Kroger-Albertsons merger blocked by judge who sided with Federal Trade Commission's anti-trust argument

The merger would have 'nearly doubled Kroger's
store count.' (Kroger and Albertsons graphics)

The planned $20 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons was blocked by a federal judge who "agreed with the Federal Trade Commission’s argument that Kroger would become the dominant player in traditional supermarkets if allowed to add nearly 2,000 stores by taking over Albertsons," report Dave Michaels and Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson "rejected the companies’ counterargument that selling 579 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers would replace the lost competition."

The ruling is a victory for FTC Chair Lina Khan, "who has waged legal battles to stop megadeals rather than accept companies’ proposed fixes to address competition concerns," Michaels and Thomas write. Kroger and Albertsons executives marketed the deal as a necessary move to compete with Walmart and Amazon.

Nelson's ruling cited the fierce "head-to-head competition" between Kroger and Albertsons, which the proposed merger "would have removed." Michaels and Thomas write, "An FTC spokesman said the ruling 'protects competition in the grocery market, which will prevent prices from rising even more.'"

If the deal had succeeded, Kroger's store count would have almost doubled, "exceeding the scale of Walmart’s 3,500 supercenters," Michaels and Thomas add. "Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s longtime chief executive, had pledged to eventually invest $1 billion annually in lowering prices at the acquired Albertsons stores. . . . FTC attorneys argued the deal would only give Kroger a reason to increase prices by removing a competitor." 

Earlier in the year, Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran told a federal court that "if Albertsons’s sale to Kroger was blocked, the supermarket chain would consider closing stores or laying off workers," the Journal reports. "He said that while the company’s business is sound for now, in the next two to three years it could need to find another buyer."

States promised opioid settlement spending transparency, but many have already strayed from commitment

When states and local governments anticipated billions in opioid settlement dollars, 12 states committed to 100% spending transparency, "promising annual reports 'specifying the activities and amounts,' they have funded," reports Aneri Pattani of KFF Health News. "But many of those reports remain difficult, if not impossible, for the average person to decipher."

Idaho settlement dollars are an example. The attorney general’s website hosts "more than 90 standardized spending reports from state and local entities. Sounds great. But in reality, it reads like this: 'In fiscal 2023, the city of Chubbuck spent about $39,000 on Section G, Subsection 9.' Cracking that code requires a separate document," Pattani explains. "The Idaho attorney general’s office, which oversees the state’s opioid settlement reports, did not respond to requests for comment."

New Hampshire has a different transparency problem. "The state government controls 85% of the state’s settlement funds and posts reports from grant recipients on its opioid abatement website," Pattani reports. "The reports explain the projects and populations served but lack a key detail: how much money each organization received."

Accessing dollars and cents details means searching through "the opioid abatement advisory commission’s meeting minutes, which date back several years" or other state government meetings and notes.

Graph by Aneri Pattani and Lydia Zuraw, KFF Health News and Christine Minhee, OpioidSettlementTracker.com

Idaho and New Hampshire aren't the only states falling short of their commitment. Other states have zero reporting, even though many residents are asking for the information. Pattani writes, "One of the loudest and most frequent questions from the public has been: Where are the dollars going? Victims of the crisis, along with their advocates and public policy experts, have repeatedly called on governments to transparently report how they’re using these funds, which many consider 'blood money.'"

Of the 12 states that promised spending accountability, seven have "reported 100% of their expenditures in a way that is easy for the public to find and understand," Pattani reports. "There are also states such as Indiana that didn’t originally promise 100% transparency but are now publishing detailed accounts of their expenditures."

Sharing settlement spending information not only helps the public hold state and local officials accountable for their spending choices, but it can also foster hope. Norman Litchfield, the director of addiction medicine at St. Luke’s Health System in Idaho, told Pattani, "A lot of people simply are just not aware that these funds exist and that these funds are currently being utilized in ways that are helping."

Ag round-up: Americans love butter and cheese; Brooke Rollins' nomination; toxic farm fertilizer; what to give a farmer?

Americans’ per capita consumption of dairy is up 3% over the past five years, 9% over the past
15 years, and 16% over the past 30 years. (Courtesy photo via Morning Ag Clips)

Even as U.S. milk and ice cream consumption dips, butter and cheese sales climb. "Butter and cheese consumption each surpassed all previous records, reaching all-time highs of 6.5 pounds (butter) and 42.3 pounds (cheese) per person, respectively, in 2023," reports Morning Ag Clips. "For context, a typical package of butter containing four sticks weighs 1 pound (16 ounces) and a standard bag of shredded cheese is half a pound (8 ounces)."

Synagro, a little-known company owned by Goldman Sachs, sells fertilizer made with sewage sludge to farmers who add it to crop soil. Unfortunately, Synagro's fertilizer may not be safe. It can contain biosolids, which often harbor 'forever chemicals' known as PFAS, which are linked to a range of "serious health problems including cancer and birth defects," reports Hiroko Tabuchi of The New York Times. "Farmers are starting to find the chemicals contaminating their land, water, crops and livestock." Synagro is leading a group of sludge-industry lobbyists "who argue they shouldn’t be held liable because the chemicals were already in the sludge before they received it and made it into fertilizer."

Fall and winter baking can increase
egg prices. (No Revisions photo)

The price of eggs is beginning to climb -- again. "The current spike coincides with shifts in shopping habits. Demand tends to rise in the fall and winter, says Brian Earnest, an animal protein economist with CoBank. Seasonal baking calls for increased egg use in home kitchens," reports Taryn Phaneuf of Nerdwallet. "Meanwhile, flocks of egg-laying hens are smaller because producers haven’t recovered from losses to bird flu over the past two years . . . The latest consumer price index shows that the price of eggs is up 37.5% from where it was a year ago."

