Reuters By Carey Gillam CHICAGO (Reuters) – Utilizing biotech “drought-tolerant” corn to boost global food production would be a less-effective tactic than planting conventional corn and improving agronomic practices, a veteran plant scientist said on Tuesday. “The technology has gotten a tremendous amount of attention. We think undue attention,” said Doug Gurian-Sherman, a plant pathologist… Read more »
Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Crops Tied to Butterfly Decline
Triple Pundit By RP Siegel The great American satirist, H.L. Mencken once said, “For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” He might have been talking about biotechnology in general or Monsanto’s approach to controlling weeds using their Roundup Ready crops. But then again, it depends on which problem… Read more »
CSA Owner Says Organic Farming Was in Her Blood
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel By Jan Uebelherr Mary Ann Ihm grew up on a farm in Grant County, became a teacher, but couldn’t shake one dream. She envisioned what she calls “a holistic learning environment,” one with food elements as well the spiritual. They belong together, she thinks. Ihm taught elementary school for 13 years in… Read more »
A Way to Sprout New Farmers
The Chronicle Herald – Nova Scotia, Canada By BILL SPURR Features Writer Program offers apprentices a chance to try their hand at growing organic Quickly dispelling any romantic notions in a room of university students considering becoming a farmer’s apprentice, Rowena Hopkins warned of the necessity of being open minded. “One of the farms I… Read more »
Farmers Face Tough Choice On Ways To Fight New Strains Of Weeds
NPR by Dan Charles Listen to the audio story. OK, so this story is about weeds and weedkillers, neither of which is ever the hero of a story, but stay with me for a second: It’s also about plants with superpowers. Unless you grow cotton, corn or soybeans for a living, it’s hard to appreciate… Read more »
Joel Salatin’s new book, Folks, This Ain’t Normal, is a prize!
Congratulations to Kristal Job, the winner of Joel Salatin’s new book: Folks, This Ain’t Normal. The book was donated by a dedicated Cornucopia member, and mutual fan of Joel’s work, to help build exposure for our work. Thank you, Kristal, for signing up for The Cornucopia Institute’s email list and joining the fight to protect… Read more »
New Mexico State University Corn Researcher Developing Improved Varieties for Organic Farmers
Soyatech Jay Rodman Targeted News Service — LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Richard Pratt is standing in a field at New Mexico State University’s Leyendecker Plant Science Research Center south of Las Cruces talking about his corn research. Two things are worth mentioning here. One is that there’s not a cornstalk in sight. The other is… Read more »
Organic Group Challenged to Remove Former Board President/Speaker
Celebrity Doctor, Alan Greene, Accused of Unethical Conduct ANAHEIM, CA: On the heels of an emerging corporate influence peddling scandal that has undermined the integrity of the federal organic rulemaking process, The Cornucopia Institute, an industry watchdog, has requested that a speech by Alan Greene, a well-known pediatrician, be canceled at the Natural Foods Expo,… Read more »
NPR Tuesday: The Diane Rehm Show for Discussion with Former USDA Sec. Dan Glickman and the Cornucopia’s Mark Kastel on Organic Food Standards
If your local National Public Radio station does not carry the Diane Rehm show, which broadcasts live from Washington DC every weekday, please click on the link above. The show will be broadcast at 11 AM (Eastern). In addition to Miles McEvoy and Mark Kastel, New York Times reporter Elisabeth Rosenthal, who covered industrial-scale organic… Read more »
Monsanto Is a Lobbying Powerhouse
Food Safety News by Dan Flynn Monsanto was not on mailing list used by U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter to ask food businesses about their policies on antibiotics in food, presumably because the St. Louis company does not have anything to do with antibiotic use in meat and poultry. But out of sheer curiosity, Food Safety… Read more »
