Each week, Food Tank is rounding up a few news stories that inspire excitement, infuriation, or curiosity.
House Narrowly Passes “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Sending it to the Senate
By a vote of 215–214, the House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” advancing legislation that would cut trillions in taxes while scaling back key federal programs, including Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and clean energy incentives. The bill now heads to the Senate, where lawmakers are expected to propose revisions before it reaches the president’s desk.
The measure codifies a broad slate of Trump administration priorities. It permanently extends the 2017 tax cuts, eliminates federal taxes on tips and overtime income, slashes clean energy tax credits, and increases funding for the military and border security—including new staff and facilities for mass deportations.
To offset these costs, the bill imposes sweeping cuts to food and healthcare assistance, including an estimated USD$318.7 billion reduction to SNAP over ten years, according to a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis. It expands work requirements to include parents of children as young as seven—down from the current threshold of 18—requiring at least 20 hours of work per week to retain benefits beyond three months.
The bill could also disrupt children’s access to school meals, according to the Food Research and Action Center. Many states use Medicaid data to automatically certify students for free or reduced-price meals; families who lose SNAP benefits may no longer qualify through this streamlined process, placing new burdens on parents and schools. Linda Novick O’Keefe, CEO of Common Threads, tells Food Tank that the bill may also eliminate SNAP-Ed, a program that provides nutrition education to low-income households.
It also proposes a major shift in SNAP’s funding model. States would be required to contribute between 5 and 25 percent of benefit costs, and the federal share of administrative expenses would drop from 50 to 25 percent.
“The bill violates one of the cardinal rules of Farm Bill politics by reducing food assistance to offset increases in farm assistance,” according to agricultural economics researchers. CBO reports that the bill would reduce net federal food assistance by $294.7 billion while increasing farm subsidies by $56.4 billion over the next decade.
Opponents warn the bill could leave millions without health and nutrition support. “This bill takes from the poor to give tax cuts to the rich,” says Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, citing CBO estimates that millions of children, seniors, and people with disabilities could lose food assistance. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) describes the bill as a deficit-increasing giveaway to the wealthy “coupled with the largest reduction to health care and nutritional assistance in our country’s history.”
The legislation also drew criticism from former President Barack Obama. “Republicans in Congress are trying to push through a bill that would put millions of Americans at risk of losing their healthcare,” he says, citing proposed Medicaid cuts and increased costs for working families.
Although passed under budget reconciliation, allowing Senate approval with 51 votes instead of the usual 60-vote filibuster threshold, several Republican senators have indicated they will seek major changes. The Senate aims to finalize the bill by July 4.
USDA Approves Nebraska Waiver to Ban Soda, Energy Drinks from SNAP
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently approved Nebraska’s request to prohibit the purchase of soda and energy drinks with benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), marking a significant departure from longstanding federal policy. The waiver, announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, will take effect in January 2026 and is expected to impact approximately 152,000 SNAP recipients across 75,000 households in the state.
The decision makes Nebraska the first state granted federal permission to restrict specific food items from SNAP. Rollins described the move as “a historic step to Make America Healthy Again,” aligning with the Trump administration’s broader initiative to shift public nutrition policy. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen supported the change, stating that taxpayers should not subsidize what he terms “junk.”
Federal officials have long resisted similar proposals, citing concerns about feasibility and the risk of stigmatizing low-income families. Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., however, contend that prioritizing nutritious purchases is essential to addressing rising rates of chronic disease and obesity.
Several other states—including Iowa, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, West Virginia, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah—have submitted or are preparing similar waiver requests. Colorado’s proposal also seeks to expand SNAP eligibility to include certain hot prepared foods, such as rotisserie chicken.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions. Supporters, including the American Heart Association and Iowa lawmakers, argue that the bans encourage healthier habits, while others say the restrictions are condescending and may be used to justify broader cuts to food assistance.
Nebraska plans to monitor the waiver’s impact through surveys and retailer data, and will offer support to stores during the transition.
Earth Expected to Surpass 1.5 Degree Benchmark Over 12 Month Span for the Second Time
Global temperatures may exceed the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement for another year for the second time, according to new data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and Berkeley Earth, as reported by New Scientist.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that sustained warming beyond 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels could intensify extreme weather, accelerate ocean acidification, and trigger tipping points such as coral reef collapse and disruptions to ocean circulation.
The Paris Agreement, from which the U.S. formally withdrew in January 2026, aims to keep global warming well below 2°C, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. That threshold has already been exceeded in 21 of the past 22 months. Forecasts for cooling in 2025 due to La Niña weather patterns have so far not materialized.
The World Meteorological Organization finds that if global temperatures remain above 1.5°C for 12 consecutive months, there is an 80 percent chance that long-term warming at that level has been reached.
Still, climate experts urge caution. The United Nations Environment Programme emphasizes that long-term trends are measured over decades, not months or years.
Avian Flu Detected in Brazil
Brazil has reported its first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on a commercial poultry farm, prompting trade restrictions from major buyers including the European Union, China, and South Korea. The affected farm in Rio Grande do Sul supplies Vibra Foods, a Tyson Foods partner that exports to more than 60 countries.
As the world’s largest exporter of chicken—responsible for roughly 35 percent of global trade—Brazil’s outbreak carries significant implications for the global poultry market. More than 17,000 birds have either died or been culled preventatively, according to state officials.
Brazil’s agriculture ministry is working to contain the outbreak, while several countries have temporarily banned or restricted poultry imports from Brazil.
While the risk to the general public remains low, the outbreak has raised concerns amid a wider global spread of avian influenza, which has already affected over 170 million birds in the U.S. and resulted in at least 70 human infections.
In response to mounting health threats, member states of the World Health Organization have approved a new agreement to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response, aiming to apply lessons learned from COVID-19.
Lagos Government to Establish New Aquaculture Center
The Lagos State government has begun construction of a new aquaculture center to boost fish production, support food security, and create jobs. Located on 35 hectares, the Lagos Aquaculture Centre for Excellence will serve as a fish fingerling production and processing hub, and as an off-take facility to help farmers bring their products to market.
According to WorldFish, Nigeria spends about US$1 billion annually on fish imports, which make up 45 percent of the country’s supply. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization ranks Nigeria as the fourth-largest fish importer by volume, behind China, Japan, and the U.S.
The new center is expected to produce up to 50 million fingerlings annually and supply approximately 5,000 smallholder farms. Lagos Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems Abisola Olusanya said the project will create more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs and boost the local economy. Olusanya also noted that pre-agreed pricing could help improve income stability for farmers and make the fishing sector more sustainable.
The Guardian Nigeria reports the center is scheduled to open in 2026.
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Photo courtesy of Radja Fizzaska, Unsplash