When President-elect Donald Trump chose Brooke Rollins to head the Department of Agriculture, the nomination "blindsided" Robert F. Kennedy Jr., reports The Wall Street Journal. "Kennedy, the president-elect’s nominee to run the Health and Human Services Department, had been quietly compiling a shortlist of agriculture-secretary candidates in hopes of installing a like-minded disrupter in the post who would remake the food and farming sectors. . . . Brooke Rollins, a former White House aide with little prior relationship with Kennedy, wasn’t on the list."

2024 figures forecasted, USDA graph

As farmers plan for 2025 crops, many face lower profit margins for the second year in a row. "U.S. farm incomes are expected to fall again in 2024, and many farmers find themselves facing tighter budgets for next year," reports Kirk Maltais of The Wall Street Journal. "What hurt farmers the most was lower crop-cash receipts — the amount of money generated from selling crops. . . . Input costs, such as fertilizer and farm equipment, remain high. . . . Farmers are being squeezed, even after harvesting a record-size crop this year."

DaydreamsGirl photo via Lancaster Farming

If you want to know what to give a farmer, ask a farmer.

Crop farmer Tom Venesky’s has a few suggestions:

• A new tractor seat — Everyone has at least one tractor with a worn-out, busted-up seat
• Sunglasses, hearing protection or a tractor canopy
• A can of Freon — While being in a cab tractor shields us from the sun and noise, the glass can make it as hot as a greenhouse

Dairy farmer Taylor Pool shares some of her wish list:

• Muck boots — waterproof to keep your feet dry
• Hand warmers
• Duct tape
• Slippers
• Candles

And finally, cattleman Matthew Mitchell says livestock wranglers want:

• Waterproof snow pants or ski pants
• New socket set — since parts of old sets always magically go missing
• Utility knife/pocket knife

USDA orders testing of raw milk for bird flu to begin on Dec. 16. Testing is 'precautionary' and will aid virus containment

Mandatory milk testing will begin in six states
on Dec. 16. (Adobe Stock photo)

The Department of Agriculture has expanded its response to bird flu infections in U.S. dairy herds by ordering milk testing to begin on Dec. 16 -- "a step public health experts have clamored for following the detection of the H5N1 virus in U.S. dairy herds for the first time this spring," report Mark Johnson and Sabrina Malhiof The Washington Post. "The mandatory testing system is designed to identify which states and specific herds have been affected by the H5N1 virus." 

California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania will be the first states to roll out mandated testing. The Post reports, "An industry representative in Pennsylvania, which ranks second in the nation for the number of dairy farms, said monitoring efforts are precautionary. No cases of H5N1 have been detected in the state’s dairy herds to date." So far, H5N1 infections have been reported in 720 herds in 15 states.

The mandate includes raw milk testing by "dairy farms, bulk milk transporters, milk transfer stations and dairy processing facilities," Johnson and Malhiof explain. "Herd owners whose cattle test positive for the virus must provide information for contact tracing and disease surveillance. Private laboratories and state veterinarians must report all milk that tests positive to the USDA."

Overall, dairy farmers and processors "have been reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus as they fear economic or other repercussions," reports Rachel Dobkin of Newsweek. However, as the virus spread, some farmer sentiments have changed. Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, told Dobkin,"It's another step in the right direction. They're coming around that we need a better handle on it."

Health officials maintain that "the risk to people from bird flu remains low, and pasteurization kills the virus in milk, making it safe to drink," Dobkin adds. "Federal officials continue to warn against drinking raw milk."

Senate committee members and Postmaster General clash over postal changes; some could impact rural delivery

Sen. Josh Hawley, 'hates' Dejoy's
plan and vowed to try and 'kill it.'

Tempers flared as the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy wrangled over the U.S. Postal Service's lagging delivery, expenses and DeJoy's overall postal "optimization" plan, reports Eric Katz of Route Fifty. "DeJoy vehemently defended his efforts and said the senators standing in his way would bring about the end of the Postal Service."

The bipartisan pushback put DeJoy on the defensive and highlighted internal conflicts between DeJoy and Congress. "Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., became angry with DeJoy when discussing his plan to slow down delivery for some mail, which is expected to disproportionately impact rural areas," Katz writes. "Hawley said, 'I hate this plan and I’m going to do everything I can to kill it.' The senator raised his voice and said he was no longer interested in being nice to DeJoy, was growing tired of his initiatives, and had 'waited and waited and waited' for improved performance."

After prickly exchanges about who or what would "go down with the ship," Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., who chairs the committee, "said he will follow up with the Postal Regulatory Commission on its review of DeJoy’s changes, which is due out in January," Katz explains. "Its findings are non-binding, and Peters said he will demand answers if postal management ignores the commission’s recommendations.

Several lawmakers criticized DeJoy's 'Regional Transportation Optimization' plan that "will require mail to sit overnight at post offices instead of being collected each evening for transportation to a processing center," Katz reports. "USPS paused those efforts in the run up to the election and its annual holiday busy season, but has vowed to resume them early next year."

Committee members zeroed in on USPS 2025 delivery targets, which were reduced, leaving next year's goals less robust than those from 2024. "For example, it expects to deliver regular cards and letters slated for two-day delivery on time just 87% of the time in fiscal 2025 compared to its goal of 93% in fiscal 2024," Katz adds. "The Postal Service also recently announced its intention to deliver some mail more slowly."

