Dan Blaustein-Rejto
@danbr.bsky.social
Researching sustainable food & agriculture at Breakthrough Institute. Sustainable food future = lower-carbon livestock, plant-based and cultivated meat, biotech / GMOs, intensive and industrial production. thebreakthrough.org/people/dan-blaustein-rejto
Grassley: RFK better not listen to Calley Means and criticize pesticides!
RFK: Please. I’m just making his sister, Casey Means, America’s top public health messenger.
RFK: Please. I’m just making his sister, Casey Means, America’s top public health messenger.
November 26, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Grassley: RFK better not listen to Calley Means and criticize pesticides!
RFK: Please. I’m just making his sister, Casey Means, America’s top public health messenger.
RFK: Please. I’m just making his sister, Casey Means, America’s top public health messenger.
Billions of dollars go to agricultural innovation & development, but too few solutions ever reach the farmers who need them.
Our new report outlines how AIM for Scale could change that, identifying cost-effective innovations and convening orgs to scale them up. thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-...
Our new report outlines how AIM for Scale could change that, identifying cost-effective innovations and convening orgs to scale them up. thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-...
November 18, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Billions of dollars go to agricultural innovation & development, but too few solutions ever reach the farmers who need them.
Our new report outlines how AIM for Scale could change that, identifying cost-effective innovations and convening orgs to scale them up. thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-...
Our new report outlines how AIM for Scale could change that, identifying cost-effective innovations and convening orgs to scale them up. thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-...
Cutting food tariffs in general, however, is still good. Food prices have been up since Trump levied additional tariffs.
But it shouldn't be one-sided. The U.S. should continue to pair tariff reductions with opening new markets for its own farmers.
But it shouldn't be one-sided. The U.S. should continue to pair tariff reductions with opening new markets for its own farmers.
October 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Cutting food tariffs in general, however, is still good. Food prices have been up since Trump levied additional tariffs.
But it shouldn't be one-sided. The U.S. should continue to pair tariff reductions with opening new markets for its own farmers.
But it shouldn't be one-sided. The U.S. should continue to pair tariff reductions with opening new markets for its own farmers.
Importing more Argentinian beef won’t change much—current imports are about equal to *a single day* of U.S. beef consumption.
October 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Importing more Argentinian beef won’t change much—current imports are about equal to *a single day* of U.S. beef consumption.
China may have stopped buying U.S. soy but Congress and the White House are finding ways to use more of it for biofuel, at taxpayers' and drivers' expense.
My latest for @thebti.bsky.social: www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/burning-th...
My latest for @thebti.bsky.social: www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/burning-th...
October 17, 2025 at 5:07 PM
China may have stopped buying U.S. soy but Congress and the White House are finding ways to use more of it for biofuel, at taxpayers' and drivers' expense.
My latest for @thebti.bsky.social: www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/burning-th...
My latest for @thebti.bsky.social: www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/burning-th...
New evidence that tariffs have increased prices of many foods, especially coffee. www.library.hbs.edu/working-know...
October 9, 2025 at 5:46 PM
New evidence that tariffs have increased prices of many foods, especially coffee. www.library.hbs.edu/working-know...
U.S. agricultural productivity has nearly flatlined, a new report shows, going from 2% annual growth in the 1980s to just 0.28%.
That slowdown adds pressure on farmers, food prices, and environmental sustainability. 🧵 t.co/gpROxZL1B6
That slowdown adds pressure on farmers, food prices, and environmental sustainability. 🧵 t.co/gpROxZL1B6
October 1, 2025 at 10:03 PM
U.S. agricultural productivity has nearly flatlined, a new report shows, going from 2% annual growth in the 1980s to just 0.28%.
That slowdown adds pressure on farmers, food prices, and environmental sustainability. 🧵 t.co/gpROxZL1B6
That slowdown adds pressure on farmers, food prices, and environmental sustainability. 🧵 t.co/gpROxZL1B6
Converting half of cropland to organic, as many in the MAHA movement wish to see, would require over 30 million more acres—nearly Iowa’s size.
New analysis shows how MAHA's vision for farming would raise costs, environmental impacts, and even health risks. t.co/sMrcoT2B82
New analysis shows how MAHA's vision for farming would raise costs, environmental impacts, and even health risks. t.co/sMrcoT2B82
September 26, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Converting half of cropland to organic, as many in the MAHA movement wish to see, would require over 30 million more acres—nearly Iowa’s size.
