HealthyCal By Alexia Underwood Organic. Could a more polarizing word exist in agriculture today? For some, organic means safer, more nutritious food and environmentally-friendly farming practices. For others, the word ‘organic’ brings to mind extensive, unnecessary regulations, or wealthy consumers willing to shell out top dollar at their local farmer’s market. Organic products are generally… Read more »
Search Results for: trump
EPA Court-Ordered to Ban Chlorpyrifos
Cornucopia’s Take: Chlorpyrifos was banned by the Obama administration due to its toxicity, notably causing brain damage in children. EPA scientists were in rare agreement on banning this pesticide, but Trump’s former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt called for more study instead. Sued by multiple public interest groups over this decision, the EPA has now been… Read more »
Organic Industry Watchdog Wins Major Antitrust Victory
France’s Groupe Danone Sheds Stonyfield in WhiteWave Acquisition Merger would have combined Stonyfield, Horizon, and Wallaby to Dominate Organic Dairy The French dairy giant, Groupe Danone (Dannon in the U.S.), has announced an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to liquidate its holdings in the largest manufacturer of organic yogurt, Stonyfield, so that… Read more »
GMO-Friendly USDA Ogling Organic
Under Secretary’s Testimony Opens Discussion to “Enhance Organic Production” USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach recently made comments before the House Agriculture Subcommittee suggesting it is time to discuss the possible allowance of gene editing methods within organic production. USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach Source: USDA, Flickr Ibach’s words are in line with the Trump administration’s… Read more »
Bipartisan Agreement for More Agricultural Research
Cornucopia’s Take: The Senate Agriculture Committee recently held a meeting to discuss the history and future of agricultural research in the U.S. President Trump’s proposed budget makes deep cuts to agricultural research programs. More research funding is needed, particularly for chronically underfunded organic agricultural research. AGRICULTURE RESEARCH HEARING EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR INCREASED RESEARCH INVESTMENT… Read more »
Not Enough Farm Laborers, Even With Higher Wages and Benefits
Cornucopia’s Take: Tougher immigration laws are said to open more jobs for U.S. citizens. In agriculture, so far, this doesn’t seem to be the case as the increasing lack of farm labor is causing farmers to increase mechanization or even close their doors. Wages rise on California farms. Americans still don’t want the job Los Angeles… Read more »
U.S. Joins International Seed Treaty
Cornucopia’s Take: Ratified by the Obama administration last December, the U.S. became an official member of the seed treaty last month. The treaty grants access to members’ crop gene banks to help speed the breeding of plants able to tolerate increasingly extreme weather conditions. Research for drought-resistant crops gets boost as U.S. joins seeds treaty… Read more »
Proposed Organic Animal Welfare Standards May Never Go Into Effect
Cornucopia’s Take: If they are not reviewed by the Obama administration, the proposed standards are unlikely to be completed during a Trump administration. Cornucopia raised serious concerns about the proposed rule, a true mixed bag with many of the proposals favoring industrial livestock production. It is Cornucopia’s contention that the entire rulemaking process was a charade… Read more »
Autopsy or Message of Hope?
Withdrawn animal welfare rule still under USDA analysis An unusual action by the USDA has left us scratching our heads. In April of this year, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) requested public comments on the economic analysis of the Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices (OLPP) Rule—despite the fact that the USDA withdrew the… Read more »
Will Someone New at the Helm of the USDA’s National Organic Program Steer the Ship Towards Congress’s Intent — Protecting Farmers and Consumers?
by Linley Dixon, PhD, Senior Scientist and Mark A. Kastel, Codirector, The Cornucopia Institute Miles McEvoy Source: USDA On September 10, Miles McEvoy resigned from the position of Deputy Administrator at the USDA, running the National Organic Program. He has held the post since early in the Obama administration. Included in his resignation letter was… Read more »
