– China remains “very, very committed” to meeting its commitments under a Phase 1 trade deal with the United States, despite the unprecedented economic and health impacts of the new coronavirus outbreak, a senior U.S. trade official said on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Organizers say Palatine’s long-running summer farmers market will serve as a test of sorts when it opens for the season Saturday under restrictions aimed at operating safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facial coverings or masks, social distancing and a prohibition of food sampling will be among the measures taken at the outdoor market. (Daily Herald)  

The coronavirus outbreak has created multiple shortages as businesses shut down to maintain social distancing and quarantine orders. As the production of ethanol plants decreases, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) they capture as a byproduct and resell is also going down. This has implications for both food and beverage manufacturers that depend on CO2 for carbonation. (Forbes)  

Underreporting of African Swine Fever, the deadly disease that in 2019 killed about 25% of world’s hogs is rampant, USDA says. (Wall Street Journal)

As restaurants and grocery stores rapidly adjust their business models, CNN’s Dianne Gallagher looks at how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way Americans shop for food. (CNN)

Each spring, melting snow in the north and seasonal rains send huge volumes of runoff into waterways that have been heavily armored to protect surrounding land from flooding. This system of levees, dikes and walls usually held up during the last century but is now being over-topped more frequently by heavier storms. (ABC News)