Jon Ossoff, D-Ga, asked "why Georgia is currently only seeing 75% of mail delivered on time, despite a promise this spring that USPS would be 'where we need to be' within 60 days," Katz reports. "DeJoy said the current performance level would remain as is for the foreseeable future. . . . Ossoff made clear he did not think DeJoy was doing enough and when the postmaster general said his attacks were becoming personal, the senator countered that he was reflecting the concerns of his constituents."

Mental Health Association launches hub dedicated to improving rural mental health access and education

Rural health includes mental health care.
(Mental Health Association photo)

The Mental Health Association launched a new hub with information and free resources to help rural residents access mental health treatment, reports Liz Carey of The Daily Yonder. The site also provides community members with tools for supporting mental health care in their area.

MHA built its hub to help address the drastic need for improved mental health treatment and education in smaller communities. Carey reports, "About 7.7 million rural adults, or about a quarter (23%) of all nonmetropolitan adults in the U.S., reported having mental illness in 2022, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Additionally, about 1.6 million, or nearly 5%, of nonmetropolitan adults reported having serious thoughts of suicide that year."

While the hub contains many options, its conversational style and easy-to-use format make it approachable. The site's landing page features a "Get Help" drop-down list of information with links on managing a mental health crisis. The site features online mental health tests and surveys to help residents determine what kind of help might fit their situation.

America Paredes, MHA’s chief social impact officer, told Carey, "Based on an individual’s screening results, they have access to a self-guided platform that helps them navigate their mental health journey based on their experience and where they are in their journey."

Resources for communities working to help residents or families cope with mental illness are also available. Paredes told Carey, “We hope this hub serves as a first step for individuals who may feel alone in their experience and organizations looking to support these communities by providing them with free resources.”

Through the hub, MHA introduces rural residents to various care options, including telehealth, which can help them access care from mental health professionals they would otherwise have to drive long distances to see. Joy Jay, executive director of MHA-SC, told Carey, "The acceptance of telehealth has helped others in rural areas reach the help they might not have otherwise had access to."

Hospital monopoly in Appalachia doesn't meet benchmarks; some residents say they're scared to seek care

Ballad Health's Indian Path Community Hospital has an
average ER wait time of 43 minutes. (Ballad Health photo)

The lack of choices for hospitals in parts of northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia has left some residents fearful of getting care at its facilities, but hospital officials deny many patient complaints and tie their quality of care troubles to Covid-19 and nursing shortages, reports Brett Kelman of KFF Health News. "Ballad Health is the only option for hospital care in a large swath of Appalachia. . . .Lawmakers in both states "waived federal antitrust laws so two rival health systems could merge," which made Ballad Health the "largest state-sanctioned hospital monopoly in the nation."

Six years ago, lawmakers allowed the merger to prevent more hospital closures. To than end, Ballad Health has kept most of its facilities open; however, the system has "fallen short of about three-fourths of the quality-of-care goals set by the states over the last three fiscal years," Kelman explains. Those shortcomings include "failing to meet state benchmarks on infections, mortality, emergency room speed, and patient satisfaction."

Ballad's lack of consistent care has left "residents wary, afraid, or unwilling to seek care at Ballad hospitals. . according to written complaints to the Tennessee government and state lawmakers, public hearing testimony, and KFF Health News interviews," Kelman reports. "Many of those who submitted complaints or were interviewed allege that paper-thin staffing at Ballad hospitals and ERs is the root cause of the monopoly’s quality-of-care woes."

Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine defended the system's record and "said the hospitals are rapidly recovering from a quality-of-care slump caused by Covid-19 and a subsequent rise in nursing turnover and staff shortages," Kelman adds. "These issues affected hospitals nationwide, Levine said, and were not related to the Ballad merger or the monopoly it created."

Local government officials from Tennessee joined Levine during his KFF Health News interview. "As Levine spoke in a boardroom at Ballad’s hilltop headquarters, he was flanked by three local mayors who voiced support for the hospitals and said complaints came from a vocal minority of their constituents," Kelman reports.

But not every government entity echoes that support. Kelman explains, "The Tennessee Department of Health, which has the most direct oversight over Ballad Health. . . has attempted to hold Ballad more accountable for its quality of care in closed-door negotiations." The TDH declined all of KFF's requests to discuss Ballad's record.

Given the system's long list of woes, some residents wish the merger had been rejected. "Joe Macione, who for years was on the board of Wellmont Health System, one of the rival companies that became Ballad, once publicly advocated for the merger. . . . Macione said state leaders should have admitted years ago that the monopoly was a mistake," Kelman reports. Macione told him, "It has not worked."

Flora & Fauna: Joyrides for rats; feral pigs forage through Hawaii; serviceberry tree history; a unique "comeback" bird

Rats learned to love driving and would opt to take longer routes to get to their destination.
(Photo by Kelly Lambert, CC BY-ND)

People aren't the only ones who love to go for a drive. Rats do, too. "I’m a neuroscientist who taught rats to drive − their joy suggests how anticipating fun can enrich human life," writes Kelly Lambert for The Conversation. "My colleagues and I found that rats could learn to drive forward by grasping a small wire that acted like a gas pedal. Before long, they were steering with surprising precision to reach a Froot Loop treat. . . . Unexpectedly, we found that the rats had an intense motivation for their driving training, often jumping into the car and revving the 'lever engine' before their vehicle hit the road. Why was that?" Read the research here.

