Cornucopia’s Take: Rural Iowa Senator, David Johnson, in concert with Bill Stowe, the head of public utility Des Moines Water Works, is calling for stricter regulation of farm run-off. Nitrate and phosphate pollution from agricultural run-off has soared in Iowa since 2002, and more than half of the rivers in the state have now been… Read more »
Perdue Praises DOJ for Stepping in to Keep Toxic Pesticide in Our Food
Cornucopia’s Take: Chlorpyrifos is dangerous to human health, notably to the brain development of children. Industry research, unsurprisingly, disagrees with that finding. But independent and governmental scientists agree that chlorpyrifos is unacceptably toxic. Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide used widely in conventional agriculture, including on corn, soy, and most produce, and a ban would require… Read more »
How Does Your Go-To Organic Milk Stack Up?
Cornucopia’s Take: We are pleased that authoritative sources for cooking and food ingredients have taken note of our investigation into organic dairying. This type of reporting helps consumers make better choices for what they feed themselves and their families. Not All Organic Milk Is Equally Healthy, Says Consumer Group Cooking Light by Christopher Michel Source: Susy… Read more »
The Realities of Starting a Farm
Cornucopia’s Take: Although the couple in this film are atypical of new farmers—they had enough resources to acquire land and a solid consultant—the documentary they created about their struggles to start an organic, biodynamic farm is an honest look at what it takes (and gives) to partner with land and animals. An L.A. couple left… Read more »
Trump Administration Pressing Africa to Adopt GMO Agriculture
Cornucopia’s Take: A U.S. State Department trade-policy specialist recently traveled to Africa to encourage officials to ease restrictions against, and encourage the use of, GMO seeds. The work of trade representatives is to develop and coordinate U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy. This trip benefits the biotech industry in the U.S., down to… Read more »
GMO Salmon is Being Sold as Sushi
Cornucopia’s Take: Although AquaBounty, the makers of engineered fast-growing salmon, have refused to tell the public where their product is being sold, their CEO recently bragged to investors that it is being used in the Canadian buyer’s “high-end sashimi lines, not their frozen prepared foods.” Consumers must continue to be wary of the origin of… Read more »
Biopesticides Show Promise for Modern Agriculture
Cornucopia’s Take: Medical cannabis use has brought more attention to the issue of pesticide residues. People with compromised health want to ensure they are not subjected to toxic residues on the plant, and some companies have stepped in to offer effective pesticides in the form of living microorganisms and natural chemicals. These biopesticides are often… Read more »
E. Coli on Romaine Lettuce Came from Neighboring Feedlot
Cornucopia’s Take: In March of 2018, people began to fall ill from E. coli, but the FDA struggled to find the field responsible. It appeared to come from multiple fields of romaine lettuce and none of their existing models could explain the contamination. Research published in 2015 had foreseen the culprit: massive cattle feedlots. When… Read more »
Unseemly Emails Between Lobbyists and USDA Staffers
Cornucopia’s Take: The story below does not describe any illegal behavior, but it clearly demonstrates the industry-friendly conditions at the USDA. Emails brought to the light of day via a Freedom of Information request show working relationships among industry players and USDA staffers, many of whom were industry lobbyists prior to working for the government…. Read more »
CFS on GE Labeling: “Our hope that the Court can get Trump’s USDA on a timeline”
Cornucopia’s Take: Congress passed the controversial and weak labeling law for foods with genetically modified organisms in 2016. They set a deadline of July 19, 2018 for USDA to issue labeling rules. The date has come and gone, and the Center for Food Safety has filed a legal complaint in hopes of bringing the agency into compliance…. Read more »
