Epicurean Ideal

Live in Austin- Breastfeeding

2012-01-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

This mom is too hip for words. Way to feed that baby nature's perfect food.

Shit Dietitians Say

2012-01-29T20:00:00.001-08:00

I had to join the fun. Please comment. Did I leave anything out?

Perrody Top Ten List

2011-12-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

It wasn't long after cringing through Governor Rick Perry's abominable "Strong" commercial that I began noticing a slough of amazing parodies pointing out the idiocy of the ad. The commercial aims to tout the Christian faith and the supposed "War on Christmas" by assaulting gays being able to serve open in the military. Makes a lot of sense huh?

Anything Perry touches turns into an SNL sketch and since 'tis the time of year for top ten lists, I thought I would offer up my Top Ten "Strong" Perry Parodies. PERRODY! Happy Holidays (ouch).

10. Rick Perry is strong and hates Ni*gers. So wrong. So right.

9. I'm a dinosaur and I approve this message.

8. I'm an A$$hole and I approve this message.

7. National Lampoon's outtakes.

6. Rick Perry is an ass .

5. War made this country strong. Who needs civil rights anyway?

4. The real Christian Response - Most Christians wish Rick Perry would keep his mouth shut. So do most Texans.

3. Rick Perry's Jacket - Coincidence? I think not.

2. Atheist response - Can a non-believer get a say in this?

Drum roll please

1. Jesus Christ's response to Rick Perry's Strong - Enough said.

I'm Ashley Colpaart and I approve this message.

Everything the California Milk Processing Board Did is Wrong

2011-07-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

I preface this post with a disclosure: I take issue with the tactics of the dairy industry in relation to marketing and policy. As a Registered Dietitian working in food systems and public health, I see first hand the National Dairy Council's (NDC)'s methods to ensure that milk and dairy remain an essential component of the American diet. They are given center stage at nutrition, school lunch, obesity and agricultural conferences and not coincidentally-- they pay the big bucks to sponsor such events. In fields where "science based" research is paramount to making policy and public health decisions, the NDC goes far to ensure research is favorable, that representatives are briefed and the audience is primed to ingest their propaganda.

I am frustrated with some nutrition professionals inability to consider the difference between the industry sponsoring research, the manipulation of current research into messages, and all out marketing campaigns. We fail to consider the body of research that is not being conducted, published or marketed to the same extent. My friend Nancy Becker recently sent me the Parachute Study, which perfectly illustrates this point.

I digress. The real point of this post is to criticize the California Milk Processor Board's new marketing scheme aimed at untapped milk buyers: men. I first heard about the sexist "Everything I Do Is Wrong" campaign while listening to the news on public radio (thanks NPR, as if the Cargill ads weren't bad enough?). "Every Thing I Do Is Wrong" gives men "suffering" with a PMS ridden women the answer: milk --and a slew of canned apologies. I think the board room of men that developed this campaign would be smart to start working on their apology.

Women traditionally make household purchases, especially food, but the CMPB "educates" their counterpart to purchase milk by stating that "milk can help reduce the symptoms of PMS." I have a feeling this one might backfire.

The site itself is a futuristic, busy hodgepodge of PMS indicators, an emergency "milk locator" that shows a map of nearby grocery and corner stores that sell milk, and scrolling apologies like " I apologize for letting you misinterpret what I was saying." Hmm CMPB, I'm not so sure I misinterpreted the utter repugnance of this marketing campaign? I assume that most Registered Dietitians (mostly made up of women, many working for the NDC) might also find this offensive. Just a hunch.

In an attempt to find the actual research backing the PMS claims, I came up largely empty handed, at least from the actual website. The "case study" section is "coming soon." The only thing the site does say is that "Milk helps reduce a majority of women's symptoms after 3 months of taking 1,200mg Calcium/day."

Huh? Do I drink milk or take a calcium supplement? Symptoms of what?

When you click around you find one study mentioned. "Calcium carbonate and the premenstrual syndrome: effects on premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. Premenstrual Syndrome Study Group." conducted by endocrinologist Susan Thys-Jacobs at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology in 1998. Women ages 18-45 were randomly assigned to receive 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day in the form of calcium carbonate or placebo for 3 menstrual cycles. (Got milk?) Daily documentation of symptoms, adverse effects, and compliance with medications were monitored.All 4 symptom factors (negative affect, water retention, food cravings, and pain) were significantly reduced by the third treatment cycle.

No mention of milk in this study. I called the CMPB's office to ask some questions. There was no answer. I guess there are probably a bunch of PMS suffering women trying to call them today.

Boston Tree Party: Civic Engagement in Action

2011-07-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

I am so inspired by this TEDx Boston talk by Lisa Gross and the work of the Boston community! Lisa was a student of mine in a Community Food Projects course at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. She is the founder of the Urban Homesteaders League, a community venture dedicated to inspiring and empowering individuals and communities to shift from a lifestyle of passive consumption to one of active participation, creation, and connection. She is obviously embodying that mission with her newest project: The Boston Tree Party.

"The Boston Tree Party is an urban agriculture project, a performative re-imagining of American political expression, and a participatory public art project. At its "core", the Party is a diverse coalition of organizations, institutions, and communities from across the Greater Boston Area coming together in support of Civic Fruit. We call for the planting of fruit trees in civic space and promote the fruits of civic engagement. Each community has committed to planting and caring for a pair of heirloom apple trees. Together, these trees form a decentralized public urban orchard that symbolizes a commitment to the environmental health of our city, the vitality and interconnectedness of our communities, and the wellbeing of the next generation."

Here is the remaining text from Lisa's inspiring, witty and impressive TED Talk:

"As an urban agriculture project, the Boston Tree Party creates vital gathering places and opportunities for learning, exchange, and participation. The project builds community connections, both within and across communities, and improves community and environmental health. As a conceptual art project, the Boston Tree Party catalyzes a deep and playful engagement with the issues of food access; health; environmental stewardship; biodiversity; public space; and civic engagement. The structure and design of the project playfully reimagine patriotic and political language, imagery, and forms of association.

The apple has a long and deep connection to the history of Boston. The first apple orchard in the American Colonies was planted by William Blackstone on Beacon Hill in 1623. The oldest variety of apple in the United States, the Roxbury Russet, was developed in Roxbury in the 1630s. The Boston Tree Party celebrates and recontextualizes this history and envisions Boston as a city of apples once again.

Apple trees must be planted in heterogeneous pairs (two different varieties of apples must be planted together) in order to cross-pollinate and bear fruit. The Boston Tree Party takes these trees as inspiration. We too are interdependent and need to work across divisions to effectively address the pressing social and environmental issues we face. We too must cross-pollinate and seek out and value diversity, not just because we need to, but because that’s how you get the sweetest and juiciest fruit.

The planting campaign launched on April 10th on the Rose Kennedy Greenway with the Boston Tree Party Inauguration–the ceremonial planting of the first pair of apple trees in this city-wide planting campaign. The event also included a celebratory rally featuring Edith Murnane (the Food Tzar of the City of Boston), Michael Phillips and John Bunker (the Official Pomologists), the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center “Let’s Get Moving” Tree Planting Delegation; music by the Second Line Social Aid & Pleasure Society Brass Band; a Wassailing of the trees; free apple cider; Central Asian Barbecue (apples originated in Central Asia); and opportunities to learn more about the project.

During the month of May, participating Tree Planting Delegations each received a Tree Party Kit. The Delegations ranged from schools to assisted living centers, synagogues to churches, and neighborhood groups to hospitals. The Kit allowed each community to design and create its own festive Tree Planting Party tailored to its own needs and interests. All across the city communities planted the seeds of Civic Fruit.

The project will culminate in the fall of 2015, the year of the first full harvest, with the Boston Tree Party Convention—a city wide harvest festival, and an opportunity for participants to celebrate the project, form new connections, and get inspired. Intervening years will feature smaller summits and socials that will bring together this diverse network of organizations and individuals.

The Apple Corps, a Youth Corps developed in partnership with YouthBuild Boston, will be trained in organic fruit tree care and horticulture and will act as an “extension service” for participating Delegations. They will offer support over phone and email, and do site visits when necessary. The Apple Alliance (a partnership between the Boston Natural Areas Network, City Sprouts, Groundwork Somerville, and the Northeast Organic Farming Association/Mass) will offer free and low-cost organic fruit tree workshops all over the city. The Official Pomologists of the Boston Tree Party, Michael Phillips and John Bunker, will guide all horticultural aspects of the project.

238 years ago, a small group of people dumped several tons of tea into Boston Harbor, and with this symbolic, performative act, launched the movement for American Independence. With the symbolic planting of these apple trees, we hope to help catalyze a new movement—a movement that works across boundaries to make healthy, fresh food accessible to all; a movement to green our cities; a movement that plants fruit trees in public spaces all over the country; and a movement that comes together to care for these trees and the well-being of all citizens. We hope to inspire and nurture an ethos of stewardship that starts with these apple trees and radiates outwards to our city, our nation, and our planet."

I am certainly inspire me. Congratulation on these valiant, creative effort Lisa. I see a Food and Community Fellow in the making.

See the TedX Talk here:

Back with an Epicurean Delight: Raw, Vegan, Garden Pesto

2011-07-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

Dear Readers,

Some of you may have noticed I have been on a blogging hiatus. Today, I would like to resurrect my blog, The Epicurean Ideal. In doing so, my post is today's personal epicurean experience making raw, vegan, garden pesto. Before you shudder and click the little "x" button in your browser, humor me and read on. I will be blogging on my typical topics of food and agriculture policy beginning this week. In the mean time, enjoy this fun and easy recipe.

Why "raw" ? Well, mostly because it is summer time and I prefer fresh, live foods.

Why "vegan" ? Those who know me well might guess that this is my way of sticking it to the dairy council again. While that may be partially true, I actually have noticed an increased intolerance to dairy as I have grown older. It has been said that humans stop producing lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in the intestines) as we age, so it is not surprising as I finish up the Victory Lap of my 30's. For a more detailed description of lactose intolerance see here.

Why "garden" ? Well, uh, why the hell not, but if you must ask, because my neighbor and owner of theNectary, Kasi helped me plant a little garden in my front yard. theNectary helps clients design, build and maintain edible landscapes. Yum! Just make sure your community allows you to grow food. No, seriously! This lady is facing jail time for planting a garden. Anyway, it is scientifically proven that vegetables you grown yourself taste better. And my basil was ready to rock.

So lets get cooking. Today...Pesto. All you need is 3-4 bunches of basil, safflower oil, 2 heads of garlic, lemon juice, pine nuts (or other type of nut), olive oil and sea salt.

Harvest your basil by pinching off the larger leaves and groups of leaves.Wash and trim the leaves.

To make the "vegan" part of this pesto creamy, you will make a garlic paste. Just take your garlic heads and peel and clean the cloves. Put them in a food processor and add safflower oil, lemon juice (of 1/2 a lemon) and sea salt until you get a thick paste.