In the lowlands of Hawaii, things are going to pigs. Feral pigs have invaded six of the state's islands with shocking efficiency and left a path of overwhelmed ecosystems in their wake. "Their impact is profound on Kaua‘i. Its mountains are home to 255 unique native plant species and 208 native birds, including 11 found nowhere else on Earth," reports Brendan Borrell of Hakai magazine. "Their wallows breed mosquitoes that spread avian malaria, contributing to 10 of Kaua‘i’s 16 native honeycreepers [birds] going extinct. . . . Despite the damage that feral pigs are causing, you can’t just shoot them on sight . . ."

Serviceberry trees are smaller trees native to North
America. (The Spruce graphic)

Like humans, a tree species has a history. The serviceberry tree was once common in the United States, particularly in colonial New England, where its bloom cycle indicated when the soil was soft enough to begin digging graves for the many settlers who didn't make it through the winter. "Preachers then went from settlement to settlement to perform funeral services," writes Jessica Damiano of The Associated Press. "Because it’s one of the earliest spring bloomers, the serviceberry is an important food source for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Later, its berries sustain dozens of bird species and mammals. . . .There are more than 20 species of the North American native tree, which is sadly underused." Here are four favorites.

Whether it's that hefty frozen turkey, a delectable ham or ground lamb ready to be transformed into meatballs, the holidays can be a special time to be thankful for the meat on our tables. As an act of gratefulness for farm animals, a donation to an animal charity that works to make the lives of factory animals better may be in order. "Animal Charity Evaluators, a California-based nonprofit, puts out an annual guide for recommended animal charities," report Sigal Samuel and Kenny Torrella of Vox. "ACE researches and promotes the most high-impact, effective ways to help animals." Find this year's list here.

Red-cockaded woodpeckers nest in family units.
(Adobe Stock photo)

Americans love a comeback, especially when the returning member is cute, social and unique. "The red-cockaded woodpecker, an iconic bird in southeastern forests, has recovered enough of its population to be downlisted from an endangered species to a threatened one," reports Christina Larson of The Associated Press. Will Harlan of the nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity, told Larson, "It’s an amazing bird that has an unusual communal nesting structure. All nests usually cluster in the same tree, and the birds stick together as a family unit.”

Hazelnut trees are poised to flourish where they once died by the thousands. "Bullied by blight, the filbert has long failed to find a home on farms in the eastern U.S.," reports Ben Seal of Ambrook Research. "All across the eastern United States, hazelnuts had been cut down by Eastern filbert blight, or EFB, an endemic disease that chokes life from a tree. . . .But now, after nearly three decades of developing a way for farmers to overcome EFB. . . . A collection of four cultivars, [was] released in 2020, that can withstand even the intense pressure on [a] New Jersey research farm, where numerous strains of the blight are present."

AI is helping wolf trackers without using radio collars.
(Photo by ML, Unsplash)

New AI tracking technology is making it easier for wolves and ranchers near Yellowstone Park to coexist. "After 30 years of using traditional boots-on-the-ground observations, researchers are collecting wolf calls in hopes of honing population estimates, tracking wolves without using radio collars, and reducing conflict between the animals and ranchers," reports Devin Farmiloe of The Washington Post. "Learning more about how wolves communicate from a young age can shed light on pack dynamics that wildlife managers can use to better track and protect the species."

Vilsack says legacy of his 12 years at USDA is new revenue sources that will help smaller farmers and small towns

Rural voters strongly rejected President Biden, but his administration has started programs that are already reversing the decline of rural America, says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a longtime politician who has given 12 years of his life to the job, more than anyone.

Vilsack summoned Jonathan Martin of Politico for an exit interview, and his frustration came through. “I think the challenge that we have in rural America is that we talk a lot about programs and not about vision,” he said when Martin asked what went wrong for Democrats in rural America.

“The vision is, you don’t have to get big or get out,” which has been a basis of federal agriculture policy since Richard Nixon was re-elected president in 1972, Vilsack said. “You can actually have diversity within your agriculture and in your national resource base in your rural economy and that can create enormous opportunity. And we’re investing in it.”

Vilsack cited “carbon market” payments for preventing greenhouse-gas emissions and other programs designed to help small and medium-sized farmers and boost local and regional food systems. But he said rural voters have yet to feel the impact of changes made under Biden.

“After 50 years of one approach, you can’t do this in a matter of a couple of years. You have to build the foundation. Now, the foundation has been built. The economic model is changed by virtue of the investments we’ve made in this administration. At least 10,000, probably more than that, investments have been made just in this department, in creating a different model so that small and mid-sized farming operations have an opportunity to stay in business.”

Vilsack served eight years under Barack Obama and four
under President Biden. (Associated Press photo by Carolyn Kaster)

Vilsack voiced frustration that the news media and others in Washington haven’t recognized the importance of those changes.

“Change is occurring,” he said. “It just hasn’t resonated with people like you. Or people in this city. You gotta understand the economics of this. You don’t. Nobody in your business understands it, which is the frustrating part for me. When you have a ‘get big or get out’ mentality, when you have an economy that is commodity-based, the big guys do really, really well,” but smaller producers may not.

He said 2022 was the best year ever for farm income, “but if you went out and talked to folks in rural places about that . . . that’s not how they would have seen it. It was a record year for a relatively small number of folks. So what happens, these folks are on knife’s edge, bad year comes, they have a hard time. Who is in a position to buy their farm? The larger farm or investment banks. . . . So you’ve got this model that we’ve had for 50 years that has slowly eroded economic opportunity in rural places.”

