The river port in the Amazon rainforest's largest city of Manaus on Friday hit its lowest level since 1902, as a drought drains waterways and snarls transport of grain exports and essential supplies that are the region's lifeline.

River level at Amazon rainforest port hits 122-year low amid drought
Grain exports and essential supplies affected

Bird flu strain raises alarm as virus kills South American wildlife
Mammal-to-mammal transmission of virus likely but unconfirmed, scientists say
The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has spread more aggressively than ever before in wild birds and marine mammals since arriving in South America in 2022, raising the risk of it evolving into a bigger threat to humans, according to interviews with eight scientists.

Once-in-50-year heat waves now happening every decade: U.N. climate report
Reuters – Extreme heat waves that previously only struck once every 50 years are now expected to happen once per decade because of global warming, while downpours and droughts have […] Read more

Amazon deforestation linked to lower corn yields in Brazil, study says
The large mass of forested land helps to moderate temperatures in the country
Reuters – Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon and neighboring savannah may be hurting regional corn yields, according to a new study. Roughly one-fifth of Brazil’s Amazon has been cleared in […] Read more

Brazil urges China to improve GMO approvals
Brasilia | Reuters –– Brazil Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said on Thursday that the country must work with China to reduce non-tariff barriers to agriculture trade, including improving the process […] Read more

Brazil health officials find glyphosate non-cancerous
Brasilia | Reuters — Analysts at Brazilian health agency Anvisa have determined that glyphosate herbicide does not cause cancer while recommending exposure limits as international pressure to reduce use of […] Read more

Brazil may raise farm subsidies despite belt-tightening
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazil could double spending on subsidized farm insurance in 2020 and may expand subsidized loans, the country’s agriculture policy secretary said on Thursday, even though the […] Read more

Brazil ag minister eyes indigenous land for commercial farming
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazil should open indigenous land to commercial farming, Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias said on Friday, while also seeking to soften many of President Jair Bolsonaro’s […] Read more

Brazil plans to fight invasions by landless workers
Brasilia | Reuters — Brazil’s right-wing government under President Jair Bolsonaro will seek to classify invasions of farmland by landless workers movements as akin to terrorism, with harsher penalties for […] Read more

Brazil expects to be declared free of foot-and-mouth with vaccination
Brazil | Reuters – Brazil expects the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to declare the country free from foot-and-mouth disease with vaccinations at a meeting in May, according to […] Read more