You can also add nuts. Note: always taste your nuts first. I had to learn the hard way once and it gave my pesto an inedible off-flavor. My pine nuts were rancid, so I used pecans.

Add oil to make a paste. I used safflower for the paste and then olive oil after I add the basil.

Add the basil and olive oil and sea salt until you get a thick consistency. Taste it to see if you need more salt or oil. The garlic will give it a great creamy zing.

Chill in the refrigerator. Eat on bread, crackers, veggies or toss with pasta.

How Food Recalls Work – A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Distribution Technology

2010-09-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to cross post from Software Advice-Distribution a great analysis on the recent egg recall and the debate on food tracking. I tend to be weary of the food tracking and traceability efforts. While they are well-intentioned, it only leads to more hoops for local and small producers to jump through in order to participate in the food system. My personal traceability is going out to the hen house at Tierra Miguel Farm and checking on the ladies. In other words, if you know your farmer, there less chance for the market failure of imperfect information. Stick to the farmers market. I like the efforts of The Food Hub in Oregon as well.

Thanks to Stephen Jannise for contacting me about his work. It was nice to see that he is a UT alum. Hook 'em horns!

Chocolate formula bites the dust

2010-06-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

My colleague from Mead Johnson just informed me that her company is discontinuing their new chocolate toddler formula line, due to a misunderstanding of the product's use. I think this is a big win for the nutrition and consumer world. I am highly against getting kids use to intensely flavored beverages and food, especially with all of the efforts to get them to eat better and different foods.

From the Canadian Business journal:

GLENVIEW, Ill. (AP) - Children's formula maker Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. said Wednesday it will discontinue its Enfagrow Premium chocolate toddler drink due to what it called "misunderstanding and mischaracterization" over the product's intended use.

There had been news reports about parents concerned that a chocolate-flavored drink aimed at tots was inappropriate amid skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity, although the drink contains no more sugar than other drinks aimed at children.

The company said the product has a "superior nutritional profile" to other beverages such as apple juice and grape juice, but said there has been misunderstanding about who the intended consumer is for the product and the role it is intended to play in a child's diet.

Mead Johnson said the drink was intended for toddlers who have been weaned off breast milk or formula but still need "nutritional support" from their main diet, particularly picky or erratic eaters.

"The resulting debate has distracted attention from the overall benefits of the brand, so we have decided to discontinue production of Enfagrow Premium chocolate toddler drink and phase it out over the coming weeks," the company said in a statement.

Defense Authorization Bill Includes Support for Child Nutrition Programs

2010-06-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

From the American Dietetic Association-

Support for reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act has come from an unlikely source: the Defense Authorization bill. During House debate, 341 members voted to support an amendment by Reps. Jim McGovern (D.-Mass.), Jo Ann Emerson (R.-Mo.) and Sanford Bishop (D.-Ga.) highlighting the impact of hunger and obesity on military recruitment and supporting properly funding the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act.

The amendment does not guarantee funding for child nutrition reauthorization, but it helps build momentum and support. The "Sense of the Congress" amendment says "reducing domestic childhood obesity and hunger is a matter of national security…the Federal Child Nutrition Programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) should be funded at the President's request; and the increases in funding for such programs should be properly offset."

Over the past month, 221 members of Congress – a majority of the House – had already sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D. Calif.) supporting President Obama's request for an increase of $1 billion a year for the Child Nutrition Programs.

Job Search for Good Food Movement

2010-06-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

*****ADDED*****
I just came across the Sustainable Agriculture Education Association website which has a listing of professional listings.

Foodies know where the good markets are to find the best strawberries, crispy kale and first peaches of the season, but when it comes to finding their dream jobs, the classified ads just won't do. Since my friend and colleagues (self included,)are all in the market for a job that fuels our passions, allow us to live the good life and pays our loans, I thought it would nice to centralize some resources.

1. Comfood listserve- this is a great place for job announcements, up to day news in the sustainable food security movement and discussion about decisive issues. Many of the amazing players in the field can be found collaborating, asking questions, and offering up expertise. Share yours as well.

2. Sustainable Food Jobs (SFJ)- this is a domestic site that is updated weekly and has jobs from sustainable food service, farm to school, Americorps and farming internships as well as CEO positions at non-profits and start-up businesses. The site is cool if you want to search by region.

3. Good Food Jobs- similar to SFJ - this site is due to launch this summer. In the mean time sign up for their weekly email to catch the latest.

4. Idealist- a great place to land a non-profit career or organize with like minded people.Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives. I have been successful searching by key words.

5. Linkedin-When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional expertise and accomplishments. You can then form enduring connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to a vast number of qualified professionals and experts. A fun part is you can recommend your colleagues.

You can come link up with me at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleycolpaart

6. Juju- Do a search like "sustainable food jobs"

7. Change.org Jobs - search by topic, demographic, or job category. There are also career advisors and other resources.

8. Wise Earth Jobs -helps the global movement of people and organizations working toward social justice, indigenous rights, and environmental stewardship connect, collaborate, share knowledge, and build alliances. All tools and content are free to use. The site is commercial-free too.

9. Craiglist-not only good for getting used furniture or sports equipment, Craigslist can be a great place to find consulting gigs, freelance writing or part time work in your new city. I usually use search terms to sift out the junk. Beware of scams or jobs that are posted over and over again. If your bored of the job search, the Best of Craigslist is good for a laugh.

10. HigherEdJobs- A good place to look for adjunct faculty, part time or other teaching positions at community colleges or university. I search "nutrition" and get a lot of hits.

11. Check your local school districts, college websites, and county & city job boards.

12. Good luck and let me know if you have any other resources that may be of assistance!

McDonalds shows tolerance in ad

2010-06-03T13:52:00.001-07:00

I guess when you are a multinational corporate food company, anyone is a customer, which is great for the gay rights movement. I doubt we would ever see an ad like this in America, and if we did there would be a McBoycott. Either way, I found the ad kinda cute. June is gay rights month! Happy tolerance.

The commercial, which is to air in France uses the slogan: come as you are!

Chefs Move to Schools

2010-06-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

The Let's Move campaign initiated by Michelle Obama this year is moving into the kitchen and just in the nick of time. As many public schools close their doors for summer, many cafeterias will be poised for making systematic change in the way they feed our children.

From White House Assistant Chef and the Food Initiative Coordinator Chef Sam Kass:

The Chefs Move to Schools program will pair chefs with schools in their communities to bring fun to fruits and vegetables, and teach kids about food, nutrition and cooking in an engaging way. And by working with school food service employees, administrators and teachers -- chefs can help deliver these messages from the cafeteria to the classroom. After hearing fifth graders cheer for broccoli, I know first hand that chefs can have a huge impact on kid’s health and well being.

Chefs and schools that are interested in participating can sign up here or through www.LetsMove.gov.

My great friend, chef and fellow HEN nutritionist Julie Negrin will be at tomorrow's kick off for Chefs Move to School. She has a great article up on her blog on new and healthy ways for schools to fundraise. Some of the ideas are so cute.

Let's Move also recently announced the Let's Move Outside component.

With all hands on decks, I hope see some real changes in school lunch and child nutrition. Now if we can only stop the hemorrhaging in the Guld of Mexico so we can refocus on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization. Have you called your Senator?

Rebuilding America's Economy with Family Farm Centered Food Systems

2010-06-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today is a big day for Farm Aid, but also for me! The report that I began last summer as an intern has been launched and it is impressive!

From the Farm Aid Website:

Seeds of hope lie in America’s family farmers and ranchers despite the grim economic conditions facing the nation. Our new report seeks to underscore what we at Farm Aid know as a simple truth: supporting family farmers and family farm centered food systems is a powerful strategy for jumpstarting our fragile economy and revitalizing communities across America.

The report can be downloaded at their website, as well as, a section that makes the case of family farmers being a focal point for economic stimulus, a list of funding opportunities and stories from the field.

The Farm Aid Ideas section is a resource to connect more than 500 organizations developing innovative approaches to producing, processing and marketing food from family farms.

Back from Hiatus

2010-06-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Hiatus- From Latin hiatus, the past participle of hiare (“‘to stand open, yawn’”).

It was a big yawn. One that spanned a couple months and one in which I reemerged with a Masters Degree in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts. The yawn was followed by a long nap, and alas, I have awakened to the next phase of my life. I must admit: I am excited.

This summer will be filled with relevant food policy happenings (Child Nutrition Re-authorization; Let's Move Campaign; Health care bill notification of rules) as well as creative program development in some of my favorite areas (Farm-to-School; Food Corps; Urban Gardening).

My hope is that this post starts my engine (and oils up yours). The Epicurean Ideal is back, and as idealistic as ever.

The story of bottled water

2010-03-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

Annie Leonard is a genius! She will be honored at this year's Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood annual meeting in Boston, April 8-10: http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/

From the people that brought you the great Story of Stuff, Enjoy, the Story of Bottled Water.

Where does my milk come from?

2010-03-05T07:08:00.000-08:00

Tracking codes and technology are being used to bring consumers even more information about their food. Just because there is a bucolic scene with a little red barn on your milk label, doesn't really tell you where your milk was produced, or more importantly, how.

"Where is my milk from?" is designed to allow you to enter a code on your dairy product to find out exactly where the farm (or likely, the factory) is located before it gets to your cereal. It also lets you look at other dairy products like cottage cheese, sour cream, cream, egg nog etc. The site takes you to a map and tells you the dairy and the place.

While this information is useful, a second step is needed for consumer who are interested in the management of cows, the farm and the milk production. For instance, does dairy/farm/factory use rBGH? Does the dairy/farm/factory store waste in a manure lagoon. What are the animals fed, how much of their lives are they lactating and being milked? What do the cows eat?

Iti s these questions that will reveal the true nature of the dairy industry and allow consumers to support practices that are humane, ecologically sensitive and closer to the natural processes intended for cows (i.e. being allowed to graze).

I hope this tool is a building block for other aps that can be developed and utilized by consumers at their point of purchase. Other cool apps poping up are ifarmersmarket that tells you the location, day and time of farmers markets in your area and Locavore that tells you what foods are in season.

Nobel Economist Joseph Stiglitz on Democracy Now

2010-02-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

Nobel Economist Joseph Stiglitz spoke with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now February 18, 2009. The spoke on Obama’s Stimulus Plan, Debt, Climate Change, and Stiglitz new book “Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy”

As President Obama defends the success of his one year-old $787 stimulus package, we speak to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, who says the stimulus was both not big enough and too focused on tax cuts. Stiglitz is the author of the new book “Freefall: America, Free Markets, and the Sinking of the World Economy”, which analyzes the causes of the Great Recession of 2008 and calls for overcoming what he calls an “ersatz capitalism” that socializes losses but privatizes gains

The State of Food and Agriculture

2010-02-18T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations released a report on creating a more sustainable livestock sector.