While debate about the Farm Bill is “all about reference prices” for crops, “The reference prices are about half a dozen commodities out of 100 some commodities,” Vilsack said. “We’ve created an opportunity in all 50 states, over 100 commodities. We’re paying farmers to do this. We’re giving premiums for what they’re growing and raising. It’s a brand-new concept. It’s really innovative. And it creates not only a better value for the farmer, it creates the ability to get that ecosystem market credit, to transform their waste into something more valuable.”

He added, “People out there are beginning to get it. I’ve had people come up and say, you know, for the first time, I see my kind of operation at USDA. For the first time, I see some change. I see some investment in small and mid-sized farming operations. You want to ask about legacy? That, to me, is the most important legacy.”

Vilsack said USDA “doesn’t get anywhere near the attention it deserves. Not for lack of trying, man. We tried.”

When Martin noted “the collapse of local and regional press, which would be a way to get your story out,” and cited a newspaper Vilsack knows well, the two-term Iowa governor interjected, “That’s bullshit. . . . The Des Moines Register is a shadow of what it was. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that it can’t cover what it should cover.”

The majority of Americans agree that media scrutiny acts as a check on politicians

Pew Research Center graph, from Pew's American trends panel and center phone survey data.

Despite the somewhat contentious relationship many Americans have with news outlets, most citizens still agree that "media scrutiny keeps politicians from doing things they shouldn’t," reports Sarah Naseer on a Pew Research Center survey conducted and released this year. This opinion has remained a constant over the past 40 years, even as the government's majority party affiliations have changed.

The Pew Research Center began "asking Americans about the news media’s role in investigating and reporting on public officials to hold them accountable since the mid-1980s," Naseer explains. "That was about a decade after The Washington Post’s coverage of the Watergate scandal contributed to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974."

In Pew's 2024 survey, about "three-quarters of Americans (74%) said criticism from news organizations keeps political leaders from doing things that shouldn’t be done, while far fewer (24%) said this type of scrutiny keeps leaders from doing their job," Naseer reports. "The last time such a large share of Americans expressed the view that media criticism helps hold political leaders accountable was in 2016, just before (Donald) Trump was elected the first time."

The survey also asked respondents if "they see the news media as generally fair to all sides when reporting on politics and social issues, or if they think the media tend to favor one side," Naseer adds.
"About three-quarters of U.S. adults (77%) say news organizations tend to favor one side when presenting the news on political and social issues. Far fewer (22%) believe news organizations deal fairly with all sides. In surveys going back almost 40 years, most Americans have viewed news coverage as biased toward one side."

Throughout the survey's 40-year history, political parties have consistently held separate beliefs about media fairness, with Republicans more likely to see media as favoring one side more than Democrats. Naseer reports, "In this year's survey, about nine-in-ten Republicans (88%) say news organizations tend to favor one side when presenting the news on political and social issues, compared with 67% of Democrats."

Construction and agriculture industries 'brace' for potential changes to U.S. immigration and tariff policies

Several U.S. sectors are preparing for imminent changes the transition to a Republican president and Congress promise to bring. Stories focused on upcoming changes are excerpted below.

Undocumented workers make up roughly 13%
of the construction industry. (Adobe Stock photo)

President-elect Donald Trump's planned immigration crackdown and tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods will hit the housing market with a "one-two punch," report Elizabeth Findell and Gina Heeb of The Wall Street Journal. "In Texas, California, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, immigrants make up more than half of construction trade workers. . . Undocumented workers make up an estimated 13% of the construction industry." Beyond the possible loss of skilled trade workers, "the president-elect’s proposed tariffs of 25% on Canada and Mexico could increase the cost of construction materials."

Once Trump and a solidly Republican Congress are back at work, health officials anticipate the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion will be "back on the chopping block," reports Phil Galewitz of KFF Health News. "More than 3 million adults in nine states would be at immediate risk of losing their health coverage should the GOP reduce the extra federal Medicaid funding that’s enabled states to widen eligibility." Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah and Virginia all have trigger laws that would swiftly end their Medicaid expansions if federal funding changes.

In 2023, the United States exported 17.83 metric tons
of wheat, worth $6.08 billion. (Adobe Stock photo)

Farmers and meat plants are "bracing" for immigration changes, including possible mass deportations of some current workers, reports Patick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. "America’s food-supply chain relies on a predominantly immigrant workforce for some of its most challenging jobs. . . . About two-thirds of U.S. crop-farm workers are foreign-born, and 42% aren’t legally authorized to work in the country, according to a Labor Department report. . . . Having a smaller pool of workers would likely prompt companies to raise wages, but that could result in higher food prices."

If the Trump administration makes good on its promise to levy tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China, a trade war is likely; however, the administration may no longer have free rein to tap into the Agriculture Department's discretionary spending to buffer farm losses. "A bipartisan cohort of lawmakers want to rein in a pot of money Trump’s first administration used to compensate farmers decimated by the then-president’s trade confrontation with China," reports Skye Witley of Bloomberg News. "A farm bill package that would require congressional approval of certain Agriculture Department discretionary spending supporting the farm economy" was championed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and House Agriculture Chair GT Thompson (R-Pa.)

