Cornucopia’s Take: Cornucopia will earnestly engage with the Trump administration pick for USDA Secretary, Sonny Perdue, once he is confirmed and other agency appointments are made. It remains unclear how Trump’s support for tarrifs, under the guise of food safety, will sit with consumers. Leaked Audio: Trump Cares About Food Safety But Only If the Food… Read more »
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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 »
Industry’s Secret Plan to Get the Feds to Kill GMO Labeling in Every State
Food Safety News By Michele Simon With the disappointing results now in from I-522, the initiative in Washington state that would have required labeling of genetically engineered food (aka, GMOs), the looming question is, what’s next? At least for the junk-food lobby, that answer in painfully clear: stop this state-level movement at any cost. In last Wednesday’s New… Read more »
Pesticide Poisoning Our Children Was Out, Now Maybe Back In
Cornucopia’s Take: After five years of study, the EPA found that the commonly used pesticide chlorpyrifos is likely causing lasting harm to our children, in utero. With President Trump’s planned regulatory cuts, it is unclear whether chlorpyrifos manufacturers, Dow Chemical, may be able to override science and continue to peddle their lucrative toxic chemical. Protect… Read more »
Rule Protecting Small Meat Farmers Tossed by Trump
Cornucopia’s Take: Contract meat producers have historically had little to no recourse against the companies providing their stock and feed if the big companies behave unfairly. A proposed rule by the Obama administration had given small farmers grounds to sue the company if they believed they were wronged. The Trump administration has thrown that rule… Read more »
Trump Administration Deregulating Environmental Toxins
Cornucopia’s Take: Sonny Perdue appears poised to become the next Secretary of Agriculture. The big pesticide purveyors are salivating over the prospect of deregulating and removing science and health-based restrictions on their favorite poisons. Poisons Are Us The New York Times by Timothy Egan Source: Tracy Ducasse When you bite into a piece of fruit,… Read more »
Dow Likely Greased Wheels for Chlorpyrifos, a Nerve Gas, to Remain in Food Usage
Cornucopia’s Take: Chlorpyrifos was originally developed as a nerve gas, meant to cause harm to human beings. It is now used to kill pests on our food, which it does quite well. Although EPA scientists had agreed it should be banned from agricultural production for our safety, particularly that of children experiencing brain damage from… Read more »
U.S. Agencies Sued for Refusing to Release Their Own Research Showing Danger of Common Pesticides
Cornucopia’s Take: The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit to learn what the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service know about how the pesticides chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and malathion harm endangered species. The Trump administration has refused to ban these pesticides that are known to be harmful to humans and animals… Read more »
Black Farmers Seek Justice from Trump
Cornucopia’s Take: The federal government paid out over $1 billion to settle a class-action suit based on discriminatory USDA policies in the 80s and 90s. Congress appropriated funds for a second phase of settlements, but a USDA-hired administrator allegedly improperly denied plaintiffs’ claims. The Black Farmers and Agriculturists Association is now asking President Trump to… Read more »
Farmer Loans On Hold Until the Federal Government Re-Opens
Cornucopia’s Take: Many farmers have lost opportunities or remain uncertain as to how they will get needed loans for the upcoming growing season with USDA FSA offices closed during the shutdown. Secretary Perdue announced that offices will be open January 17, 18, and 22 to producers with existing loans only. Farm Country Stood by Trump…. Read more »