From their press release:

The report stresses that livestock is essential to the livelihoods of around one billion poor people. Livestock provides income, high-quality food, fuel, draught power, building material and fertilizer, thus contributing to food security and nutrition. For many small-scale farmers, livestock also provides an important safety net in times of need.

But the agency stressed the need for substantial investments and stronger institutions at global, regional, national and local levels, to ensure that continued growth of the livestock sector contributes to livelihoods, meets growing consumer demand and mitigates environmental and health concerns.

"The rapid transition of the livestock sector has been taking place in an institutional void," said FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf in the foreword of the report. "The issue of governance is central. Identifying and defining the appropriate role of government, in its broadest sense, is the cornerstone on which future development of the livestock sector must build."

The report stresses the balance needed between livelihoods, food security (issues more predominant for developing nations) and human health and the environment (issues more focused on by post-industrialized nations). They also have some great graphics that help paint the picture.

Farm Bureau President draws line in the sand

2010-02-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

President of the American Farm Bureau Federation Bob Stallman has chosen to go to war with critics of agriculture (and the growing public) in his speech to the Bureau saying the will "no longer tolerate opponents' efforts to change the landscape of American agriculture."

“Emotionally charged labels such as monoculture, factory farmer, industrial food, and big ag threaten to fray our edges.We must not allow the activists and self-appointed and self-promoting food experts to drive a wedge between us.”

“A line must be drawn between our polite and respectful engagement with consumers and how we must aggressively respond to extremists who want to drag agriculture back to the day of 40 acres and a mule. The time has come to face our opponents with a new attitude. The days of their elitist power grabs are over.”

Those are some big word coming from one of the most powerful lobbies in Washington. It will be interesting to see how they get consumers to give up caring about things like antibiotic resistance, environmental degradation or animal rights. I have a feeling their case will sound somewhat familiar: "safe food" "affordable food" and "feed the world."

Pork Board reacts to antibiotic resistance story

2010-02-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

For years I have been following the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act or PAMTA legislation (H.R. 1549/S. 619) which has been introduced numerous times in various forms and is now stronger than ever. The latest version, introduced by the late Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY)--(the only microbiologist serving in Congress), would require that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deny any new animal antibiotic drugs unless the federal government is certain the drugs will not contribute to antimicrobial resistance. The bill would also ban the routine, or nontherapeutic,* use of antibiotics in food-producing animals--a widespread practice in animal agriculture.

*According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) an estimated 70 percent of the antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs used in the United States are fed to farm animals for nontherapeutic purposes, including-- growth promotion; and compensation for crowded, unsanitary, and stressful farming and transportation conditions; and unlike human use of antibiotics, these nontherapeutic uses in animals typically do not require a prescription.

The emergence of the animal production system we have today (concentrated animal feeding operations) can be partly attributed to the liberal use of antibiotics. But as many are beginning to realize: more is not always better, efficiencies cause unintended consequences and the industry is not trying to protect only their bottom line.

In response to the recent antibiotic media coverage (a two part series on CBS news with Katie Couric) the Pork Board offered their response:

The National Pork Board recognizes the importance of getting the facts out about this important issue and fostering open, honest dialog about why tools such as antibiotics are a vital way to keep animals healthy and the food supply safe. The top four messages that consumers should know about antibiotic use are:
Antibiotics are given strategically – administered when pigs are sick, susceptible or exposed to illness.
Using antibiotics strategically ensures that the safest meat in the world ends up on America's dinner tables.
Only antibiotics approved by the FDA are used to treat pigs.
We have a 20-year history of continuous improvement working with modern farm production to make pork better, healthier and safer to eat

Strategically?

According to a 2006 USDA study over 8 of 10 nursery sites (85.3 percent) and grower/finisher sites (81.2 percent) used antibiotics in feed. This is the SAME study that the Pork Board cited on its FACT's page to argue the findings of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

A majority of the antibiotics approved by FDA for agriculture were done so before resistance was a consideration. They are the same ones used in human medicine and none of them have been reviewed. New drugs are subject resistance discretion. Drug companies are not developing new antibiotics, because the ones we have are and have been so effective. This legislation aims to make humans "better, healthier and safer."

US Dairy "Sustainability Plan"

2009-12-18T13:43:00.000-08:00

This week the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced a joint agreement to support a U.S. dairy industry goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25% over 20 years. Unfortunately, the dairy industry's idea of sustainability through mitigation inhibits the real process changes needed to combat climate change and the creation of a truly sustainable food system.

The real way to combat climate change in dairy is by reducing dairy consumption (and therefore, production) and by producing dairy from cows raised on pasture, two things the industry is far from considering.

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (ICUSD) was created in 2008 to foster industry-wide pre-competitive collaboration and innovation in strategies designed to increase sales of milk and milk products. One of the founding organizations of the ICUSD is Dairy Management Inc™, which manages the national dairy check-off program.

From an industry perspective, the "sustainability" focus is on CO2 emissions, largely in response to anticipated government regulation. Further, the approach is how to extract value and utilize opportunities to leverage demand. Much of the results from lifecycle analysis (LCA) conducted by land grant universities, show the largest reduction potential in the production phase of the dairy value-chain. Consequently, their strategy for sustainability is targeting nutrition management of cows (changing ratio of corn and protein feed) and the utilization of methane digesters to mitigate methane from manure lagoons.

Research presented on the Measurement of GHG Emissions from Dairy Farms at the Climate Change Research Conference by Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Air Quality CE Specialist Animal Science at UC Davis, had some interesting findings:

The main dairy GHG source is cows, rather than waste.
The CO2 emissions from cow respiration cannot be mitigated without reducing herd size.
The leading methane contributor is enteric fermentation from cows eating corn instead of their natural fodder, grass.
The leading nitrous oxide contributor is land application of manure and fertilizer for growing feed (corn).
Nitrous oxide has almost 15 times more the global warming potential as methane.

That scientific perspective, emphasizing smaller herd sizes and the value of grass, is overlooked in much industry communication. Industry communication instead boasts of past efficiency gains and promotes increased milk consumption for good nutrition.

The most cited piece of literature by industry dairy sustainability initiatives is from Dr. Jude Capper currently at Washington State University. “The Environmental Impact of Dairy Production: 1944 compared with 2007” published in The Journal of Animal Science found that the carbon footprint per billion kg of milk produced in 2007 was 37% of the equivalent milk production in 1944. It concludes:

"Contrary to the negative image often associated with “factory farms”, fulfilling the U.S. population’s requirement for dairy products while improving environmental stewardship can only be achieved by using modern agricultural techniques. The immediate challenge for the dairy industry is to actively communicate…the considerable potential for environmental mitigation yet to be gained through use of modern dairy production systems."

Jill Richardson at La Vida Locavore recently criticized Capper's research in her post "Junk Science Study Says Factory Farming is Better" for including Roger Cady, former Sustainability Lead Monsanto and now works for Elanco (the former and current owners of rBGH), on the team of researchers. Cady was criticized by Tom Phillpot at Grist for conflict of interest in research extolling the environmental benefits of rBGH.

Capper’s twitter name is “Lactolobbyist” and she describes herself as a “dairy scientist passionately spreading the word about reducing environmental impact through improved productive efficiency and use of biotechnology.”

The other most cited resource in the milk industry's sustainability literature is the USDA's 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends consumption of 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products. According to Open Secrets, the dairy industry spent $3.3 million on federal lobbying in 2006, with Dean Foods, the National Milk Producers Federation and the Dairy Foods Association topping the list of spenders. The Dietary Guideline Advisory committee in 2005 was heavily criticized for its ties to dairy.

Ironically, the ICUSD primer reveals two important pillars of sustainable agriculture: the importance of place and scale:

“Today, in many states where climate is conducive, roughly 50% of producers use pastures to meet some fraction of their herds’ dietary needs. Of these producers roughly half practice continuous grazing which, compared to intensive grazing, is a less efficient method of providing forage and of sequestering carbon.”

They note: “generally this includes dairies in the Midwest, Southeast, and New England regions. although the amount of a herd’s dietary needs that can be met by pasturage varies by climate, management practices, and site-specific constraints.”

But, this discussion of pasturing and Midwestern production overlooks the dairy industry's real home base -- industrial production in California and other places with water shortages. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, California ranks #1 in the U.S. in total dairy cows (1.7 million cows on 2,030 dairies) and #1 in total milk production (21% of U.S. milk supply). The average herd size is 850 milking cows, with 46 percent of all dairies over 500 head.

These cows are not raised on pasture. They are raised on dairy freestall and drylot housing (concrete) in Tulare County in the San Joaquin Valley with 1,685,257 of their closest friends. Tulare County and five counties in the central valley account for 49% of the total milk production in California. Tulare County alone accounts for 25% of California’s total milk production and has an average herd size of 1,300 head.

And they drink a lot of water (in the desert) - 20-50 gallons a day and create a lot of waste - approximately 120 pounds, or 14.475 gallons of manure a day per cow.

Even with mitigation with methane digesters, the industry is off the mark towards sustainability. A real commitment comes from decreasing consumption of dairy and producing milk in the way it was intended, through cows on pasture. Seems like nature's own supply and demand curve. Until we have the dairy industry's commitment to these tenets, I am not convinced that sustainability in dairy is possible.

From the ICUSD site:

"Ideally the dairy industry will chart our own course in sustainability." -Jed Davis, Cabot Creamery

Mitigation, Transparency, Financing

2009-12-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

President Obama calls for action at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.

Transrcipt:

Good morning

It is an honor for me to join this distinguished group of leaders from the nations around the world. We come here in Copenhagen because climate change poses a grave and growing danger to our people. All of you would not be here unless you, like me, were convinced that this danger is real.

This is not fiction, it is science.

Unchecked , climate change will pose unacceptable risks to our security, our economies and our planet. This much we know. The question then before us is no longer the nature of the challenge. The question is our capacity to meet it.

For while the reality of climate change is not in doubt, I have to be honest as the world watches us today, I think our ability to take collective action is in doubt right now and it hangs in the balance. I believe we can act boldly and decisively in the face of a common threat.

That's why I come here today. Not to talk, but to act.

(applause)

Now as the world's largest economy and as the world's second largest emitter, America bears our responsibility to address climate change. And we intend to meet that responsibility.

That's why we renewed our leadership within international climate change negotiations. That's why we've worked with other nations to phase out fossil fuels subsidies. That's why we've taken bold action at home by making historic investments in renewable energy by putting our people to work increasing efficiency in our homes and buildings, by pursuing comprehensive legislation to transform to a clean energy economy.

These mitigation actions are ambitious and we are taking them not simply to meet global responsibilities. We are convinced, as some of you may be convinced, that changing the way that we produce and consume energy is essential to America's economic future. That it will create millions of new jobs, power new industries, keep us competitive and spark new innovation.

We're convinced, for our own self interests, that the way we use energy changing it to a more efficient fashion is essential to our national security because it helps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and helps us deal with some of the dangers posed by climate change. So I want this plenary session to understand, America is going to continue on this course of action to mitigate our emissions and to move to a clean energy economy no matter what happens here in Copenhagen.