Brooke Rollins in 2021
(Wikipedia photo)

While many of the incoming administration's actions were anticipated, Trump surprised some lawmakers and agriculture groups when he nominated Brooke Rollins as his Agriculture secretary. "Trump’s decision to tap her came amid bitter infighting over the role among his advisers, family members and powerful agriculture groups, report Grace Yarrow and Meredith Lee Hill of Politico. "Rollins, who grew up on a farm, has less experience in agriculture policy than those on Trump’s shortlist. Rollins is from Texas and has a degree in agricultural development. While some GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill were surprised by the pick, she’s expected to have a fairly smooth Senate confirmation."

Making sense of bird flu virus H5N1, from its risks to why there's reason to be hopeful

Bird flu H5N1 can kill chickens in 48 hours, but the
infection is less severe in humans. (J. Whitt photo, Unsplash)

As avian flu spreads among birds, cows, and people, understanding the virus can help lessen unnecessary worry and build support for virus containment, testing and possible vaccination efforts.

David Leonhardt of The New York Times demystifies the bird flu virus through questions and answers. The answers have been lightly edited.

1. What is bird flu?
It’s an influenza virus officially known as H5N1 (and sometimes called avian flu). It attracted global attention in the late 1990s after an outbreak among chickens in southern China. . . . That outbreak was especially worrisome because it included the first documented human cases of the virus. At least 18 people were infected, six of whom died.

2. Why the recent concerns?
The virus has recently expanded in two ways: across regions and across species. Rather than being concentrated in Asia, bird flu has moved across much of the planet. And it has infected a wider variety of animals, including mammals. Dairy cows in many parts of the United States have tested positive.

Most concerning, at least four people have tested positive without evidently having had contact with a sick animal. . . . These infections raise the possibility that the virus can move from one human being to another, rather than only from an animal to a person. Human-to-human transmission can lead to a much more rapid spread of a disease.

3. What are the reasons to be hopeful?
First, it’s not yet clear whether those four recent cases stemmed from human-to-human transmission.

Second, H5N1 seems to have become less severe in human beings recently. The reasons aren’t clear. . . . As my colleague Apoorva Mandavilli says, 'Very few people known to be infected with bird flu in the United States have become seriously ill, and none have died.'

4. How can the U.S. reduce the risks?
More testing — of birds, cows and farmworkers — would help. “We know very, very little about how far this virus has spread and how many people and animals have been infected,” Mandavilli said. Testing could allow farms to isolate infected animals and people.

What about a vaccine?
A vaccine for bird flu exists, but the supply is modest. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, believes the government should help expand production and make the vaccine available to farmworkers who want to receive it.

The bottom line:
Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins, recently published a book on preventing outbreaks called "Crisis Averted." In it, she argues that one of the most effective public health strategies is honesty: Experts should level with people, rather than telling selective truths intended to shape behavior in paternalistic ways (as happened during Covid).

A high school public health care boarding school is planned in Alabama; part of its mission is to serve rural counties

Alabama will launch a high school focused on health
care. (Adobe Stock photo)

Amid national health care provider shortages, Alabama is investing in a high school public health care boarding school "to address [the state's] health care staffing crisis, particularly in rural parts of the state, by training students for roles across the medical field," reports Alander Rocha of the Alabama Reflector. The board "overseeing the creation laid the groundwork to select a leader and prepare a curriculum."

With planning under way, the school "is scheduled to enroll its inaugural ninth-grade class in 2026," Rocha writes. "Rob Pearson, interim president of the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation, said that the school will offer 'certification levels beyond what’s currently available in Alabama high schools for those looking to become health care professionals.'"

Health disparities between the state's rural and urban populations, which are particularly dire along the Black Belt, motivated health care leaders and stakeholders to work creatively to increase health care access in rural areas. Rocha reports, "The Black Belt experiences some of the state’s worst health outcomes, and Alabama already ranks among the lowest nationally. Life expectancy in every Black Belt county is below the state average of nearly 75 years."

Demopolis is in Marengo
County, Ala. (Wikipedia)

True to its rural service mission, the new Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will be built in Demopolis, a small town with roughly 7,000 residents in west-central Alabama. State Superintendent Eric Mackey "said the school’s recruitment strategy will focus on drawing students from across the state to build a workforce pipeline beyond those wanting to attend medical school, like nursing," Rocha reports. The school "will join a network of specialized boarding schools, including the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering."

Through their initiative to establish high schools focused on health care, Bloomberg Philanthropies "is providing $26 million of the estimated $80 million needed," Rocha adds. "A groundbreaking expected by mid-2025. . . . The school is the only rural residential school funded by Bloomberg."

Christmas tree growers are 'overcoming historic challenges' to provide live trees to holiday buyers

Fraser firs are a holiday tree
favorite. (Photo by W. Hicks)

Picking out a live Christmas tree, even with the family haggling that often comes with it, is how many Americans officially begin their holiday season. But this year, Christmas tree farmers had to work harder and with more creativity to get those trees ready for sale, reports Valerie Bauerlein of The Wall Street Journal. "Growers are having to overcome historic challenges to get them to the lots."

The difficulties Christmas tree farmers face aren't limited to growing perfectly shaped trees. They also face tree disease, labor shortages, plastic tree competitors, and "inflation on everything from seeds to tractors," Bauerlein writes. "And that was before Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the western part of North Carolina, which produces more Christmas trees than any state except Oregon."

The beloved Fraser fir tree crop grows primarily in western North Carolina where flooding "left 95 people dead, washed out roads and destroyed homes," Bauerlein adds. Tree farmer Waightstill Avery III lost a barn, equipment and "60,000 trees, a third of the total at family-owned Trinity Tree Company-Avery Farms. Many of the damaged trees were partially submerged by floodwater. Others were covered in clingy silt that resists washing. . . . Avery’s staff have been recovering what they can."

