Michael Pollan discusses food production, consumer choices, the future of organics and climate change. By Mark Eisen, The Progressive Michael Pollan has got people talking. His recent books, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, have captured the public imagination, setting off countless coffee shop… Read more »
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New Report Exposes Deceptive Marketing in $9 Billion-Dollar Snack Bar Industry
Decoding Granola/Protein/Energy Bar Labels: Avoiding Hexane-Extracted Ingredients Scorecard Separates Gimmicky Junk Food from True Organic/Nutrient Dense Brands A new report exposes misleading marketing practices by food industry giants that market candy-like snack and energy bars as wholesome and nutritious. Issued by The Cornucopia Institute, a non-profit food and farm policy research group, the report further exposes… Read more »
Sick Cows/Sick People – The Grass-fed Antidote
Sick Cows The Grass-fed Antidote Image: Marc Cesario, Meeting Place Pastures in Cornwall, VT Almost all of the beef available in supermarkets across the country comes from sick cows that pose a significant risk to human health. The Cornucopia Institute, a national food and farm policy research group, has just released a video educating consumers… Read more »
Organic Farmers Hit Hard by Conventional Sprays
Cornucopia’s Take: Certified organic farmers cannot use the synthetic pesticides commonly sprayed by conventional farmers, and all too often experience pesticide drift, or off-target spraying, by neighboring conventional and GMO farmers. The drift can result in the organic farmers’ inability to sell their contaminated produce as organic – a huge cost to organic farmers seeking… Read more »
Farmed Atlantic Salmon Escape into Pacific, Those Responsible Blame Eclipse
Cornucopia’s Take: Tens of thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon have escaped their damaged net pen off the coast of Washington’s Cypress Island. It is being described by the director of the Wild Fish Conservancy Northwest as an “environmental nightmare.” This event was dubiously blamed on tides associated with the eclipse. GMO salmon, now available in Canada,… Read more »
Nothing Says ‘Hip’ Like Ancient Wheat
NPR – The Salt by Natalie Jacewicz Source: Steve Tomlin Forget bold stripes and mule flats — could the next big fad be super-old wheat? Consumer interest in healthy grains could sow the seeds for some long-forgotten bread wheats to make a comeback, according to an opinion article released Monday in Trends in Plant Science —… Read more »
Is the Organic Label Worth Saving?
by Mark Kastel Big Food/USDA Collusion Undermines the Seal, but the Fight Continues Cornucopia board president Helen Kees and her family operate Wheatfield Hill Organics, a fifth- generation, diversified farm in west-central Wisconsin. She was one of the state’s first certified organic beef producers. We are getting more correspondence from our farmer-members, and consumers, asking whether it’s time… Read more »
Report: Transatlantic Trade Agreement Could Increase Toxic Pesticide Use
NGO warns that regulations for harmful pesticides would be weakened by policy proposed in a transatlantic trade agreement The Guardian by Elizabeth Grossman Source: Don McCullough International trade agreement proposals could roll back protections from harmful pesticides in the US and EU, according to a new report (pdf) expected to be released Wednesday. As part… Read more »
2,4-D Crops Rubberstamped
Pesticide Action Network, North America by Linda Wells Source: Tom It’s official. EPA and USDA have both evaluated Dow Chemical’s new line of 2,4-D-resistant seeds, Enlist, and have approved both the seeds and the accompanying pesticide formulation for market. This is a turning point, not just for grain production, but for food production in the… Read more »
On Guard: Gearing Up for the Fall National Organic Standards Board Meeting
Agenda for October Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky is Jam-Packed Meeting Could be Cancelled by Government Shutdown (A version of this appeared in the Fall newsletter from Cornucopia) UPDATED: Oct. 7 By Pamela Coleman Loyal Cornucopia members are aware of our commitment to closely monitor the activities of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB,… Read more »