We think it is good for us as well as good for the world. But we also believe we will all be stronger, all be safer, all be more secure if we act together. That's why it is in our mutual interests to achieve a global accord in which we agree to certain steps and hold each other accountable to certain commitments.

After months of talks, after two weeks of negotiations, after innumerable side meetings, bilateral meetings, endless hours of discussion among the negotiators, I believe the pieces of that accord should now be clear.

First, all major economies much put forward decisive national actions that will reduce their emissions and begin to turn the corner on climate change. I'm pleased that many of us have already done so. Almost all of the major economies have put forward legitimate targets, significant targets, ambitious targets. And I'm confident that America will fulfill the commitment that we have made. Cutting our emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020 and by more 80 percent by 2050 in line with final legislation.

Second, we must have a mechanism to review whether we are keeping our commitments and exchange this information in a transparent manner. These measures need not be intrusive or infringe upon sovereignty. They must insure that an accord is credible and that we're living up to our mutual obligations. Without such accountability any agreement would be empty words on a page.

I don't know how you have an international agreement where we all are not sharing information and ensuring that we are meeting our commitments. That doesn't make sense. It would be a hollow victory.

Number three. We must have financing that helps developing countries adapt, particularly the least developed and most vulnerable countries to climate change.

America will be part of a fast start funding that will ramp up to ten billion dollars by 2012. And yesterday, Secretary Hillary Clinton, my Secretary of State made it clear that we will engage in a global effort to mobilize 100 billion dollars in financing by 2020. If, and only if, it is part of a broader accord that I've just described. Mitigation, transparency, financing. It's a clear formula once that embraces the principle of common, but differentiated responses and respective capabilities. And it adds up to a significant accord. One that takes us farther than we have ever gone before as an international community.

I just want to say to this plenary session that we are running short on time.

And at this point the question is "will we move forward together or split apart"? Whether we prefer posturing to actio . I'm sure that many consider this an imperfect framework that I just described.

No country will get everything that it wants. There are those developing countries that want aid with no strings attached and no obligations with respect to transparency. They think that the most advanced nations should pay a higher price. I understand that. There are those advanced nations who think that developing countries either cannot absorb this assistance or that will not be held accountable effectively. And that the world's fastest growing emitters should bear a greater share of the burden.

We know the fault lines because we've been imprisoned by them for years. These international discussions have essentially taken place now for almost two decades. And we have very little to show for it other than an increase, acceleration, of the climate change phenomena.

The time for talk is over. This is the bottom line. We can embrace this accord, take a substantial step forward, continue to refine it and build upon its foundation. We can do that and everyone who is in this room will be part an historic endeavor. One that makes life better for our children and our grandchildren or we can choose delay. Falling back into the same divisions that have stood in the way of action for years. And we will be back having the same stale arguments, month after month, year after year, perhaps decade after decade, all while the danger of climate change grows until it is irreversible.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is no time to waste. America's made our choice. We have chartered our course. We have made our commitments. We will do what we say. Now I believe it's the time for the nations and the people of the world to come together behind a common purpose.

We are ready to get this done today. But there has to be movement on all sides to recognize that it is better for us to act than to talk. It's better for us to choose action over inaction, the future over the past and with courage and faith I believe we can meet our responsibilities to our people and the future of our planet. Thank you very much. (applause)

Climate Scoreboard

2009-12-17T19:53:00.001-08:00

Amid Monsanto’s antitrust troubles, another study questions the health effects of GMOs | Grist

2009-12-16T20:19:00.000-08:00

This article Amid Monsanto’s antitrust troubles, another study questions the health effects of GMOs from Tom Philpott is good.

And now comes this study by three French university researchers. It’s a fascinating piece of work. The researchers analyzed data from tests done on rats by Monsanto and another biotech firm, Covance Laboratories, submitted to European government in 2000 and 2001. The firms conducted the tests to prove that their products were safe to eat; scrutinizing the same data, the researchers arrived at a different conclusion.

What You Can Do to End Corporate Concentration in the Food System! | US Working Group on the Food Crisis

2009-12-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), will hold a series of public hearings around the country on anti-trust violations, i.e. corporate dominance, in food and agriculture, beginning in March. Numerous topics are being addressed, and they are encouraging members of the public to submit comments based on either personal experience, technical expertise, or even general concern about the dangers and problems of corporate dominance in the food system.

Before December 31st, send a letter to the US Department of Justice telling them about your experience of corporate concentration in the food system! Visit our pages on sample letters and letter ideas to get started.

Here are some themes to inspire your own thoughts. Take a look and then head here for some sample letters and an easy template to write your own! To learn more about the issue, check out our resources here.

• It's harder and harder to find healthy, locally produced foods in your community -- especially if you live in a low-income area, there might not be a supermarket for miles.

• Prices are rising at the supermarket, but you've heard that farmers are struggling -- and big food companies have made record profits this year.

• You feel like you don't have much choice about the food you eat -- maybe the produce selection is bad, or you don't like that everything seems to be made with corn products.

• It's hard for small food producers and processors to find markets for their products -- and it's hard for consumers to find products made by small producers.

• Food seems less safe. You've read that the outbreak and spread of bacteria like E. coli happens much faster when meat and vegetables are processed in big centralized locations.

• Local farms are going out of business, because small farmers can't compete with prices set by industrial farms and consolidated buyers.

• There aren't many decent jobs in food and farming anymore -- there's a real lack of opportunities for both urban and rural youth who are interested in growing and preparing food.

• What's in your food, anyway? And why aren't there decent labels telling you where it grew, what chemicals are on it, and if it's genetically modified?

• There is a "revolving door" of personnel between corporate lobbyists and government regulators. No wonder corporations aren't held to strict standards.

• Many rural communities have become ghost towns. The farmers that have survived often find themselves entirely at the mercy of corporations who own all parts of the supply chain (called "vertical integration") and can set prices in such a way to drive competitors out of business.

• Just one company controls the majority of seeds in the US, and regularly threatens farmers who don't buy its seeds.

• Cows, chickens, and pigs are being raised in squalid conditions on huge industrial feedlots and pumped full of unnecessary antibiotics, which is unhealthy for them and potentially unsafe for the people eating them.

• The food you can afford is bad for you; healthy food is expensive.

• Food is grown and raised in ways that are terrible for the environment, with methods that pollute the water, poison the soil, and threaten our long-term food security.

• A lot of food from the store just doesn't taste very good, which raises questions about where it’s come from and how it’s been treated.

Mad yet? Head here for an easy template for you to tell the Justice Department about your own experience. The Justice Department is specifically seeking comments and stories about how corporate control of the food system affects average citizens. Your comments will help to inform a series of hearings on the issue next year.

Your voice really matters.

To learn more about corporate consolidation in the food system, check out the resources here.

Pouring on the Pounds

2009-12-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

I just saw this video from NYC Health Department called "Pouring on the Pounds."

What do we think about this?

From the press release:

Last summer, the Health Department asked New Yorkers a bold question: Are you pouring on the pounds? The question – accompanied by an eye-catching image of a soft drink turning to blubber as it gushes into a tumbler – has appeared on subway posters, educational brochures and websites since the campaign started in August. Now comes the sequel – a cheeky Internet video that uses similar imagery to show how the empty calories in sugary beverages can add up. Over the course of a year, drinking one soda a day can make you 10 pounds fatter, fostering obesity and contributing to health problems such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease.

“Sugary drinks shouldn’t be a part of our everyday diets,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner. “This video is playful, but its message is serious. Sugar-sweetened beverages are fueling the obesity epidemic, and obesity is disabling millions of New Yorkers. If this campaign shifts habits even slightly, it could have real health benefits.”

The new video can be seen at nyc.gov/health. The Health Department is also posting it on YouTube – www.youtube.com/drinkingfat – in the hope that people will share it with friends and relatives.

Americans now consume an average of 200 to 300 more calories each day than we did 30 years ago. Nearly half of that increase comes from sugar-sweetened drinks which can pack as many as 16 teaspoons of sugar in a single 20-ounce bottle. The Health Department’s 2007 Community Health Survey found that more than 2 million New Yorkers drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage each day – adding as much as 250 empty calories to their diets.

I would say, since governments are charged with footing the bill for health (ultimately), that they should have a role. If they aren't going to regulate the food industry's advertising, they are going to come out with campaigns that are equally compelling.

This is disgusting, but may very well be effective.

"Why we left our farms to come to Copenhagen"

2009-12-07T19:23:00.000-08:00

RP of Jill Richardson from La Vida Locavore-

Copenhagen starts today and it seems like everyone except for me is there. A number of small farmers from around the world have come to Copenhagen to represent their interests. Below is a speech by Henry Saragih of Via Campesina, on why they left their farms to come to Copenhagen.
Speech of Henry Saragih, general coordinator of Via Campesina
Opening of Klimaforum - Copenhagen Dec 7