Besides dealing with unpredictable weather, most tree farmers are short-staffed, with many using migrant workers to shore up labor gaps, but that solution has become more difficult and expensive. Bauerlein reports, "Tree farmer Rusty Barr said the regulations around hiring foreign workers have become increasingly cumbersome. . . . The hourly rate he pays is increasing to more than $16 next year, another cost to absorb."

The industry also faces a smaller pool of customers as "baby boomers stop putting up live trees," Bauerlein explains. "There is increasingly stiff competition from China-made artificial trees, which have become easier to assemble and more lifelike, sometimes boasting scents like 'white winter fir.' . . . Such challenges have buffeted market size: The number of trees harvested in the U.S. has declined 30% since 2002."

Even as the industry looks at this obstacle-filled season, "the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association said there should be enough supply for anyone who wants a real tree this year, though growers say that buyers might need to adjust their expectations," Bauerlein adds. "Some church groups that flock to the mountains to stock their tree lots back home have been intentionally seeking out scraggly 'Charlie Brown' trees as a show of support."

A new analysis suggests that when rural areas lack access to civic infrastruture, it contributes to health disparities

The index is based on weighted health outcomes that measure the quality and length of one's life.

(Map by Sarah Melotte, The Daily Yonder, from County Health Rankings data)

When compared to their urban counterparts, rural communities continue to face health disparities for a wide range of reasons; however, a new analysis of County Health Rankings & Roadmaps data by The Daily Yonder suggests that this "disparity is driven partly by unequal access to civic infrastructure," reports Sarah Melotte. A lack of "access to resources like high-speed internet and public libraries is part of the reason rural counties aren’t as healthy as metropolitan ones."

The 2024 CHR&R National Findings Report, Creating Thriving Communities Through Civic Participation, underscored the relationship between a community's civic participation access and the health of its members. Counties with well-resourced civic infrastructure, such as local news, broadband internet and public libraries, were healthier and often more urban.

More insights from the Yonder's analysis:

• Rural counties make up 17 of the top 20 most unhealthy counties in the health outcome index, a CHR&R tool that measures the length and quality of life in a county.
• People who live in rural areas are more likely to experience unequal access to civic infrastructure, according to the report. Rural communities are more likely to lack access to broadband internet and to pay more for a subscription when they do have it.
• Health outcomes also vary by region. Both rural and metro counties in the South are the least healthy compared to other regions, while some of the healthiest counties are in New England.
• The rural South exhibits the worst index scores compared to all other regions in both nonmetropolitan and metropolitan areas.
• The states with the worst inequalities between rural and urban counties are Alaska and Hawaii.

Opinion: Bringing grocery stores back to poor and rural areas requires reviving a 1936 law that is now ignored

Adobe Stock photo

A change in federal policy during the 1980's created modern-day "food deserts" in poor and rural communities. While the revision was intended "to reward the biggest retail chains for their efficiency," writes Stacy Mitchell in her opinion for The Atlantic, it put local grocery stores out of business while increasing food costs in areas already hampered by poverty and depopulation. . . . "Food deserts will not go away until that mistake is reversed."

Historically, local grocery stores were shielded by the Robinson-Patman Act. "The law essentially bans price discrimination, making it illegal for suppliers to offer preferential deals and for retailers to demand them. It does, however, allow businesses to pass along legitimate savings," Mitchell explains. For more than four decades, the Robinson-Patman Act successfully maintained the delicate balance of U.S. grocery store competition between big chains and local stores.

In the 1980s, the Reagan administration didn't agree with the "tough antitrust enforcement" that previous administrations had provided through the Robinson-Patman Act, so "the government simply stopped enforcing it," Mitchell writes. "That move tipped the retail market in favor of the largest chains. . . .Walmart was the first to fully grasp the implications of the new legal terrain. It soon became notorious for aggressively strong-arming suppliers, a strategy that fueled its rapid expansion."

Once the Robinson-Patman Act was dismantled, independent grocers and smaller supply businesses couldn't compete on price and were squeezed out of their neighborhood markets. "Price discrimination spread beyond groceries, hobbling bookstores, pharmacies, and many other local businesses," Mitchell reports. "From 1982 to 2017, the market share of independent retailers shrank from 53% to 22%."

Meanwhile, mega-retailers such as Walmart and Safeway continue to dominate sales but still fail to meet needs in rural communities. Why? They don't have to. "Walmart can capture spending across a wide region by locating its supercenters in larger towns."

Stacy Mitchell
(Photo by Brian Fitzgerald via ILSR)

To create an economic atmosphere where smaller local grocers and retailers could succeed, the Robinson-Patman Act will need to be revived and applied. Mitchell adds,"Requiring a level pricing playing field would restore local retailers’ ability to compete. This would provide immediate relief to entrepreneurs who have recently opened grocery stores in food deserts, only to find that their inability to buy on the same terms as Walmart and Dollar General makes survival difficult."

Stacy Mitchell is a co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, where her research focuses on economic concentration and the health of local economies.

Reporting on contentious issues in rural America: An informal discussion on what journalists should consider

Nicholas Jacobs, Sarah Melotte, Natalia Alamdari

After an election year marked by national chatter about what rural Americans believe and do, the Rural Journalism Collective is offering an informal panel conversation about how rural towns manage conflict and what journalists should consider as they report on contentious issues within their community. The event is on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2 p.m. E.T. Register here.