New analysis shows how MAHA's vision for farming would raise costs, environmental impacts, and even health risks. t.co/sMrcoT2B82
New analysis shows how MAHA's vision for farming would raise costs, environmental impacts, and even health risks. t.co/sMrcoT2B82
The leaked MAHA report nods at how precision farming can cut pesticide use. But it ignores one of the biggest opportunities: biotechnology. With research + regulatory reform, biotech crops (like Bt corn) could need far fewer pesticides. agfundernews.com/leaked-maha-...
August 18, 2025 at 10:53 PM
The leaked MAHA report nods at how precision farming can cut pesticide use. But it ignores one of the biggest opportunities: biotechnology. With research + regulatory reform, biotech crops (like Bt corn) could need far fewer pesticides. agfundernews.com/leaked-maha-...
New MAHA report says to back research on technologies to help farmers reduce pesticide use, NYTimes reports.
It's a great idea. Advances in precision ag, biopesticides & GMOs can cut pesticide use. But Trump & Congress need to stand behind agriculture R&D to make that happen, not cut its funding.
It's a great idea. Advances in precision ag, biopesticides & GMOs can cut pesticide use. But Trump & Congress need to stand behind agriculture R&D to make that happen, not cut its funding.
August 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
New MAHA report says to back research on technologies to help farmers reduce pesticide use, NYTimes reports.
It's a great idea. Advances in precision ag, biopesticides & GMOs can cut pesticide use. But Trump & Congress need to stand behind agriculture R&D to make that happen, not cut its funding.
It's a great idea. Advances in precision ag, biopesticides & GMOs can cut pesticide use. But Trump & Congress need to stand behind agriculture R&D to make that happen, not cut its funding.
High corn & soy yields have been making headlines. But what isn't reported is that U.S. agricultural productivity is actually *slowing*.
Our new roadmap outlines how to get back on course. 🧵
Our new roadmap outlines how to get back on course. 🧵
August 13, 2025 at 6:59 PM
High corn & soy yields have been making headlines. But what isn't reported is that U.S. agricultural productivity is actually *slowing*.
Our new roadmap outlines how to get back on course. 🧵
Our new roadmap outlines how to get back on course. 🧵
The U.S. is falling behind in agricultural innovation, spending half as much as China on R&D.
The result: slowing productivity growth and a record farm trade deficit.
Our new roadmap shows how America can innovate to lead in agriculture again.
🔗 buff.ly/1FOtkRl
The result: slowing productivity growth and a record farm trade deficit.
Our new roadmap shows how America can innovate to lead in agriculture again.
🔗 buff.ly/1FOtkRl
August 13, 2025 at 4:14 PM
The U.S. is falling behind in agricultural innovation, spending half as much as China on R&D.
The result: slowing productivity growth and a record farm trade deficit.
Our new roadmap shows how America can innovate to lead in agriculture again.
🔗 buff.ly/1FOtkRl
The result: slowing productivity growth and a record farm trade deficit.
Our new roadmap shows how America can innovate to lead in agriculture again.
🔗 buff.ly/1FOtkRl
How can we fix our food system and stop "eating the earth"? RSVP for this deep dive webinar July 30, hosted by
@thebti.bsky.social with @mikegrunwald.bsky.social, @farmfuture.bsky.social and @jennysplitter.bsky.social: t.co/CobCxQF8l4
@thebti.bsky.social with @mikegrunwald.bsky.social, @farmfuture.bsky.social and @jennysplitter.bsky.social: t.co/CobCxQF8l4
July 10, 2025 at 4:49 PM
How can we fix our food system and stop "eating the earth"? RSVP for this deep dive webinar July 30, hosted by
@thebti.bsky.social with @mikegrunwald.bsky.social, @farmfuture.bsky.social and @jennysplitter.bsky.social: t.co/CobCxQF8l4
@thebti.bsky.social with @mikegrunwald.bsky.social, @farmfuture.bsky.social and @jennysplitter.bsky.social: t.co/CobCxQF8l4
As we've written, technology has historically continued increasing global crop yields even in the face of climate change. Wheat yields have increased 218% since 1961, relative to a hypothetical 235% w/o climate change. thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-...
June 20, 2025 at 6:39 PM
As we've written, technology has historically continued increasing global crop yields even in the face of climate change. Wheat yields have increased 218% since 1961, relative to a hypothetical 235% w/o climate change. thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-...
