Cornucopia’s Take: “Natural” is a marketing claim with little meaning, and questionable food companies regularly take advantage of consumer assumptions. In this case, Sanderson Farms has run afoul of even the very lax regulation of the word. “Natural” is no substitute for pasture-raised, certified organic chicken. Nonprofits Sue Third-Largest Poultry Co. for False Advertising of… Read more »
Search Results for: national organic program
Apeel and Edible Coatings: Your Questions Answered
If you’re one of the many organic consumers with questions or concerns about the food preservation product called Apeel, Cornucopia has answers. We believe consumers have the right to know what they are eating, not only to protect themselves but to support agricultural practices deserving of their investment. We’ve done extensive research to cut through… Read more »
Organic – Critics say dairy tests the boundaries and spirit of what `organic’ means
By Andrew Martin Chicago Tribune – Washington Bureau (link no longer available) KENNEDYVILLE, Md. — With its neat white barns and lush green pastures, the Horizon Organic dairy farm on the outskirts of this tiny town on Maryland’s picturesque Eastern Shore would seem to fit the organic ideal. But on a recent Wednesday morning, with… Read more »
Sowing Seeds for a New Generation of Farmers
The Daily Journal Written by Michele S. Byers Do you know who grows your food? Chances are, it’s a farmer nearing retirement. A U.S. Department of Agriculture study shows that the average age of the American farmer is 55 … and climbing. At the same time, young farmers under 25 are declining. That should not… Read more »
Organic Farms Keep Growing
Pesticide-free meat, produce and dairy remain in high demand The Bellingham Herald Peter Jensen Organic farming can be more labor-intensive and expensive than conventional farming, but many Whatcom County farmers have discovered it’s well worth the effort. Driven by strong demand for organic products and a healthy local market, these farmers have increased their production…. Read more »
Organic Farmers Protest the USDA’s Attempts to Redefine ‘Organic’
Cornucopia’s Take: Farmers across the country have rallied to protest soil-less production, livestock confinement practices, and fraudulent organic grain imports by outfits that continue to label their products ‘organic’ with the tacit approval of the National Organic Standards Board and the USDA. As our Senior Scientist Dr. Linley Dixon states at the beginning of this… Read more »
As U.S. Immigration Policies Tighten, Farmers Turn to Cumbersome Federal Program for Labor
Cornucopia’s Take: Immigration policies have made farm laborers hard to find. U.S. citizens are largely unwilling to perform the demanding work required to grow and harvest the food we eat, so farmers have turned to the H-2A visa program for help. The paperwork and requirements of the program are increasingly daunting, and farmers are often unable… Read more »
Groups Raise Organic Fish Farming Concerns
Led by the Center for Food Safety, a number of organizations have endorsed a letter to the National Organic Standards Board raising concerns about proposed organic regulations governing fish farming. The Cornucopia Institute is one of the signatories to the joint letter shown below.
With Zika Virus, Widespread Pesticide Spraying Not the Long-Term Solution, says Entomologist
Beyond Pesticides Aedes aegypti Source: James Gathany Speaking to The Guardian, a leading Kenyan entomologist warns that spraying pesticides will fail to deal with the Zika virus. Just recently the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the virus a public health emergency over growing concerns that the virus is linked with microcephaly. Aerial and ground applications… Read more »
In Search of Hive Parking: Pairing Minnesota Beekeepers with Organic Farms
Star Tribune by Tom Meersman Source: St Paul Girl More than 100 organic farmers have offered use of their land to commercial beekeepers, as part of a new program facilitated by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. State organic program leader Meg Moynihan said that MDA is helping beekeepers find organic farms by creating an online… Read more »