The panel discussion features:

• Nicholas Jacobs, an assistant professor of government at Colby College and an expert on American politics and policymaking, with a focus on the rural-urban divide, federalism, and developments in the American party system.

• Sarah Melotte, a staff writer at The Daily Yonder, an independent newsroom about rural America. Mellotte has a master’s degree in applied geography and geospatial science. She analyzes data, and plans and creates most of The Daily Yonder’s data reporting maps and graphics.

• Natalia Alamdari, a greater Nebraska reporter for the Flatwater Free Press, where she covers everything from chaos on rural village boards to shady international nonprofits to election misinformation efforts straight from the heartland. She is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and a native Texan.

Another food recall? U.S. food supply diversification created 'many more points' where food can be contaminated.

The listeria outbreak in Boar's Head meat caused 10 deaths
and sickened at least 61 people this year. (Boar's Head photo)

In the past six months, the number of reported food-borne illness outbreaks and food recalls in the United States has started to feel like a daily occurrence. And as the list of tainted foods grows from deli meat to onions to ground beef, many American consumers are wondering which foods are safe. Emily Schmall of The New York Times reports on "what the data on food safety actually shows."

A more in-depth look at U.S. food system data reveals a complex system with some documented safety improvements and plenty of room for improvement. Schmall explains, "By some measures, the food supply has become safer in recent years: We now have better testing systems that make it possible to detect contaminated food sooner and recall it faster, which means that outbreaks are now often smaller. It’s also easier to detect foodborne illnesses and link them to specific outbreaks. . . . Still, there has been less progress than experts had hoped to see by now."

Part of the country's food safety dilemma comes from the system's complexity and the sheer number of countries and suppliers involved. Schmall reports, "More products and ingredients are now being imported, and food is more frequently grown, manufactured, packed, and distributed by separate companies. A longer and less integrated supply chain means there are many more points at which the food can be contaminated."

The American public isn't wrong; recalls have increased. In fact, "recalls have nearly doubled between 2012 and 2024, though the Food and Drug Administration lumps food and cosmetic recalls together," Schmall writes. "Some of this increase may be because of better testing. Not all recalls involve pathogens, either." 

While the constant barrage of food recalls has left many Americans thinking U.S. regulators cannot ensure that the food supply is safe, the FDA has funding constraints that limit its ability to inspect more foreign food facilities. "The FDA physically inspects less than 1% of food imports," Schmall explains. "That gap in oversight was illuminated last year when applesauce pouches that contained lead-tainted cinnamon sourced from Ecuador sickened hundreds of children across the United States."

Susan Mayne, who served as the FDA's director of food safety during the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations, told Schmal, "The FDA functions as a food safety cop on the beat. But the ultimate responsibility for making things safer really comes from the food industry.”

Shopping rural helps small communities -- and it's a romp through one-of-a-kind gifts, practical gear and artful whimsy

Celebrating all the holidays in November and December can be more fun when shopping rural in-store or online. When gift-givers choose to buy from small-town businesses, they support local communities and get to spend their hard-earned gift-giving dollars on delightful, original items that can't be found at larger retailers. Below are just a few stops for readers to browse and hopefully, take time to enjoy the ingenuity, resourcefulness and craftsmanship rural businesses offer.

Mohr's art captures rich rural moments.

The art of Bonnie Mohr captures the beauty and spirit of life lived closer to nature. Whether it's cows, cats, old trucks, luscious landscapes or children playing in the snow, Mohr's work captures the unique perspective and warm wisdom of rural living. 

Inspired by the 1803 diary writings of midwife and tallow candle maker, Martha Ballard, 1803 Candles celebrate the nostalgia of simpler times. Like Ballard's candles, 1803 Candles are made by hand. Located in tiny, Waterman, Illinois, many of the company's employees are moms who work while their children are in school. 1803 Candles can be purchased online but can be discovered and smelled at a local shop with this handy finder.

Rural Cloth promotes rural as a lifestyle and strives to sell
high quality clothes that tout fashion and function.

Rural clothing styles are just as diverse as rural people, but for giftgivers seeking ranch, farm or outdoor life gear, the options start with flannel and go beyond. There's Rural Cloth for "those who live in small towns, like rodeos, bull riding, hunting, fishing, cold beer, backyard BBQs, and football." Duluth Trading is also a very rural pick. Headquartered in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, the company is serious about rural Americans being comfortable and ready for anything. The company even has "Fire Hose Workwear" and heirloom gardening bib overalls. Find a local store here.

Shop Rural can supply ideas and inspiration for gift-giving budgets of all sizes. The site supports "Small Towns and Small Batches" for hand-picking gifts that are special and support local artisans. The options go from craft woodworking to whimsical gnome-shaped soaps made from goat milk. Shop Rural is for small-town businesses only, so there's no mass production and the site does not take commissions. Shop Rural is still growing and has artist listing packages from $2 to $8.

Bookshop.org makes supporting independent bookstores simple. Avid readers need books, and bookgivers can choose a favorite rural/local bookstore to receive the full profit from their Bookshop.org purchases. Many smaller bookstores also offer book purchases through their own websites, which are "powered" by Bookshop. In Hazard, Kentucky, a local bookstore called "Read Spotted Newt" has a website full of local offerings along with the option to order books directly from its site through Bookshop.

When perusing the web for outdoor adventure and nature lover gifts, Rural is Rad is a stop that offers an online database featuring local businesses in Colorado. The site has beanies, nature notebooks, hand-knitted hats and gloves, specialty ski apparel, hiking equipment and hiking guides and journals to go with it.