2018 issues of Fodder

In Fodder this week: Handheld near-infrared spectroscopy devices could allow farmers to monitor pasture nutrient levels in real time and adjust grazing patterns accordingly; a map of global land use change shows net increases in the land area used for agriculture and settlements, and a net loss of forest area; a special issue of Science reviews key issues connecting diet and health, including dietary fat, fasting and gut microbiota; and a toolkit on environmentally sustainable diets has been released to help dietitians.

In Fodder this week: Taxes on red and processed meat could reduce deaths and healthcare costs associated with their consumption; researchers produce a vision for the future of food in Nordic countries, including organic farming and lower meat consumption; could food produced from air and electricity help to reduce land use?

In Fodder this week: Brexit could cause an extra 5,600 deaths because of the resulting possible changes in diet; the global food system does not produce enough fruits, vegetables and protein to meet everyone’s nutritional needs; meat, eggs and dairy are major contributors to the carbon footprint of diets in the European Union; and the expansion of palm oil cultivation in Africa is likely to threaten primate biodiversity.

In Fodder this week: As the IPCC warns that limiting climate change to 1.5°C requires unprecedented and rapid systemic change in land use, industry, energy and cities, a paper finds that the environmental impacts of the food system can be cut significantly through a combination of plant-based diets, reducing food waste and changes in agricultural technology. Meanwhile, 10 million people in the UK live in “food deserts” with limited access to healthy, affordable food; a robotic farm has been unveiled in California; and Brazil’s environment could be at stake in the ongoing presidential elections.