Leah Douglas

Two of the top three stories on @reuters.com are the latest news on SNAP and WIC. Keep with us for the latest.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO USE CONTINGENCY FUNDS TO PARTIALLY PAY FOR NOVEMBER'S SNAP FOOD BENEFITS, COURT FILING SAYS - Reuters

Food aid for 42 million imperiled by shutdown politics, as Trump tests law Nearly 42 million people are set to lose food aid due to the second-longest U.S. government shutdown, as Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to blame each other for a weeks-long legislative stalemate.

Neither party shows signs of changing its position to end the 29-day federal shutdown, as SNAP benefits for 42 million people are set to lapse Nov. 1. Meanwhile, the USDA defends a legal U-turn on contingency funds.

From Bo Erickson and I for @reuters.com: www.reuters.com/business/hea...

A banner on the USDA website says SNAP benefits will not go out on November 1.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry.”

An agency memo yesterday said the USDA will not use contingency funds for Nov. benefits: www.reuters.com/world/us/usd...

Food banks, already under strain, say there is little they can do to prepare for the likelihood that SNAP and WIC benefits will lapse in November.

We talked to 9 food banks in 8 states and heard the same thing again and again.

“We’re in some real trouble.”

www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

USDA memo says it will not use emergency funds for November food benefits - www.reuters.com/world/us/usd...

NEW: the USDA says it will not use $5 billion in contingency funds to pay for November SNAP benefits.

The benefits are set to lapse at the end of this month due to the federal shutdown.

States, mayors, House Democrats etc have been urging the agency to use this money. Story TK

🚨Two dozen states have warned SNAP recipients that November benefits will not go out if the gov’t shutdown continues.

November could see a historic benefit gap for nearly 7 mln WIC and 41 mln SNAP recipients.

“This could get really bad.”

www.reuters.com/business/env...

U.S. farmers on Monday criticized Trump's suggestion that the country may import more beef from Argentina. Farmers have also lost out to the South American nation on soybean sales to China.

"This plan only creates chaos,” said one cattle group.

With Tom Polansek: www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Federal Layoffs Update 🚨

We could have a better sense today of the # of federal staff laid off since the shutdown began.

A judge ordered the Trump admin to provide an accounting of the firings by 2 p.m. ET today, October 17.

The Trump admin previously said 4,108 people lost their jobs.

What the shutdown means for the Women, Infants and Children program The GOP is blaming the Left for keeping baby formula and healthy foods out of the hands of low-income families.

Thanks very much to the team at 1A for having me on @npr.org / @wamu.org today to talk about the government shutdown and risks to WIC, and the broader context of rising hunger and federal food aid cuts.

Listen to the segment here: the1a.org/segments/wha...

The Trump administration is expected to announce a plan as soon as Tuesday to bail out U.S. farmers - as much as $15B - but the plan could be difficult to roll out because of the government shutdown.

Read more from me and Bo Erickson at @reuters.com: www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Democrats say the Trump administration is violating the Hatch Act by posting political messages on government websites, like the USDA. Reporting by me and Steve Holland.

US government shutdown threatens food-aid program for low-income Americans Crucial food assistance for about 6.7 million low-income Americans has been put in jeopardy.

🚨The WIC nutrition program could face funding shortfalls in days if the government shutdown continues.

Bo Erickson and I report for @reuters.com on why this key aid is now in jeopardy: www.reuters.com/business/hea...

States to end nutrition education programs after Trump cuts On a warm September day in the courtyard of a San Francisco senior living community, a dozen residents shake their hips and throw their hands in the air to the beat of, fittingly, Earth, Wind & Fire's "September."

There's a lot of news today (!). But take a moment to read this @reuters.com story about a less-covered impact of Trump's federal funding cuts: the end of SNAP-Ed, a nutrition education program that has served millions over 30 years. Its funding ends today.

www.reuters.com/world/us/sta...

Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to change the childhood vaccine schedule in September, former CDC head Susan Monarez told Congress on Wednesday.

Kennedy asked her to commit to approving the changes before reviewing scientific evidence, Monarez said.

www.reuters.com/business/hea...

US online disaster planning tool may go dark on Wednesday, agency website says An online disaster management tool that U.S. emergency managers use to communicate may no longer be supported Wednesday, according to a notice posted and later deleted from a federal government website.

NEW: A FEMA disaster management tool that emergency managers use to communicate may no longer be supported Wednesday, according to a notice posted and later deleted from a federal government website.

My latest w/ @courtneyrozen.bsky.social:

www.reuters.com/business/env...

