January 11, 2019
The Cultivator – Winter 2018
The Winter 2018 Cultivator, Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter, is now available online.
January 10, 2019
The Best Research Money Can Buy
Cornucopia’s Take: Cornucopia seeks to help eaters find research on what is healthy and what is not, and the task is harder than you might think. In the case of carrageenan, a thickener and emulsifier often used in processing plant-based beverages and other foods, we found a great deal...
January 10, 2019
USDA’s “GMO Labeling Law” is a Farce
Cornucopia’s Take: The GMO labeling law crawled out of the swamp in time for Christmas. The USDA will allow QR codes instead of legitimate labeling and, for those who do choose to label clearly, the necessary language is the little-know phrase, “bioengineered food.” Soda and oils made from GMOs...
January 9, 2019
FDA Food Inspections Sharply Curtailed During Shutdown
Cornucopia’s Take: All routine inspections of domestic food-processing facilities have been suspended during the ongoing partial federal government shutdown. A small number of inspectors will likely be called back next week without pay to monitor high-risk facilities to mitigate consumer risk. Government shutdown stops FDA food safety inspections NBC...
January 4, 2019
As Bacteria Grow Resistance, New Antibiotics Become More and More Rare
Cornucopia’s Take: Most of us are familiar with the notion that bacteria treated with antibiotics in hospitals, feedlots, and in the course of normal human life are becoming resistant to the antibiotics prescribed to kill them. Why don’t scientists just patent new antibiotics? Unfortunately, the discovery of effective, new,...
January 2, 2019
The Milkhouse Farmers Talk About Authentic Organic Dairying
Cornucopia’s Take: The Real Organic Project, a farmer-driven nonprofit devoted to foundational organic values and practices, is offering videos of authentic organic farming across the country. Caitlin and Andy of The Milkhouse share their love for their cows and farming, as well as some of the issues facing small, organic...
December 31, 2018
Double Your Donation Until Midnight on New Year’s Eve: Protect Your Food and the Best Farmers
Dear allies in the authentic food movement, For the next few hours, you can take advantage of doubling your money to protect the authenticity of the food you want to eat and support the livelihoods of families practicing eco-agriculture (many of whom are financially stressed right now). Making a gift at this time...
December 31, 2018
Dr. Phil Howard Updates Seed Industry Graphic, December 2018
Dr. Phil Howard, the creator of the popular Who Owns Organics infographic, updated his work on corporate consolidation in the global seed industry in December 2018. The graphic below shows ownership changes occurring from 1996, when the top three corporations in the global seed industry controlled 22% of the industry, to...
December 27, 2018
Danone Trying to Unload the Failing Earthbound Farms from Its Portfolio
Cornucopia’s Take: Cornucopia is often asked to create an organic vegetable scorecard. There are actually few recognizable fruit and vegetable brands, and nearly every one is produced on an industrial scale—including Danone’s Earthbound Farms and Campbell’s Bolthouse Farms. Their produce is trucked from California, Mexico, and elsewhere–and suffers from...
December 21, 2018
Former Dairy Farmer Jim Goodman: My Retirement was Mostly Voluntary
Mark Kastel and Jim Goodman with Jim’s Cows Cornucopia’s Take: I’m proud to call Jim Goodman a valued friend. We met 25 years ago, when I worked as a lobbyist for the Farmers Union and Jim was an activist with Family Farm Defenders. He’s a good man. Intellectually powerful, as...
December 21, 2018
Farm Bill to Address Import Fraud and Fund Tracking System for Organic Shipments
Cornucopia’s Take: The Washington Post article questioning the authenticity of shiploads of “organic” corn and soy from overseas and Cornucopia’s white paper chronicling how a small number of multibillion dollar agribusinesses came to dominate the U.S. organic grain industry helped draw Congress’ attention to fraudulent organic imports flowing into...
December 21, 2018
Is Your Organic Produce Grown Hydroponically? Mark Kastel on Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/Cornucopia.Institute/videos/379568306119683/ To unmute, click on the sound icon in the lower right corner of the video. Executive Director Mark Kastel explains why Cornucopia does not support the labeling of hydroponic produce as organic. Many “organic” hydroponic producers erect massive intensive greenhouses to grow crops in water or inert planting...
