Search Results for: regenerative agriculture

Why Processors Matter

Butcher cutting up a beef carcass

In July, the Biden administration issued the Executive Order Promoting Competition in the American Economy, directing the USDA and other federal agencies to develop strategies to improve competition in agricultural markets. Cornucopia responded to the USDA’s request for feedback on meat processing infrastructure, underscoring our belief that small-scale and mobile processing would be a boon… Read more »

Hutchinson Organic Ranch

Farmers with cattle in the sand hills of nebraska

By Kestrel Burcham, JD The Hutchinson Organic Ranch embodies the best in organic ranching today by adapting their practices to the needs of their land. Dave Hutchinson, with his wife Sue, daughter Sarah Drenth, her husband Jared, and their daughters live and work in an idyllic landscape of the Nebraska Sandhills, marked by abundant wildlife,… Read more »

NOSB Oral Comments, Fall 2022

DAY 1: October 18, 2022 Jennifer Tucker: Gives introductory remarks; Nate Powell-Palm will be directing the comments as Board chair. Starts with a role-call of the NOSB. https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic/nosb/current-members Nate: Goes over PPM rules for public comment. Refrain from making any personal attacks or remarks that might impugn the character of any individual. Kiki Hubbard –… Read more »

12 Tides

How to Store & Preserve Your Organic Produce

Farmer's market stand with tables of fruit and vegetables

Here’s a simple way to honor your local organic farmer: minimize food waste. Making good use of their bounty requires quick action. “Organic vegetables aren’t sprayed with chemicals that kill everything in sight,” says Zaid Kurdieh, owner of Norwich Meadows Farm in New York. “They’re more prone to decay, which is a natural thing.” Zaid… Read more »

Organic Egg Scorecard Criteria

What questions do you have about our Organic Egg Scorecard criteria? Submit them here. Your input will be collected for a future video, so stay tuned for the answers! Organic Egg Scorecard Criteria Ownership Structure Commitment to Organic Label Add On Labels Flock Size(s) Hen Housing Type Indoor Spacing Outdoor Spacing Quality of Outdoor Access Outdoor… Read more »

The Price We Pay

cows in a barn

Considering the True Cost of Industrial Beef By Kestrel Burcham The environmental impact of beef production may be the thorniest topic discussed in food circles today. Conflicting messaging only complicates matters. One way to weigh the implications of your own steak or burger is to consider the hidden ingredients of food production. A farm or… Read more »

Hot on the Tracks of Organic Beef Fraud

Cows

A look into our work investigating whistleblower complaints. By Kestrel Burcham In 2018, Cornucopia received a complaint concerning potential organic fraud in beef that was worth investigating. From the outset, this appeared to be a case where cattle were being laundered into organic status. I started the investigation as I always do: gathering data. This… Read more »

Why Breeds Matter

organic cows on pasture

The future of cattle lies in its genetic diversity By Marianne Landzettel Ninety-nine percent of the roughly nine million Holstein dairy cows in the US can be traced back to two bulls that were born in the ‘60s, according to researchers at Pennsylvania State University. Synonymous with milk, the Holstein is favored for its “high… Read more »