England will require pulses in every school's weekly menu and scrap the old meat quota, its biggest school food overhaul in a decade [113].
02
Mercy For Animals filed a criminal complaint after filming workers beating chickens and burying chicks alive at an organic farm that supplies Costco [134].
03
A study of nearly 80,000 Adventists found vegetarians had 12% less cancer overall, including 45% less stomach cancer, than health-conscious meat-eaters [85].
04
Beyond Meat launched its mycelium steak filet at LA's Erewhon even as the company posted an 8% sales decline for the quarter [108].
05
California's "Non-Ultraprocessed Certified" seal bill, whose criteria could disqualify many vegan meats, now awaits Governor Newsom's signature by September 30 [115].
06
Maple Leaf Foods relaunched Yves Veggie Cuisine on Canadian shelves a year after Hain Celestial pulled the 40-year-old brand [114].
England Requires Weekly Pulses in School Meals, Scraps Meat Quota
Photo: vegconomist
England's Department for Education confirmed the first rewrite of school food standards in over a decade, following a consultation that drew 5,216 responses, 2,273 of them from a Plant-Based Schools campaign push [113]. Starting September 2027, schools must serve a portion of pulses with every main menu option at least weekly, and pulses now count toward the meat-or-pulses protein requirement, a category previously reserved for animal foods [113]. Deep-fried food is barred, cheese is capped at two portions a week, and the old rule requiring meat three times a week is gone [113][149].
“Plant-based proteins like pulses are often cheaper than meat, so can help schools deliver quality and variety, more fruit and veg and meet the other Standards.”
Martin Bowman, Senior Policy and Campaigns Manager, Foodrise · [113]
By the numbers
2,273of 5,216 consultation responses came through a Plant-Based Schools campaign [113]
15%drop in meal uptake recorded in a six-week pilot of the standards at a Brighton primary school, per New Food [113]
WatchNational compliance monitoring for the new standards launches when they take effect in September 2027 [113].
Fromvegconomist the vegan business magazineViva! The Vegan Charity
02▼Activism & AnimalsStory
Mercy For Animals Files Criminal Complaint Over Costco Chicken Supplier
Photo: mercy for animals
Mercy For Animals filed a criminal complaint with Lee County, North Carolina law enforcement and the USDA after an undercover investigation at a farm supplying organic chicken to Costco [134]. Investigators documented workers beating chickens with sticks, burying live chicks under compost, and birds denied outdoor access and adequate darkness, conditions the group says violate USDA organic requirements [134]. It is the second time in five years Mercy For Animals has tied documented abuse to Costco's chicken supply chain, after a 2021 investigation and Costco's promised reforms [134].
By the numbers
2nddocumented case of serious animal abuse Mercy For Animals has tied to Costco's chicken supply chain in five years [134]
FromMercy For Animals
03▲Research & NutritionStory
Study Links Vegetarian Diet to Lower Cancer Risk in 80,000 Adventists
Photo: vegnews
A study of nearly 80,000 Seventh-day Adventists published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found vegetarians were less likely to develop cancer than Adventists who ate meat but kept an otherwise health-conscious lifestyle [85]. A separate systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies found vegan diets cut total cancer risk to a relative risk of 0.77 compared with non-vegetarians, across three cohort studies [44]. Lead author Gary Fraser of Loma Linda University said the comparison group's own health-consciousness makes the gap notable [85].
“Many of those non-vegetarian Adventist people in this study were still very health-conscious, so in some ways, it's amazing that we found anything at all.”
Gary Fraser, epidemiologist, Loma Linda University · [85]
By the numbers
45%lower stomach cancer risk for vegetarians versus health-conscious non-vegetarian Adventists [85]
12%lower overall cancer risk for vegetarians versus non-vegetarians in the same study [85]
0.77relative risk of total cancer for vegans versus non-vegetarians, pooled across three cohort studies [44]
Beyond Meat Launches Mycelium Steak at Erewhon Despite Falling Sales
Photo: green queen
Beyond Meat, now rebranded "Beyond, The Plant Protein Company," debuted its whole-cut mycelium steak filet at Erewhon stores across Los Angeles, its second listing at the luxury grocer after a protein-drink launch last month [108]. Built from wheat gluten, fava bean protein, avocado oil and mycelium, the steak became the top seller on Beyond's direct-to-consumer platform before reaching Wegmans, H-E-B and Meijer earlier this year [108]. CEO Ethan Brown told investors the company posted an 8% year-on-year sales decline in its second quarter even as the product expands into new stores [108].
“We've become exceptionally good at making simple plant-based ingredients perform as delicious centre-of-the-plate proteins, leveraging significant investments across plant biology, chemistry, and functionality.”
Whip up Dairy-Free Pumpkin Spice Frozen Yogurt with soy yogurt, pumpkin puree and crystallized ginger, a five-minute fall dessert from cookbook author Hannah Kaminsky [86].
Nine new vegan cookbooks land this fall, from Timothy Pakron's backyard-grown Garden Variety to Michelin chef Zineb Hattab's Vegan Vegan! [83]
Manhattan's vegan mainstay Candle Cafe is closing for good on September 30 after its third attempt at reviving the brand since 2020 [84].
Blink-182's Travis Barker fronted a new Humane World for Animals PSA showing small lifestyle swaps that add up for animals [92].
Activism & Animals
A third beluga, Beethoven, has died at Shedd Aquarium since Marineland's rushed export began, following Peekachu and Rain within eight days [132].
PETA Latino helped repeal Tijuana's bullfighting law this year and won a court-ordered suspension of a forced-swim test on mice and rats at a Mexican university [135].
Nearly 10% of surveyed Brazilian university students now eat plant-based, with pro-environmental attitudes the strongest predictor of the switch [131].
A UK-commissioned review of more than 300 studies found octopuses show the strongest evidence of sentience of any invertebrate assessed [118].
Innovation
Italian confectioner Loacker is funding Danish startup Endless Food Co to develop THIC, a bean-free chocolate made from brewer's spent grain and oat-milk pulp [109].
Oatly's survey of more than 12,000 consumers found 53% name cost and access, not desire, as the biggest barrier to eating more sustainably [112].
UK brand BOL added two soups packing 21g of fiber a pot, as national data show most UK adults get barely half the recommended daily fiber [111].
Law & Policy
Danone recalled a batch of So Delicious dairy-free frozen dessert after consumers found small stones among the cashew inclusions [156].
One Good Thing
At Safe in Austin Rescue Ranch in Texas, rescued animals and kids navigating trauma, neurodivergence and disability are looking after each other, one feeding and grooming session at a time [150]. A new short documentary, "The First to Trust," follows how those quiet daily chores turn into real trust on both sides, premiering online September 28 [150]. As founder Jamie Wallace puts it, teaching kids "unconditional kindness" through animals who ask nothing but care in return might be the simplest way to build a gentler future for both [150].
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Viva! The Vegan Charity
Mercy For Animals
