The Atlantic By Barry Estabrook The USDA keeps a list of inorganic products that can legally go into foods labeled organic, but new board members could change things When is “USDA Organic” not organic? More often than you probably realize. The USDA keeps a “National List” of inorganic products that can legally go into foods… Read more »
EPA Weighs New Rule on Factory Farm Data
PEW Charitable Trusts Much of the pollution in U.S. rivers and streams today comes from improperly handled manure generated by CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), which confine thousands of animals on a single site. But unlike many other industries, CAFOs do not regularly disclose facility-specific information to the EPA—and the powerful interests behind CAFOs want… Read more »
Pesticides Are Good for You
Big Food’s Co-optation of Nutrition Professionals Food Safety News by Michele Simon, Opinion For years now, I have been hearing about the food industry’s influence on the annual conference of the American Dietetic Association — the nation’s largest gathering of nutrition professionals–with some 7,000 registered dietitians in attendance. Last month, I witnessed it for myself… Read more »
Resisting the Corporate Theft of Seeds
The Nation Vandana Shiva We are in a food emergency. Speculation and diversion of food to biofuel has contributed to an uncontrolled price rise, adding more to the billion already denied their right to food. Industrial agriculture is pushing species to extinction through the use of toxic chemicals that kill our bees and butterflies, our… Read more »
A tale of two droughts
The US agriculture system is prepared to help farmers through the current severe drought, avoiding mass rural migration. But a famine in Somalia has caused over 135,000 to flee while many are dying each day from hunger. Oxfam America Jim French is a farmer from Partridge, KS who also works on agriculture policy for Oxfam… Read more »
Classic Crop Breeding Outperforms Genetic Engineering
Press of Atlantic City By Margaret Mellon and Doug Gurian-Sherman By 2050, the world will have to feed 9 billion people, adapt to climate change, reduce agricultural pollution and protect fresh water supplies – all at the same time. Given that formidable challenge, what are the quickest, most cost-effective ways to develop more productive, drought-,… Read more »
Food in Dry Times
An old North Dakota farm is a laboratory for growing food when water runs short. Yes! Magazine by Frederick Kirschenmann I learned the important lessons about water very early in my life. My father and mother began their life on our family farm in North Dakota in 1930. Their years as beginning farmers were thus… Read more »
Farther Afield
What Is Shiga Toxin Phage – And Why It Can Be Lethal Tom Willey T & D Willey Farms None of us can remain unconcerned about the tragic food safety drama unfolding in Germany over the last several weeks. Much remains to be learned regarding the origin of another seemingly novel pathogen, its stunning virulence… Read more »
BOOK REVIEW: Barry Estabrook’s ‘Tomatoland,’ an indictment of modern agriculture — Washington Post
The Washington Post By Jane Black Barry Estabrook’s ‘Tomatoland,’ an indictment of modern agriculture Lucas Mariano Domingo came to the United States from Guatemala hoping to find a job that would pay him enough to send money home. But he was soon broke and homeless. And so it must have seemed like a lucky break… Read more »
Cheap Food: Not What’s for Dinner Anymore?
Welcome to the era of neocolonial agriculture Mother Jones By Tom Philpott Remember when gas was a dollar a gallon? The era of the fast-food “dollar menu” may be going the same way. Cheap food has been with us for a while. After World War II, global grain prices fell steadily for decades. US and European… Read more »