Tonight is a very special night for us to get together here for the opening of the assembly of the social movements and civil society at the Klimaforum. We, the international peasant movement La Via Campesina, are coming to Copenhagen from all five corners of the world, leaving our farmland, our animals, our forest, and also our families in the hamlets and villages to join you all.
Why is it so important for us to come this far? There are a number of reasons for that. Firstly, we would like to tell you that climate change is already seriously impacting us. It brings floods, droughts and the outbreak of pests that are all causing harvest failures. I must point out that these harvest failures are something that the farmers did not create. Instead, it is the polluters who caused the emissions who destroy the natural cycles. So, we small scale farmers came here to say that we will not pay for their mistakes. And we are asking the emitters to face up to their responsibilities.
Secondly, I would like to share with you some facts about who the emitters of green house gases in agriculture really are: new data that has come out clearly shows that industrial agriculture and the globalized food system are responsible of between 44 and 57% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure can be broken down as follows (i) Agricultural activities are responsible for 11 to 15%, (ii) Land clearing and deforestation cause an additional 15 to 18%, (iii) Food processing, packing and transportation cause 15 to 20%, and (iv) Decomposition of organic waste causes another 3 to 4%. It means that our current food system is a major polluter.
The question we have to answer now is: how do we solve the climate chaos, hunger and assure a better livelihood for farmers, when the agricultural sector itself is contributing more than half of the total emissions? We believe that it is the industrial and agribusiness model of agriculture that is at the root of the problem, because those percentages that I mentioned earlier come from the deforestation and the conversion of natural forests into monoculture plantations, all of which is being carried out by Agribusiness Corporations. Not by familly farmers. Such large emissions of methane by agriculture are also due to the use of urea as a petrochemical fertilizer through the green revolution, very much supported by the World Bank. At the same time, agricultural trade liberalization promoted by free trade agreements (FTA) and by the World Trade Organization (WTO) is contributing to the greenhouse gases emissions due to food processing and food transportation around the world.
If we genuinely want to tackle the climate change crisis, the only way we have to go forward is to stop industrial agriculture. Agribusiness has not only highly contributed to the climate crisis, it has also massacred the small farmers of the world. Millions of farmers , men and women from around the world, have been kicked off their land. Millions of others suffer violence every year because of land conflicts in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Small farmers and landless farmers make up the majority of the more than 1 billion hungry people in the world. And because of free trade, many small farmers commit suicide in South Asia. So putting an end to industrial agriculture is the only way we can go.
Will the current climate negotiations, that are relying on carbon trade mechanisms, bring solutions to climate change? To this we say that carbon trade mechanisms will only serve polluting countries and companies, and bring disaster to small farmers and indigenous peoples in developing countries. The REDD initiative (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) has already kicked off their land many indigenous peoples and small farmers in developing countries. And more and more agricultural land is being converted into tree plantations in order to attract carbon credits.
At COP 13 in Bali 2007, La Via Campesina proposed the landless farmers' and small farmers' solution to climate change, which is: "small scale sustainable farmers are cooling down the earth". And here, at COP 15, again we bring that proposal, backing it with the figures that prove that it could reduce more than half of the global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure comes from: (I) Recuperating organic matter in the soil would reduce emissions by 20 to 35%. (ii) Reversing the concentration of meat production in factory farms and reintegrating joint animal and crop production would reduce them by 5 to 9% (iii) Putting local markets and fresh food back at the center of the food system would reduce a further 10 to 12%. (iv) Halting land clearing and deforestation would stop 15 to 18% of emissions. In short, by taking agriculture away from the big agribusiness corporations and putting it back into the hands of small farmers, we can reduce half of the global emissions of greenhouse gases. This is what we propose, and we call it Food Sovereignty.
And to achieve that we need social movements to work together and struggle together to put an end to the current false solutions that are today on the table at the climate negotiations. This is a must, otherwise we will face an even bigger tragedy worldwide. We, as social movements, have to bring our own agenda onto the table, because we are the first climate victims and climate refugees and therefore climate justice is in our hands.
At the FAO Food Summit in 1996, governments committed themselves to reduce hunger by half by 2015. The reality is that the number of hungry people has recently increased dramatically. We do not want the same thing to happen with the climate talks and see the emissions increase even further regardless of what the governments negotiate within the UNFCCC.
We invite all the movements present in Copenhagen to join together to bring climate justice to the table. Climate justice will only be achieved through solidarity and social justice.

WOMEN IGNORED IN CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE AT COPENHAGEN

2009-12-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

Editor's Note: Can a conference of male political heavyweights bring about needed change in Copenhagen? Wayne Roberts confronts this issue by looking at how women will particularly pay the price from inaction on this file. Global warming is not a problem they'll face in the future, he argues; in the Global South, global warming is already creating climate chaos and imposing heavy burdens on women and agriculture. If that argument holds, then climate chaos needs to be identified as an integrated issue affecting women and agriculture as well as the environment.

WOMEN IGNORED IN CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE AT COPENHAGEN

By Wayne Roberts

Women hold up half the sky, claims an old saying, coined long before the world’s skies were filled with global warming gases. My sense is that from now on, they will have to hold up a lot more.

The absence of debate on this gendered slant to global warming is a silence piled upon silences in the warm-up to the December Copenhagen conference, where the world’s leaders will, with some fanfare, agree to do nothing positive of substance.

Women, especially women in the Global South (aka the developing world), do almost nothing to cause global warming. They keep the homefires burning in India, for example, the country with the highest percentage of the world’s poor; produces about the same amount of global warming gases as affluent Canada, which has about a billion fewer people.

Women are not causing the delays in scientists getting their act together, nor the logjam in government inability to coordinate anti-warming initiatives. The much-heralded IPCC report of 2007 presented the consensus of some 2500 scientists around the world. They agreed global warming had human causes and would cause planetary havoc, and spent half a page on special problems women would face, perhaps not surprising given that only 15 per cent of the included scientists (which presumably didn’t include their secretaries) were women. As for governments, less than a quarter of the negotiators working on a Copenhagen deal right now are women.

Yet women will pay most dearly for business and political notion-of-motion inaction, a reality which the world’s mainstream feminists and environmentalists, even such organizations as Moms Against Climate Change, have all but ignored.

The silence about women is help up by many silences that lead many people to think that global warming is some future threat or that it may disrupt Nature, but not people. According to the May, 2009 Lancet, Britain’s most respected medical journal, global warming is the “biggest global health threat of the 21^st century” and also “one of the most inequitable health risks of our time” since the poorest billion people in the world will lose 500 times more years of healthy life than the rich who caused their problems. This is the century when colonialism loses all pretence of being a white man’s burden and becomes, especially in southern Africa and Asia where the harm will be worst, a brown woman’s burden. And it’s already happening; indeed, it’s ten year-old news.

Global warming’s impact is a future or distant reality only in the Global North. In the South, global warming-related or man-made “natural disasters,” such as hurricanes, typhoons, floods and mudslides are already on the rise. Small disasters are silent tsunamis, since they lack the drama of a big one, but they have doubled from 200 to 400 in the last 20 years, according to reports by the UN’s Division for the Advancement of Women. These mini-disasters led to the death or maiming of 211 million people, seven times more than were wounded or killed in wars over that time. Women and children are 14 times more likely to die during disasters than men, according to the UN’s because they’re more likely to be trapped in a home, or were never taught to swim or climb trees, or wear clothes that make vigorous movement difficult, according to the UN’s recent publication, Gender in Agriculture Sourcebook.

Just as there is silence about natural disasters, many provoked by climate chaos, there is silence about women’s role as hewers of wood and water, whose work will never be done in a heated- and dried-up world.

The fuel for about a third of the world’s homes -- two-thirds in India or Indonesia -- is wood or dung gathered and carried by women. Women also find and carry home cooking and cleaning water. In Africa, already suffering from deforestation and desertification induced by climate chaos, women and children now spend 40 billion hours a year gathering water, which commonly requires them to carry a 20 to 40 kilogram load on their heads, leading to spinal injuries as they age, according to a report to the UN General Assembly last spring.

As the time and distances go up under the impact of increased desertification – almost two billion people are liable to suffer from water stress by 2025 as a result of expected levels of climate chaos – the sheer time required to carry out these essential tasks will make it almost impossible for girls to attend school or women to engage in part-time jobs that might ease the way out of extreme poverty.

Time required searching for essentials such as fuel and water also competes for time needed to maintain subsistence farms, the women’s work that provides most of the food eaten in the Global South. Just when that food production becomes more time-demanding as adaptations become necessary to ward off drought, desertification and deforestation; crop failures and famine are almost inevitable in such circumstances. Extreme poverty, farmland degradation, hunger and malnutrition, sexist discrimination and global warming will form points on an enclosed and vicious circle from which escape will be difficult.

Nobel Peace prize winner Wangari Maathai, honored for building a women’s army of tree planters who grew greenbelts throughout Kenya, has warned that the world is unlikely to achieve climate equity until it achieves gender equity.

If ever there was a cause to form a new non-profit or Non Government Organization, this is it. As Copenhagen will surely confirm, when the most vulnerable and are without voice, there is no-one to challenge the political and corporate bullies now imposing an additional historic burden on the health, well-being and rights of over a billion women.

(adapted from NOW Magazine, December 3-9, 2009; Wayne Roberts is the author of the No-Nonsense Guide to World Food)

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Foodforethought provides information and analysis to encourage dialogue and exploration of innovative trends in the global food system. The service is managed by James Kuhns, in collaboration with Wayne Roberts.

The Story of Cap and Trade

2009-12-06T20:06:00.000-08:00

The Story of Cap & Trade is a fast-paced, fact-filled look at the leading climate solution being discussed at Copenhagen and on Capitol Hill. Host Annie Leonard introduces the energy traders and Wall Street financiers at the heart of this scheme and reveals the "devils in the details" in current cap and trade proposals: free permits to big polluters, fake offsets and distraction from what’s really required to tackle the climate crisis. If you’ve heard about cap and trade, but aren’t sure how it works (or who benefits), this is the film is for you.

See it here:

The Story of Cap and Trade

'Fourteen days to seal history's judgment on this generation'

2009-12-06T19:39:00.001-08:00

Today 56 newspapers in 45 countries take the unprecedented step of speaking with one voice through a common editorial. We do so because humanity faces a profound emergency.

Unless we combine to take decisive action, climate change will ravage our planet, and with it our prosperity and security. The dangers have been becoming apparent for a generation. Now the facts have started to speak: 11 of the past 14 years have been the warmest on record, the Arctic ice-cap is melting and last year's inflamed oil and food prices provide a foretaste of future havoc. In scientific journals the question is no longer whether humans are to blame, but how little time we have got left to limit the damage. Yet so far the world's response has been feeble and half-hearted.

Climate change has been caused over centuries, has consequences that will endure for all time and our prospects of taming it will be determined in the next 14 days. We call on the representatives of the 192 countries gathered in Copenhagen not to hesitate, not to fall into dispute, not to blame each other but to seize opportunity from the greatest modern failure of politics. This should not be a fight between the rich world and the poor world, or between east and west. Climate change affects everyone, and must be solved by everyone.

The science is complex but the facts are clear. The world needs to take steps to limit temperature rises to 2C, an aim that will require global emissions to peak and begin falling within the next 5-10 years. A bigger rise of 3-4C — the smallest increase we can prudently expect to follow inaction — would parch continents, turning farmland into desert. Half of all species could become extinct, untold millions of people would be displaced, whole nations drowned by the sea. The controversy over emails by British researchers that suggest they tried to suppress inconvenient data has muddied the waters but failed to dent the mass of evidence on which these predictions are based.

Few believe that Copenhagen can any longer produce a fully polished treaty; real progress towards one could only begin with the arrival of President Obama in the White House and the reversal of years of US obstructionism. Even now the world finds itself at the mercy of American domestic politics, for the president cannot fully commit to the action required until the US Congress has done so.

But the politicians in Copenhagen can and must agree the essential elements of a fair and effective deal and, crucially, a firm timetable for turning it into a treaty. Next June's UN climate meeting in Bonn should be their deadline. As one negotiator put it: "We can go into extra time but we can't afford a replay."

At the deal's heart must be a settlement between the rich world and the developing world covering how the burden of fighting climate change will be divided — and how we will share a newly precious resource: the trillion or so tonnes of carbon that we can emit before the mercury rises to dangerous levels.

Rich nations like to point to the arithmetic truth that there can be no solution until developing giants such as China take more radical steps than they have so far. But the rich world is responsible for most of the accumulated carbon in the atmosphere – three-quarters of all carbon dioxide emitted since 1850. It must now take a lead, and every developed country must commit to deep cuts which will reduce their emissions within a decade to very substantially less than their 1990 level.

Developing countries can point out they did not cause the bulk of the problem, and also that the poorest regions of the world will be hardest hit. But they will increasingly contribute to warming, and must thus pledge meaningful and quantifiable action of their own. Though both fell short of what some had hoped for, the recent commitments to emissions targets by the world's biggest polluters, the United States and China, were important steps in the right direction.

