tomato

Beat it: Den Staat farmers in South Africa use drumming and fire to deter elephants

“Last night we had a very big fight with an elephant in our tomato field,” said Joeman Moyo, a farmer at Den Staat farm in South Africa’s Limpopo region. “We used a torch … to make a fire. The elephant would go away but return when I put out the torch. I also burned a […]

Mongabay · 11/10/2026

US workers facing deadly heat borrow from tomato pickers to win key protections

As efforts to protect people from extreme heat stall, organizers are embracing an approach that targets major brands’ reputations “It’s the kind of heat that makes you feel like you’re being dehydrated, like your skin is drying out,” said Lucas Benitez, after harvesting watermelons with his sons and wife this summer. “The heat that we had 30 years ago is not nearly the heat that we have today.” This summer was the hottest on record in the US, and most workers in fields, greenhouses and unconditioned indoor facilities still do not have heat protections on the job, putting their health at risk as the climate crisis is expected to make extreme heat more frequent and intense. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 10/18/2026

‘Worst we’ve known’: UK turns to imports as drought and heat hit vegetable crops

Growers in dismay after scorching weather and lack of rain affect yields, sending wholesale prices rocketing Pubs, restaurants and supermarkets are having to buy lettuce and broccoli from Spain at what should be the height of UK growing season, as drought and extreme heat hit crops. The wholesale price of tomatoes is up by more than 60%, iceberg lettuce by 90% and potatoes by more than 40% as a number of farmers struggle to grow in consistently high temperatures. Even those with irrigation systems and reservoirs on their farms say water is running low. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 8/1/2026

Fifteen elephant deaths at Kenya park may be due to cyanide poisoning

Analysis of samples collected from carcasses found traces of toxic chemical compound, says Kenya Wildlife Service The recent deaths of 15 elephants near a park in southern Kenya in the past month were likely caused by the animals ingesting pesticides used on nearby tomato farms, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has said. Erustus Kanga, the agency’s director general, told Citizen TV that analysis of samples collected from the carcasses had found traces of cyanide, a chemical compound used in farming as a predator control poison and a pest fumigant, which has also been used by poachers. Continue reading...

The Guardian Environment · 7/30/2026

Cyanide in tomato pesticide killed 15 elephants, Kenyan officials suspect

Foul play is ruled out in the record number of elephant deaths for decades in this area of southern Kenya.

BBC Science & Environment · 7/30/2026