Joe Hernandez

An order of ground beef is prepared for a customer at Deep Cuts butcher shop in Dallas on Oct. 21, 2025.

Will Trump's latest beef plan make your hamburger cheaper? Not much, experts say

Joe Hernandez

The proposal comes weeks before the midterm elections, when food prices and the cost of living are expected to be major issues on voters' minds.

A student plays with interlocking toys at the Connecticut State University Early Learning Center in New Britain, Conn., on March 12, 2025.

NPR Headlines

Why more than 400,000 kids are on waitlists for federal childcare assistance

Joe Hernandez

The Child Care and Development Fund, the U.S. government's main source of funding to help low-income families pay for childcare, serves over 1.6 million children in a typical month.

The White House pushes healthy eating. It cut a landmark nutrition education program

Joe Hernandez

Nutrition advocates and public health experts are mystified by the decision to eliminate the landmark nutrition education program SNAP-Ed.

Kate Feurtado, a medical assistant at Spectrum Health, browses for produce at a farmers market in Philadelphia on July 15. The Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, uses SNAP-Ed funding to support its farmers markets.

NPR Headlines

The White House pushes healthy eating. It cut a landmark nutrition education program

Joe Hernandez

Nutrition advocates and public health experts are mystified by the decision to eliminate SNAP-Ed, given the Trump administration's embrace of the Make America Healthy Again agenda.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offices in Atlanta are seen in 2022. The agency is investigating a rise in cyclosporiasis cases.

NPR Headlines

What to know about cyclosporiasis, the intestinal illness hitting the U.S.

Joe Hernandez, Allison Aubrey, Joseph Kim

A surge of cases of the intestinal illness that causes diarrhea and fatigue has been detected in 34 states. Here's how what to do if you suspect you have it and how to avoid infection.

William Mao puts fuel in his vehicle at a gas station in Miami, Florida on April 6.

NPR Headlines

Gas prices are swinging. How to budget for volatility

Joe Hernandez

Gas prices have fluctuated since the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and left consumers unsure of what they'll pay at the pump.

A worker spreads fertilizer after planting potatoes at Bluff View Farms on April 24 in West Jefferson, North Carolina. High fertilizer prices due to the war in Iran have hit farms already dealing with severe weather, tariffs and the high costs of fuel and labor.

NPR Headlines

How a fertilizer shortage caused by the Iran war could affect U.S. food prices

Joe Hernandez

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted shipments of fertilizer and natural gas, a key component in fertilizer manufacturing. It's unlikely to cause major price hikes for U.S. grocery shoppers.