Social justice demands that the industrialised world digs deep into its pockets and pledges cash to help poorer countries adapt to climate change, and clean technologies to enable them to grow economically without growing their emissions. The architecture of a future treaty must also be pinned down – with rigorous multilateral monitoring, fair rewards for protecting forests, and the credible assessment of "exported emissions" so that the burden can eventually be more equitably shared between those who produce polluting products and those who consume them. And fairness requires that the burden placed on individual developed countries should take into account their ability to bear it; for instance newer EU members, often much poorer than "old Europe", must not suffer more than their richer partners.

The transformation will be costly, but many times less than the bill for bailing out global finance — and far less costly than the consequences of doing nothing.

Many of us, particularly in the developed world, will have to change our lifestyles. The era of flights that cost less than the taxi ride to the airport is drawing to a close. We will have to shop, eat and travel more intelligently. We will have to pay more for our energy, and use less of it.

But the shift to a low-carbon society holds out the prospect of more opportunity than sacrifice. Already some countries have recognized that embracing the transformation can bring growth, jobs and better quality lives. The flow of capital tells its own story: last year for the first time more was invested in renewable forms of energy than producing electricity from fossil fuels.

Kicking our carbon habit within a few short decades will require a feat of engineering and innovation to match anything in our history. But whereas putting a man on the moon or splitting the atom were born of conflict and competition, the coming carbon race must be driven by a collaborative effort to achieve collective salvation.

Overcoming climate change will take a triumph of optimism over pessimism, of vision over short-sightedness, of what Abraham Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature".

It is in that spirit that 56 newspapers from around the world have united behind this editorial. If we, with such different national and political perspectives, can agree on what must be done then surely our leaders can too.

The politicians in Copenhagen have the power to shape history's judgment on this generation: one that saw a challenge and rose to it, or one so stupid that we saw calamity coming but did nothing to avert it. We implore them to make the right choice.

This editorial will be published tomorrow by 56 newspapers around the world in 20 languages including Chinese, Arabic and Russian. The text was drafted by a Guardian team during more than a month of consultations with editors from more than 20 of the papers involved. Like the Guardian most of the newspapers have taken the unusual step of featuring the editorial on their front page.

EPA Orders Employees to Remove YouTube Climate Video

2009-11-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Re-posted from Twighlight Earth.

The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered two of its attorneys to remove a video they posted on YouTube about problems with climate change legislation.

The couple had received clearance for posting the video but EPA took issue with its content following publication of an op-ed piece by the two in The Washington Post on October 31.

On November 5, 2009, EPA ethics officials ordered the two veteran employees to –

“Remove your climate change video from You Tube by the close of business on Friday, November 6, 2009″;
“Edit your You Tube video…by:
- Removing the language starting at 1:06 min – ‘Our opinions are based on
  more than 20 years each working as attorneys at the U.S. Environmental
  Protection Agency in the San Francisco Regional Office.’
- Removing the images of EPA’s building starting at 1:06 min…
- Remove [sic] the language starting at 6:30 min – ‘In my work at EPA,
  I’ve been overseeing California’s cap-and-trade and offset programs for
  more than 20 years.’”
“All future requests for approval of an outside writing activity must be accompanied by a
draft of the document that is the subject of the approval request…”

“EPA is abusing ethics rules to gag two conscientious employees who have every right to speak out as citizens,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, who has re-posted the original video and its script. “EPA reversed itself because someone in headquarters had a tantrum about their Washington Post essay.”

Food waste - to - energy

2009-11-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

This is a great way to close the cycle! San Francisco area utility turns food waste into green energy. My friend Andy Sarjahani did a fabulous presentation at the American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference on Food Waste. Glad to see San Francisco take the lead. Now, if I could just get my neighborhood to learn how to recycle an the city to pick it up consistently. Argh.

Abused calves at Vermont veal slaughterhouse

2009-11-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Not for the faint at heart. USDA ordered this plant to close this week. Thank God.

Issue 2 in Ohio - Livestock Care Standards

2009-11-03T13:20:00.000-08:00

I couldn't let the day go by without blogging on Issue 2 voting going on Ohio. Today marks a huge change to the Ohio constitution that will create a 13-member Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board for the purpose of establishing standards governing the care of livestock and poultry. While this sounds like a great idea, the "board" will be comprised of

thirteen Ohio residents including representatives of Ohio family farms, farming organizations, food safety experts, veterinarians, consumers, the dean of the agriculture department at an Ohio college or university and a county humane society representative,

1o of whom are chosen by the Governor, and the others appointed by other government officials. Those who understand the political clout of "big agriculture" know where this is headed. The move is said to be the largest "power grab" by special interests to control the way animals are produced since, well, rBGH.

The establishment has pulled out all of the stops to get the votes: good for the economy, good for the food supply, good for safe food...in fact "Safe Local Ohio Food" is the industry sponsored (Ohioan's for Livestock Care) propaganda page which has done a great job of studying "green", "progressive", and "good food" websites. The bottom line: big agriculture business in Ohio wants business as usual and right now, it feels a real threat to their bottom line. Seven states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, and Oregon—have banned the use of inhumane confinement devices for farm animals. Ohio is trying to set a precedent before they are next.

Here are the Humane Society of the United States Six Reasons to Vote No on Issue 2 .

Here are the Ohioan's for Livestock Care Seven Reasons to Vote Yes on Issue 2.

Here is Progressive Ohio's standpoint.

It's heating up in Ohio. I will be listening to AgriTalk radio today to hear the results, as well as monitoring Ballot-opedia -- my new favorite site!

*****UPDATE******

As of 8:45 PM EST Issue 2 was leading with 69% of the votes tallied.

The Friedman Sprout

2009-11-01T19:16:00.000-08:00

The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy (my school) at Tufts University has published their (our) inaugural issue of The Friedman Sprout student newspaper.

The theme is surviving finals, but there are other interesting articles. I contributed in the Kathleen's Korner Column, highlighting the news of Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan, as well as an Opt-ed -- "Why isn't nutrition part of the healthcare debate?"

Other columns include recipes, restaurant reviews, alumi spotlights, and tips on health and wellness.

To subscribe to the monthly paper email "subscribe" to friedmansprout@gmail.com.

Pepsi Raw

2009-11-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my friend Chuck for sending me Pepsi's new shenanigans. Pepsi Raw is the new trial run of products by the muliti-national corporation Pepsi.

I am a little unsure about the target audience: the health conscious? the elite? the gullible?

This is cola made with sparkling water and naturally sourced ingredients. That means no artificial flavours, sweeteners, preservatives, or colours.

With its lighter sparkle and unique ingredients such as apple and natural plant extracts, it has a cleaner, fresher taste that’s not only great on its own, but also makes a fantastic mixer. So if you’re someone who appreciates premium spirits, RAW is the perfect accompaniment as it allows the individual flavour of the spirit to cut through.

I am a little unsure what "naturally sourced ingredients" means. So they may be derived from plants, but what is the relevance?

The ingredients:
Sparkling water (bubbles) --no sure the difference between carbonated water, but okay.
Cane Sugar (sugar cane) -- okay...no HFCS, but I laugh that sugar is now being hustled as a marketable choice. I would be interested to know where they get their sugar from. (A 2004 report by WWF, titled “Sugar and the Environment,” shows that sugar may be responsible for more biodiversity loss than any other crop, due to its destruction of habitat to make way for plantations, its intensive use of water for irrigation, its heavy use of agricultural chemicals, and the polluted wastewater that is routinely discharged in the sugar production process.)
Apple extract -- fruit serving? does it count?
Colour- (plain caramel) derived from sugar thanks to the Malliard effect-- emphasis on "plain" ?
Natural Plant Extracts -- including natural caffeine, kola nut extract (from the rain forest in Africa)
TarTaric Acid (bunch of grapes), citric and lactic acid -- what's soda without some acid!?
Gum Arabic- Acacia tree branch & Xanthan gum -- how exotic.

And you have a "Natural Born Cola," and I have a headache.

Where the buffalo roamed - McDonald's settled

2009-11-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

I like this article Where The Buffalo Roamed « Weather Sealed, where the author describes the monstrosity of the strip mall. I joke that urban sprawl is where they cut all the trees down and name streets after them-- Oak Ridge Road, Pine top Street, Sycamore Hallow Cove etc, which is only part of the disgust.

As a person who studies food policy, access, and security this map by Steven Von Worley was affective. The nation is discussing health care reform. Could we possibly look at the built environment as part of the problem. Is this many McDonald's really necessary? What if all of these lights were farmers markets?

Community Food Security Coalition conference recap

2009-10-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Iowa welcomed hundreds of Sustainable Food Aggies to the midwest this week for theCommunity Food Security Coalition's annual conference: From Commodity to Community: Food Politics and Projects in the Heartland. I arrived in Des Moines on Thursday night and was humbled by the friendliness and hospitality of the Iowan people. I'm sure others can join me and thanking them for volunteering, organizing, and hosting.

The conference kicked off Saturday with a gathering of local and state food policy councils:From People Power to Public Policy. Wayne Robert's of the Toronto Food Policy equated the issues facing communities to a rubric's cube: you don't solve the puzzle by looking at one side. This theme continued throughout the weekend. Further, food system development can be used as the driver in solving economic, safety, beautification, waste, health, community involvement, tax laws, etc and interdisciplinary design of these councils has the capacity to make it a reality. He finished with a powerful blessing by poet E. E. Cummings.

While folks attended the council meeting, others were out exploring the rich cultural and agricultural offerings that only Iowa can offer. A surprise snow storm did not deter bikers from taking their Urban Food Initiative tour. Other tours included visiting a grass-based dairy farm with on-farm processing, Marshalltown: the site of recent immigration raids on a local processing plant, a hog confinement facility, the Iowa Food Bank, Pioneer Seed Company- “world’s largest developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics,” a variety of agri-tourism sites, and even Iowan wineries. From the Farmers Tell it Like it is tour- Andrew Kang Bartlett provides a video of his experience on George Naylor's farm, as he discusses the three main reasons why family farming is being destroyed and how the system encourages GM corn and soybean production.

The next few days were spent in morning plenaries before breaking off into smaller workshops to share knowledge, stories, strategies and camaraderie. The breadth of topics touched on all aspects of the food system- production, distribution, farm to school, farmers markets, urban agriculture, value added products, reducing waste, hunger and feeding programs, food justice issues, farm workers rights, environmental impacts, health care discussion, utilizing media and marketing, changing policy, and building community. The sessions provided practical and applicable advice for community leaders, farmers, consumers, academics, dietitians and government agencies to bring home and put into practice. I spoke on a panel with Ken Meter of the Crossroads Resource Center and Sarah Hackney from Gorge Grown Food Network on the utilization of local foods as a means to economic recovery. I presented some of the research and opportunities that I compiled this summer for my internship for Farm Aid and shared their commitment to family farms as the means to revitalizing the food system.

