The Rural Coalition The undersigned 243 groups from all parts of the country have joined together today to demand that Congress develop and pass a full and fair Farm Bill this summer, without further delay. A full and fair Farm Bill must include farm, food and nutrition, conservation and rural economic development programs and commodity… Read more »
Search Results for: GMO
Is Biodynamic Farming for Real?
Cornucopia’s Take: Biodynamic farmers are sometimes accused of being unscientific, and Demeter, their certifying agent, has now begun collecting topsoil samples from their biodynamic farms for further study. Biodynamic farmers must follow federal organic rules as well as additional practices, including off-farm input restrictions. Biodynamic farming is on the rise – but how effective is… Read more »
A Rush of Americans, Seeking Gold in Cuban Soil
New York Times by Kim Severson Source: David Williams HAVANA — Being an agricultural official in Cuba these days is like living in a resort town all your friends want to visit. You rarely get a moment to yourself. For months, Havana’s government offices and its prettiest urban farms have been filled with American bureaucrats,… Read more »
Eight Ways Monsanto Fails at Sustainable Agriculture
Union of Concerned Scientists Monsanto Company is the dominant player in commercial genetically engineered (GE) crops, the biggest seed company in the world, and—to hear them tell it—a leader and innovator in sustainable agriculture. Monsanto aggressively touts its technology as vital to achieving laudable goals such as ensuring adequate food production, responding to the challenge… Read more »
Is There Such a Thing as Agro-Imperialism?
New York Times By ANDREW RICE Dr. Robert Zeigler, an eminent American botanist, flew to Saudi Arabia in March for a series of high-level discussions about the future of the kingdom’s food supply. Saudi leaders were frightened: heavily dependent on imports, they had seen the price of rice and wheat, their dietary staples, fluctuate violently… Read more »
E. Coli Path Shows Flaws in Beef Inspection
New York Times By MICHAEL MOSS Stephanie Smith, a children’s dance instructor, thought she had a stomach virus. The aches and cramping were tolerable that first day, and she finished her classes. Then her diarrhea turned bloody. Her kidneys shut down. Seizures knocked her unconscious. The convulsions grew so relentless that doctors had to put… Read more »
Researcher Bias and the Carrageenan Controversy
Is carrageenan bad for you? When considering the answer to that question, it’s useful to follow the money. For example, industry consultant TOXpertise, LLC has painted research pointing to the potential health risks of this controversial food additive as faulty science. However, the company’s analyses were funded by FMC Corporation, which has “over 60 years of experience in the development and production of carrageenan products…” Yet in… Read more »
Recap from the National Organic Standards Board Meeting
Demystifying the policy that impacts organics farmers and consumers In the wake of massive destruction to the organic dairy marketplace, a languishing rule intended to prevent the continuous cycling of conventional livestock into organic operation will finally reappear as a second proposed rule for public comment. Reporting from the fall National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)… Read more »
The “Organic Pasture Rule”: How the Law Sets Minimum Standards for Grazing
by Kestrel Burcham, JD Farm and Food Policy Analyst at The Cornucopia Institute Introduction to Organic Livestock and Grazing Requirements How organic livestock are produced is covered by specific regulations—the only such federal regulations concerning a food product that address how the animal was raised and not just the qualities of the final product. The… Read more »
Largest Corporate Dairy, Biotech Firm and USDA Accused of Conspiring to Corrupt Rulemaking and Pollute Organics
Watchdog Requests Federal Investigation, Files Ethics Charges WASHINGTON, DC: The Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry research and watchdog organization, announced it has formally requested the USDA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) to investigate corruption at its National Organic Program resulting in the use of illegal synthetics in organic food and then allowing powerful corporations to… Read more »
