The Cornucopia Institute is neutral in terms of people’s dietary choices. Our supporters’ dietary choices range from omnivores, vegetarians who consume dairy and eggs, vegans, to 100% raw. Source: Jon Fisher, Flickr But we are not neutral in terms of the quality of the food we recommend. The Impossible Burger is a plant-based and vegan… Read more »
Avoid That Glass of Pesticides, Antibiotics, and Synthetic Hormones
If you consume dairy, a new study from Emory University suggests you are safest drinking organic milk. In their study of 35 conventional and 34 organic milk samples, 59% of the conventional products contained chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos is a ubiquitous insecticide linked to lower levels of gray matter and IQ in children exposed prenatally. This toxin… Read more »
Authentic Organic Farms Are Good for Birds
Wild birds can be extremely beneficial to farms, as many of them feed on pest species and support a vibrant on-farm ecosystem. Unfortunately, agriculture is the leading threat to bird species facing extinction. Source: Emilie Chen, Flickr Real organic farmers encourage on-farm biodiversity, including habitat for birds. These kinds of cultural practices have wide-ranging benefits,… Read more »
Genetically Engineered Chestnut Forests Proposed
After the American chestnut was essentially wiped out by a fungus and other diseases, researchers have created a genetically engineered (GE) chestnut that they claim is resistant to the fungus in question. They hope to release this GE tree into the wild to restore “native” chestnut populations to help the forests, wildlife, and local economies… Read more »
Makers of GMOs May Be Asked to Regulate Themselves
In agriculture, genetic engineering has primarily been used to make crops resistant to pests and disease or able to survive the application of toxins, such as glyphosate. These traits do not occur naturally in the species in question. In practice, these genetically modified (GM) crops are poorly tested for safety, especially with respect to long… Read more »
How Committed Is Your State to Local Food?
Supporting local farms not only supports your local economy, it also allows you to know how your food was produced. Cornucopia encourages consumers to buy local and organic food whenever possible. Fresh food has a higher nutrient value, tastes better, and can be stored in the refrigerator longer. Our support of the best small farms… Read more »
Neonics Make Bees More Susceptible to Varroa Mites
A new study shows a connection between low levels of exposure to the neonicotinoid clothianidin and varroa mites in honey bees. Honey bee with attached varroa mites Source: AbsoluteFolly, Flickr Honey bees are essential pollinators for many of our crops. Recently, honey bees have been experiencing colony collapses that endanger the future of both the… Read more »
Do We Have To Shun Meat to Save the Planet?
Factory farms focus on producing cheap food for huge profit gains. This comes with severe environmental and animal welfare costs that are not accounted for in the price of the meat product. Source: Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, Flickr Conventional beef production has one of the largest impacts on global natural resources. It threatens clean air… Read more »
Critical Conversations About the Future of Organic
The integrity of the USDA organic seal is in jeopardy. As noted by Doug Crabtree of Vilicus Farms in the article below, we have to be more creative if we are to correct its course. The organic standards were written to be the “gold star” in agriculture. It was intended to provide consumers with assurance… Read more »
Deadly “Super Fungus” Bred on Conventional Farms
The majority of antibiotics in the U.S. are utilized in the livestock industry, both as growth promoters and to control diseases that are common in the crowded, dirty, stress-filled environments where most conventional livestock spend their short lives. This kind of use is linked to the growth of antibiotic-resistant diseases that threaten human and animal… Read more »