The first day, Wayne had asked us to keep track of our "ah ha" moments: moments when a conversation, statistic, challenge, or question spurred connection or understanding that was not clear before. My "ah ha" moments:

1. During Kirsten Simmon of the Michigan Food Policy Council session, I was intrigued by the systemic impacts that the council are having on governmental agencies. For example: recommendations by the Michigan task force led to the Department of Corrections aiming to purchase 5% of their procurement from Michigan farmers over 3 to 5 years. Other agencies that are being mobilized by councils are waste, health, transportation and safety.

2. During a session moderated by Molly Anderson of Food Systems Integrity, I learned a new perspective on the 'right to food' debate. Brewster Kneen or Ram's Horn and Marc Cohen ofOxfam identified the main arguments for a rights-based approach to food security in the US. I learned that holders of rights over the food insecure are ensured by their own rights to maintain personal food security. Further, the US Constitution has civil and political rights, but not human rights. This may be part of the difficulty in passing a healthcare bill based on the right to care.

3. Finally, I came out with a new perspective, strategy, and passion for connecting food and agriculture issues with public health and climate change. Rebecca Klien and Anne Palmer of Johns Hopkins Center for Livable Future and RD's Sue Roberts and Fern Gale Estrow shared their experiences using a lens of public health to transform food and agriculture policy. We talked a lot about work taking place in silos. A follow up session led by Steph Larson, of the Center of Rural Affairs; David Wallinga of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy; and Christa Essig of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention solidified the inherent connection between environmental changes on health and the importance of preventative care, which is currently not part of the national health care debate. As Wallinga said, "we can not afford any more cheap food." What about the way agriculture effects health- MRSA, asthma, pesticides, hormones? What about the effect that agriculture has on global warming (a third to a fifth of green house gases come from agriculture). Climate change will have intense impacts on health- increasing allergies and asthma, water contamination, infectious disease and make it increasingly difficult to produce food. We should demand our health care debate be about more than insurance and actually be about health.

For me, the whole conference was an "ah ha" moment. I am so grateful to have shared my time and experiences with such amazing people. The Good Food Movement is alive and is centered core human values and the ability of community to make change. I want to specifically thank my HEN consortium that have supported, guided, and continually inspired me in field of study that has the potential to change the world. Specifically I want to dedicate this post to Angie Tagtow and Mary Jo Forbord.

I will share a post on the Food Sovereignty Prize winner, a panel discussion with 1995 Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Hans Herren, as well as the guest appearance of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in coming posts.

USDA discussion live on Facebook

2009-09-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Kathleen Merrigan will hold a Live Facebook Chat about local food systems on Thursday, October 1 at 3:45 pm ET. Comments and questions can be submitted via the USDA Facebook page.

The discussion is a part of the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative launched in early September. According to the website:

USDA-wide effort to create new economic opportunities by better connecting consumers with local producers. It is also the start of a national conversation about the importance of understanding where your food comes from and how it gets to your plate. Today, there is too much distance between the average American and their farmer and we are marshalling resources from across USDA to help create the link between local production and local consumption.

As a former student of Kathleen, I am reminded of something she told us in her policy class: "think big!" She is dedicated to the "People's Department" being just that, and this is her way of including all in the conversation.

ADA publishes benefits of organic talking points

2009-09-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

In July, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition(AJCN) published a meta-analysis on the nutritional quality of organic versus conventional food creating a stir in the media. This month, the American Dietetic Association(ADA) has published a 'Hot Topic' which takes a more holistic approach to the benefits of organic food. According to ADA, 'Hot Topics' are "short, concise practice and science-based answers to current questions Registered Dietitians(RD) may receive."

The 'Hot Topic' was co-authored by Christine McCullum-Gomez, PhD, RD and Anne-Marie Scott of the Hunger and Environmental Nutrition(HEN) Dietetic Practice Group(DPG) of ADA. In their review they challenge the AJCN study for "not examining differences in contaminants (such as pesticide, herbicide or fungicide residues) or the possible environmental consequences of organic versus conventional production practices." Further, the authors claim there are benefits to organic beyond human nutrition.

When considering benefits and costs of organic versus conventional agricultural production, it is important to consider benefits and costs to consumers, farmers, communities and the environment. For example, current research in numerous areas is showing both short-and long-term benefits to our population and the planet with organic and other sustainable production systems. Documented environmental benefits of organic production systems include reduced nutrient pollution, improved soil organic matter, lower energy use, reduced pesticide
residues in food and water and enhanced biodiversity.

It is refreshing to see the ADA not taking their traditionally myopic approach.

The challenge for our field(dietetics) is to understand exactly how foods and food products are grown and manufactured and the effects these methods may have on our personal health and the health of the global environment.

Disclosure: I am a HEN member. HEN is currently the fastest growing DPG of the ADA. (phew..a lot of acronyms)

A Foodie's Guide to SXSW Panel Picking

2009-08-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Babette's Feast, the official blog of Bakespace.com, has blogged: A Foodie's Guide to SXSW Panel Picking.

She has made an extensive list of the food related panels. I appreciate being included in her list!

Blogs, Tweets & Movies: Fueling the Good Food Movement at SXSW

2009-08-17T15:19:00.000-07:00

I am really excited to say that my panel: Blogs, Tweets & Movies: Fueling the Good Food Movement is being considered for the 2010 South by South West (SXSW) Interactive Festival. (see below for details). If I get picked they will have me design and pick the panelist!

How can you help? Well, I am really glad you asked!
1. Go vote for me at: the 2010 Panel Picker Site
To find my panel at this site just search the title or my name: Ashley Colpaart (it has 2 a's)

2. Could you send this link to everyone you know that may be interested in this topic? It would be greatly appreciated!

Here is my panel description:
The Good Food Movement is using twitter, blogging, newspapers, movies and other creative forms of media to fuel changes in the way we eat and produce our food. Individually and globally, it is the cornerstone issue that connects people, the environment, health and energy. Can highlight: Meatless Monday, Food Inc., Fresh, Free Range Media, Berkshares, CSA/farmers markets/farm to school

And my content ideas:

food policy blogging
sustainable agriculture education
approaches to access of food, innercity gardens
using video/media for education
alternative investment and economic models
meatless monday campaign
Veggie trader to connect homegrown food with people
CSA, CS-fish, CSmeat
linking farmers with supply chains

Food and agriculture shows hit the radiowaves

2009-08-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

A few radio shows have emerged lately on topics related to the good food movement and sustainable agriculture. I thought I would share some of my favorites:

First, fellow Registered Dietitian, and friend, Melinda Hemmelgarn has started a weekly 1/2 radio program – taped interviews with innovative, insightful and interesting guests who will help listeners "think beyond their plates" and connect the dots between food, health and agriculture.

The show airs on Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. Central and you can listen live on line at: www.kopn.org or listen to podcasts as they're posted. KOPN is a 35-year-and-still-going-strong community–owned, volunteer-run radio station – Free press at its finest with NO commercials.

Secondly, as previously posted, Tuft's very own Jessica Ilyse Smith is a producer and journalist for the Public Radio International show, Living on Earth. Though the show is not entirely focused on sustainable food, she covers food issues as much as possible. Some topics she has covered include food deserts and the pros and cons of GE corn ethanol. Tuft's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy also has it's own Internet Radio Program that Jessica contributed to along with our own blog contributer Aliza Wasserman.

Third, Heritage Radio Network(HRN) is "a cutting edge internet-based radio station designed to protect and advance our country’s rich cultural roots in the form of interviews, reflections, musings and ramblings from America’s leading farmers, food mavericks, filmmakers, artists and tastemakers. The live radio shows are then uploaded onto heritageradionetwork.com where content is archived into audio bits and pieces and searchable by keywords or phrases. This is an unprecedented venue for future historians who want to research their past, our present."

HRN has plenty of shows and topics to choose from. Some of my favorite shows:

Edible Communities Hosted by: Kate Manchester, Marla Camp and Deborah Schapiro Celebrating the abundance of local foods, season by season.

Heritage Farm Report Hosted by: Heather Hyman and Lorenzo Ragionieri A day in the life of a Heritage Farmer. America's leading farmers discuss the history of their land, avant-garde farming techniques, and farming how-to's.

Greenhorn Radio Hosted by: Severine von Tscharner Fleming Greenhorn Radio: Radio For Young Farmers, By Young Farmers. Acclaimed activist, farmer, and documentarian Severine Fleming surveys America's cutting edge, under-forty farmers.

Fourth, The National Center for Appropriate Technology's Sustainable Agriculture Spotlight is a weekly Internet radio show. The show covers a wide range of topics on sustainable agriculture, including on-farm production of biodiesel, integrated pest management, growing crops for farmers' markets, organic crop certification and federal farm policy. Each week host Jeff Birkby, ATTRA outreach directory, interviews regional and national experts. The show airs live Thursdays at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on the Green Talk Network. Archives are listed 24 hours after the show.

Last, but not least, is my new favorite guilty pleasure: Agritalk Radio: The Voice of Rural America. I download Agritalk as a podcast and listen to it on the way to school. The show is hosted by Mike Adams and helps us "agricultural intellectuals" understand issues important to American farmers. There is a ton of policy discussion and guest interviews from many representatives who sit on agricultural committees. Scattered throughout the show are commercials from our favorite big agricultural corporations, Checkoff programs and the AdCouncil. My favorite episode is the June 2nd show: The Growth of Small Farms with guest Agricultural Economist, John Ikerd.

Happy listening!

Monsanto, drought resistance and world resistance

2009-08-04T15:10:00.000-07:00

Monsanto recently announced that they and BASF scientists have discovered a gene that possesses drought tolerance in corn plants.

Monsanto and BASF noted that the drought-tolerant corn product is targeted for as early as 2012 pending appropriate regulatory approvals. Both companies also recently announced that they have completed regulatory submissions for cultivation in the United States and Canada, and for import to Mexico, the European Union and Colombia. Submissions in other import markets will follow in the months to come.

Read their press release here.

I found this section of particular interest:

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, such as statements concerning the company's future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among others: the success of the companies' research and development activities; the costs of and the companies' abilities to access and enforce intellectual property needed for the collaboration; the costs and requirements of regulatory compliance and the speed with which approvals are received; public acceptance of biotechnology products; and other risks and factors detailed in the company's most recent periodic report to the SEC. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this presentation. The company disclaims any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results.

American's against food taxes

2009-07-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Would these Americans be willing to pay the true cost of food? Food from unsubsidized corn and soy and including the externalities of the health care costs and environmental damage?

They certainly are willing to spend money of TV ads. This one makes me want to go camping with some Big Red.