Staff losses at FEMA could compromise disaster response, says watchdog agency Recent staff losses at the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the departure of two dozen senior leaders, could compromise the agency's ability to respond to natural disasters this year, according to a report by a government watchdog agency.

The recent loss of 2,500 staff and 24 senior career officials could compromise FEMA's ability to respond to natural disasters this year, according to a report by a government watchdog agency.

My latest for @reuters.com: www.reuters.com/business/env...

Live: CDC director Monarez ousted after RFK Jr. vaccine shifts Kennedy took questions with Texas Governor Abbott during a press conference in Austin. Departing senior CDC officials told Reuters that changes to CDC's vaccine advisory board and other policies drove them to resign.

BREAKING: Changes to the CDC's vaccine advisory board and other vaccine policies drove three senior officials to resign on Wednesday, they told @reuters.com in an interview today shortly after they were escorted from the CDC HQ.

Follow our coverage here: www.reuters.com/world/live-u...

Here's the story: www.reuters.com/legal/litiga...

NEW: The USDA has moved to end union contracts with some workers at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the latest move by the Trump administration to strip federal workers of collective bargaining rights. Story TK @reuters.com

USDA Spent $16,400 on Banners to Honor Trump and Lincoln - Washingtonian The unusual installation was a 31-foot-tall reminder of how much things have changed in Washington.

The USDA spent $16,400 on the 31-foot banners of Trump and Lincoln that hang from its HQ building in DC, according to records obtained by @washingtonian.com via public records request.

www.washingtonian.com/2025/08/12/u...

'MAHA' activists urge Trump to oppose limits on pesticide regulation President Donald Trump should block the U.S. House from limiting the regulation of pesticides and "forever chemicals" in its environmental appropriations bill or risk losing Republican support, more than 200 activists aligned with the "Make America Healthy Again" movement said in a letter to Trump.

'MAHA' Activists Urge Trump To Oppose Limits On #Pesticide Regulation

@leahjdouglas.bsky.social reports for @reuters.com

#news #environment #climatechange

EJ Today Headlines: sej.org/headlines/list

www.reuters.com/business/env...

Joint statement on Gaza from Reuters, AFP, The AP and BBC News Joint statement on Gaza from Reuters, AFP, AP and BBC News

"“We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families," say @reuters.com, BBC, @apnews.com and @afp.com.

reutersagency.com/media-centre...

Trump administration defends immigration tactics after California worker's death Administration officials said they would appeal a ruling to halt some of the administration's more aggressive tactics.

Trump officials defended their immigration tactics on Sunday, including a California farm raid on Thursday that left one worker dead.

Border czar Tom Homan said ICE officers were doing their jobs at the raid.

"It's always unfortunate when there's deaths," he said.

www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

One California worker dead, hundreds arrested, after cannabis farm raid A California farmworker died on Friday from injuries sustained a day earlier when U.S. immigration agents raided a cannabis operation and arrested hundreds of workers, according to a farmworker advocacy group.

A California farmworker died on Friday from injuries sustained a day earlier when US immigration agents raided a cannabis operation and arrested hundreds of workers, according to a farmworker advocacy group. @leahjdouglas.bsky.social www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

One California worker dead, hundreds arrested, after cannabis farm raid A California farmworker died on Friday from injuries sustained a day earlier when U.S. immigration agents raided a cannabis operation and arrested hundreds of workers, according to a farmworker advocacy group.

A farmworker died today from injuries sustained after a 30-foot fall from a building during yesterday's immigration raid on a California cannabis farm.

Other workers are injured and US citizens are detained and unaccounted for, says the United Farm Workers.

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

The National Guard showed up with ICE today at two California cannabis farms, where they were later met by throngs of protestors.

The latest impact of the Trump administration’s deportation campaign on agriculture: www.reuters.com/world/us/imm...

US agriculture agency to end consideration of race, sex in many farm programs The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday it would no longer consider a farmer's race or sex in many of its farm loan, commodity and conservation programs, ending a longstanding effort by the agency to address its history of discrimination.

NEW: The USDA will no longer consider race and sex in many of its farm programs, ending a decades-long effort to address its history of discrimination.

The agency has adequately addressed its past bias, it said in a final rule published Thursday.

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

US farm secretary says 'no amnesty' for farmworkers from deportation U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Tuesday that there will be "no amnesty" for agricultural workers from the Trump administration's efforts to deport all immigrants in the country illegally.

There will be "no amnesty" for US farmworkers from deportation, per Ag. Sec. Rollins.

Trump wants a 100% American workforce, she said. "There are 34 million able-bodied adults in our Medicaid program. There are plenty of workers in America."

www.reuters.com/legal/govern...