, with an increasing number of countries on the continent identifying NCDs as a public health issue. The Global Nutrition Report indicates that rates of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are rising in Kenya.

The Ministry is rolling out a set of regulatory and policy measures, including a Nutrient Profile Model to determine thresholds for nutrients linked to the increase of NCDs, such as sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Officials assert the model will help regulate food content and guide public consumption habits toward healthier choices, particularly among children, who are often the most vulnerable.

The government also plans to enhance efforts against the advertising and consumption of unhealthy foods, focusing on shielding children from harmful dietary influences. Officials are also exploring broader policies to restrict access to sugary beverages and ultra-processed foods.

In parallel, a collaborative team including Kenya’s Ministry of Health has developed an AI model that forecasts acute child malnutrition up to six months in advance, providing decision-makers with essential lead time to address nutrition emergencies.

Over 2,500 NIH Grants Canceled or Delayed Under Trump Administration

Recent reporting from The New York Times examines the 2,500 National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants that have been canceled or delayed under the Trump-Vance administration.

NIH grants are usually disbursed in annual installments. Recipients provide annual reports to the NIH, which then decides whether to continue funding or terminate the project. Historically, the New York Times notes, annual renewals were common. On average, the agency terminated fewer than 20 grants annually over the last decade, typically for compelling reasons.

Since January 20, 2025, NIH has canceled nearly 2,100 research grants valued at approximately $9.5 billion and $2.6 billion in contracts, while delaying nearly 1,100 additional projects.

An NIH program officer stated that when selecting grants to cut or postpone earlier this year, the agency searched through current projects for terms like “transgender,” “misinformation,” “vaccine hesitancy,” and “equity.”

The canceled awards include grants for research on topics such as disinformation, improving access to mental health care in rural areas, reducing maternal mortality among Black women, and preventing gun violence in Asian American communities. Funding has also been cut for research on cures and treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell disease. Moreover, court documents and internal communications indicate that some grants and contracts were eliminated under directives from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

The cuts have ignited national outrage: 300 NIH staff members sent a letter to NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya condemning the widespread termination of jobs and the cancellation of thousands of research projects. Titled The Bethesda Declaration, the letter urges NIH and HHS leadership to uphold commitments to academic freedom and scientific excellence. Over 24,000 individuals, including more than 50 Nobel laureates, have signed a separate open letter in support of the Declaration since its release.

There appears to be no end to the budget cuts approaching: Trump’s proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year calls for unprecedented cuts to scientific agencies, including a 40 percent reduction in the NIH’s budget and the consolidation of its 27 institutes and centers into 8.

Harold Varmus, the former NIH director, remarked that such significant budget cuts would be draconian, potentially forcing scientists abroad or out of the profession entirely. Luzmariel Medina-Sanchez—whose research on how a microbe can help treat celiac disease was halted due to her NIH grant cancellation—told the New York Times that her name has made her doubt her future in the scientific field in this country. During a recent Senate hearing, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) described that Trump is systematically dismantling the American biomedical research enterprise that is envied worldwide.

New Data Shows Deforestation Slowing in Parts of the Amazon

Data from Colombia and Brazil reveal progress in efforts to reduce deforestation across the Amazon, despite ongoing environmental and political challenges.

The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, encompasses 6.7 million sq km and spans nine countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela. It is home to a third of the world’s species, a quarter of the world’s freshwater, and 200 indigenous and traditional communities. Its trees sequester 48 billion tons of carbon dioxide.

Historically, however, the area has been overexploited, and it’s estimated that around 20 percent of the Amazon Rainforest has been lost over the past 50 years. Cattle ranching is the primary driver of deforestation across all Amazonian nations, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Other significant drivers include road construction, mining, and the cultivation of products like soy or coca—over 90 percent of which occurs illegally. In recent years, large sections of the Amazon have also been devastated by uncontrolled wildfires and extreme drought.

However, during the first quarter of 2025, deforestation in the Colombian Amazon decreased by 33 percent compared to the same period in 2024, as reported by the nation’s Environment Ministry. Deforestation in Colombian national parks fell by 54 percent. Environment Minister Lena Estrada Añokazi attributes this progress to enhanced community coordination — including collaboration with local Indigenous governments — and a robust crackdown on environmental crime.

Deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon similarly dropped by 30.6 percent last year, reaching the lowest level in nine years, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research.

Furthermore, a government pilot program in Brazil’s Pará state is tagging cattle with electronic chips to prevent grazing on illegally deforested land. The initiative aims to tag all 26 million cattle in the state by 2027, with rancher Roque Quagliato—dubbed Brazil’s “King of Cattle”—being the first to participate, marking a possible shift toward more traceable and sustainable cattle farming ahead of the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Brazil later this year.

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Photo courtesy of Quang Nguyen Vinh, Unsplash