So many misleading headlines. The new Nature paper doesn't predict that crop yields will *fall*. It finds that climate change will slow growth in yields, but that thanks to innovation and other factors, yields will "probably" continue rising above today's levels.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
June 20, 2025 at 6:35 PM
So many misleading headlines. The new Nature paper doesn't predict that crop yields will *fall*. It finds that climate change will slow growth in yields, but that thanks to innovation and other factors, yields will "probably" continue rising above today's levels.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Many think that eating local helps the climate. But exporting more U.S. beef, especially to China, could cut global emissions by millions of tons.
Why? American beef has a far lower carbon footprint than beef from Brazil and other major exporters. www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/how-trump-...
Why? American beef has a far lower carbon footprint than beef from Brazil and other major exporters. www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/how-trump-...
June 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Many think that eating local helps the climate. But exporting more U.S. beef, especially to China, could cut global emissions by millions of tons.
Why? American beef has a far lower carbon footprint than beef from Brazil and other major exporters. www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/how-trump-...
Why? American beef has a far lower carbon footprint than beef from Brazil and other major exporters. www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/how-trump-...
Gas in California is about $1.50 more expensive than in the rest of the US. Ending the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, while not a panacea, would help and also reduce support for environmentally dubious biofuels like soy-based renewable diesel. www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/how-califo...
June 12, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Gas in California is about $1.50 more expensive than in the rest of the US. Ending the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, while not a panacea, would help and also reduce support for environmentally dubious biofuels like soy-based renewable diesel. www.breakthroughjournal.org/p/how-califo...
White House budget is out. Here's USDA's. Among the proposed cuts are many to agricultural research incl. ending Hatch funding for universities, cutting $145 million at Agricultural Research Service for "climate science research and climate hubs", and cutting competitive AFRI grants by $40 million
May 30, 2025 at 11:36 PM
White House budget is out. Here's USDA's. Among the proposed cuts are many to agricultural research incl. ending Hatch funding for universities, cutting $145 million at Agricultural Research Service for "climate science research and climate hubs", and cutting competitive AFRI grants by $40 million
Yeah... and doubly so: the GHG calculations for biofuels would still "credit" them for reducing meat production by increasing the cost of livestock feed. 🫠
May 14, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Yeah... and doubly so: the GHG calculations for biofuels would still "credit" them for reducing meat production by increasing the cost of livestock feed. 🫠
Sources: ILUC values reported in the guidelines for 45ZCF-GREET, EIA's latest projections for 2025 biofuel production, Farmdoc's estimates of the share of biodiesel & renewable diesel that was soy-based from 2021-23. www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
May 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Sources: ILUC values reported in the guidelines for 45ZCF-GREET, EIA's latest projections for 2025 biofuel production, Farmdoc's estimates of the share of biodiesel & renewable diesel that was soy-based from 2021-23. www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
With projected soy biodiesel and renewable diesel levels, that'd increase costs by nearly half a billion dollars just for 2025, and more in the future as production levels rise.
May 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
With projected soy biodiesel and renewable diesel levels, that'd increase costs by nearly half a billion dollars just for 2025, and more in the future as production levels rise.
Using default carbon intensity values from the 45ZCF-GREET model, soy biodiesel & renewable diesel is already eligible for the credit. Excluding indirect land use change would increase credit value by ~26 & 29 cents per gallon, respectively.
May 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Using default carbon intensity values from the 45ZCF-GREET model, soy biodiesel & renewable diesel is already eligible for the credit. Excluding indirect land use change would increase credit value by ~26 & 29 cents per gallon, respectively.
💸💰 The House's proposed reconciliation text expands the IRA tax credit for biofuels by 4 years. It also excludes indirect land use change when calculating eligibility & the credit value. Back of envelope calcs suggest that will increase the cost by over $1 billion per year.
May 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
💸💰 The House's proposed reconciliation text expands the IRA tax credit for biofuels by 4 years. It also excludes indirect land use change when calculating eligibility & the credit value. Back of envelope calcs suggest that will increase the cost by over $1 billion per year.
It would also expand use of biofuels by excluding indirect land use change when calculating their carbon footprint...and hence how much of a tax credit biofuel producers should get.
May 13, 2025 at 12:57 AM
It would also expand use of biofuels by excluding indirect land use change when calculating their carbon footprint...and hence how much of a tax credit biofuel producers should get.