Note the coalition members:

Coalition Members 7-Eleven, Inc.
Advantage Vending Equipment
Alabama Beverage Association
Alabama Grocers Association
Alcan Packaging
Allen Beverages, Inc.
American Advertising Federation
American Beverage Association
Americans for Prosperity
Arizona Beverage Association
Arkansas Beverage Association
Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants Association
Bernick’s Beverages and Vending
Beverage Association of Mississippi
Beverage Association of Tennessee
Beverage Association of Vermont
Beverage Truck & Trailer, LLC
Brinker International
C. C. Clark, Inc.
California-Nevada Soft Drink Association
Can Manufacturers Institute
Canada Dry Bottling Co. of New York
Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.
Carolinas Food Industry Council
Chesterman Company
Clark Beverage Group
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. High Country
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United, Inc.
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Fort Wayne, IN
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Minden, Inc.
Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Winona, MN
Coca-Cola Bottling Works, Inc.
Coca-Cola Company, The
Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.
Colorado Beverage Association
Colorado Retail Council
Connecticut Food Association
Corinth Coca-Cola Bottling Works, Inc.
Corn Refiners Association
Cornelius
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Cowan Systems, LLC
Coyote Bait & Tackle
Darden Restaurants, Inc.
Domino’s Pizza
Dr Pepper Bottling Company of Dublin
Dr Pepper-Royal Crown Bottling Co.
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Enterprise Leasing Company of Georgia
Entravision Communications
First Choice Vending
Florida Beverage Association
Florida Maritime Leadership Coalition
Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
Food Industry Association Executives
Food Marketing Institute
G&J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers
Georgia Agribusiness Council
Georgia Association of Convenience Stores
Georgia Beverage Association
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Georgia Food Industry Association
Georgia Retail Association
Georgia Restaurant Association
Global Closure Systems OBRIST Americas
Graphic Packaging International, Inc.
Great Dane Trailers
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Hispanic Media Council
Hoosier Beverage Association
Idaho Soft Drink Association
Illinois Beverage Association
Illinois Food Retailers Association
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Independent Buyers’ Co-op
Indiana Grocery and Convenience Store Association
Indiana Restaurant Association
Institute for Liberty
International Dairy Foods Association
International Dairy Queen, Inc.
Iowa Beverage Association
Kansas Beverage Association
Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association
Kentucky Beverage Association
Kwik Trip, Inc.
L & E Bottling Company
Lakeside Pepsi-Cola
Lancer Corporation
LinPepCo Partnership
Louisiana Beverage Association
Louisiana Retailers Association
Mack II, Inc.
Maine Beverage Association
Maine Restaurant Association
Maryland Retailers Association
MD/DC/DE Beverage Association
Massachusetts Beverage Association
MeadWestvaco Corporation
MEI, Inc.
Meridian Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
Mexican American Grocers Association
Michigan Chamber of Commerce
Michigan Food and Beverage Association
Michigan Grocers Association
Michigan Soft Drink Association
Mid-Wisconsin Beverage, Inc.
Minges Bottling Group
Minnesota Beverage Association
Minnesota Grocers Association
Mississippi Automatic Merchandising Association
Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association
Missouri Beverage Association
Missouri Retailers Association
Montana Beverage Association
National Association of Convenience Stores
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Theater Owners
National Automatic Merchandising Association
National Confectioners Association
National Council of Chain Restaurants
National Grocers Association
National Restaurant Association
National Supermarket Association
National Taxpayers Union
Neighborhood Market Association
Nebraska Beverage Association
Nebraska Retail Federation
Nei Bottling Group, Inc.
New Hampshire Grocers Association
New Hampshire Soft Drink Association
New Jersey Food Council
New Mexico Beverage Association
North Carolina Beverage Association
North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association
North Carolina Retail Merchants Association
North Dakota Grocers Association
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Ohio Council of Retail Merchants
Ohio Grocers Association
Ohio Restaurant Association
Ohio Soft Drink Association
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative
Oregon Soft Drink Association
Original Roadhouse Grill
Pace Global Energy Services
Pennsylvania Beverage Association
Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association
Pennsylvania Restaurant Association
Pepsi Bottling Group
Pepsi Bottling Ventures
PepsiAmericas, Inc.
PepsiCo, Inc.
Pepsi-Cola & National Brand Beverages
Pepsi-Cola of Florence, LLC
Pepsi-Cola of Rochester, MN
Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Association
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Central VA
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Hastings
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Hickory, NC
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of LaCrosse
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Logansport
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of New York
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Pipestone, MN
Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Roxboro, NC
Pepsi-Cola Decatur, LLC
Pepsi-Cola Dr Pepper Bottling Co.
Pepsi-Cola of Northeast Wisconsin
Quail Mountain, Inc.
Quality Retail Services, Inc.
Rehrig Pacific Company
Retail Merchants of Hawaii
Rexam, Inc.
Rhode Island Beverage Association
Ron’s Towing, Inc.
SandenVendo America, Inc.
Seneca Wholesale Co., Inc.
Sherm’s Thunderbird Markets, Inc.
Snack Food Association
South Carolina Beverage Association
South Dakota Beverage Association
Streva Distributing Co. of New Iberia, Inc.
Sun Drop Bottling Co.
Swire Coca-Cola
Temple Bottling Company
Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association
Texas Beverage Association
Texas Grocery and Convenience Association
Texas Roadhouse
Towerwall, Inc.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Utah Beverage Association
Varsity Beverage
Venmart, Inc.
Vermont Grocers’ Association
Virginia Beverage Association
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Vitro Packaging, LLC
Walton Beverage Company
West Virginia Beverage Association
West Virginia Oil Marketers and Grocers Association
Western Kentucky Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Inc.
Wilson Corporation
Wisconsin Beverage Association
Wisconsin Grocers Association
Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association
Wisconsin Restaurant Association
WP Beverages, LLC
Wyoming Beverage Association
Yum! Brands, Inc.

KOPN Food Sleuth: Investigative nutrition

2009-07-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite RD's bringing the truth about food to the American public is Melinda Hemmelgarn.

Her new radio show is available online and she has already had some great guest like Roger Dorion, Founding Director Kitchen Gardeners International, Robyn O'Brien author of The Unhealthy Truth and Julie Fischer on the Missouri CAFO issues.

Melinda Hemmelgarn is a registered dietitian, newspaper columnist, and freelance writer and speaker. She has written her trademarked weekly "Food Sleuth" column for the Columbia Daily Tribune since 1989, and it now appears in a variety of publications nationwide. The "Food Sleuth" mission is to "digest" nutrition research, expose diet fraud and help consumers think beyond their plates.

Melinda's launch into media work began when she learned that most consumers receive their nutrition and health information through the media. She developed (and for 15 years directed) the Nutrition Communications Center at the University of Missouri, where she wrote a nationally distributed newsletter, conducted hundreds of media interviews annually, and instructed dietetic and science journalism students.

Motivated by escalating childhood obesity rates and the inability to effect significant change through traditional nutrition education strategies, Melinda turned her attention to food marketing, advertising directed towards youth, and children's "media diets." She joined the Alliance for a Media Literate America in 2001 and has been conducting national workshops blending media literacy with nutrition education ever since.

Melinda is a member of the American Dietetic Association's Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Practice Group, the Society for Nutrition Education, and the Missouri Association for Social Welfare's Hunger Task Force. She is also a new member of the Association for Health Care Journalists, and an affiliate member of the University of Missouri's Center for Health Policy.

Melinda describes herself as a "change-agent," working to improve public health and create a more just and sustainable food system.

Women's health through women

2009-07-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

This blogpost is participating in a Registered Dietitian Bloggerfest. Please check back daily and use the links below to read other RD's posts on Woman's Health. This post is dedicated to women coming together is special ways make the world a better place.

Last night I attended my first meeting with The Pleiades, a network of women working for a sustainable world. According to Wikipedia:

the Pleiades, or seven sisters, are an open star cluster in the constellation of Taurus. It is among the nearest star clusters to Earth and is the cluster most obvious to the naked eye in the night sky. Pleiades has several meanings in different cultures and traditions.

The mission of our group, Pleiades, is to "create a network of leading women thinkers to be an inspirational force within the sustainability movement. Leveraging the talents of its diverse members, Pleiades provides strategic partnerships and educational initiatives that empower the role of women in restoring balance in our lives, our communities, and the natural world."

The group was the brain child of Kathleen Frith, Assistant Director of Harvard's Center for Health and the Global Environment that stemmed from an idea she had in her early 20's. Our first meeting was held at member Ana Sortun's Sofra Bakery and Cafe in Cambridge. We enjoyed delectable yet simple, healthy food made of conscientious ingredients and tasted some organic and biodynamic wines. While this seems like the typical "Slowfoodie" event often criticized for being elitist, a fly on the wall would argue that the conversation had this evening was far from elitist.

A round of introductions revealed accomplished writers, activists, scientists, mothers, health care providers, farmers, teachers, artists, environmentalists, all of course, women. I was humbled to be surrounded by such agents of change.

After we enjoyed some nourishment, we moved on to a discussion. Dr. Molly Kile, a research fellow and epidemiologist in the Department of Environmental Health shared her experience in Bangladesh. In the 70's Bangladesh had a Cholera outbreak that was being perpetuated by the people's use of surface water. The international community came together to help fund water pumps that would give the people access to ground water and help control the epidemics. What is saddening is now Bangladesh faces arsenic exposure at daunting levels. It is disheartening to attempt to solve one problem, only to unavoidably create another.

Molly went on to share her story of her recent visit to Uganda, a nation of 30 million people, which according to the World Health Organization had an estimated 10.6 million cases of malaria in 2006. The estimated 70,000 to 110,000 deaths a year seriously hampers economic development. Molly's descriptions of suffering was difficult to hear. Having worked in extreme poverty, she said that regardless, you can never prepare yourself.

What is interesting about this story, and so conflicting to Molly, is that Uganda is being pushed to spray the infamous insecticide DDT to control the mosquito populations. Since the publishing of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, DDT has been banned from the US for its serious wildlife and habitat destruction. While this isn't the only approach, unfortunately things come down to the price, and DDT is cheap and effective. Molly's memory of stepping over dying children conflicts with her knowledge of the repercussions of using DDT and is sympathetically felt.Those who understand sustainability know that trying to solve the malaria problem with DDT only leads us down a path of more complex issues. What seems a silver bullet is actually a shotshell, causing unapproachable damage.

Our conversation turned to some very difficult questions. What is out of balance in the system? How can balance be restored? How does population and population control play a role? How do we address issues culturally? Why is money alway at the root? What can I do?

As the intensity of the conversation began to lighten, Kathleen brought us full circle to answer the question, "What can I do?" Having just spent a couple hours hearing a story, asking questions and discussing what is often difficult to discuss, we had achieved a part of Kathleen's vision for the Pleiades: to learn from and support each other. Through one person's account we all knew a bit more about our world and our place in it. What is interesting about the Pleiades constellation is that it is easier to see clearly out of your peripheral vision. Our group hopes to be seen making change within the peripheral of our community and world.

In a world facing insurmountable issues like poverty, climate change, disease, water and food shortages, habitat destruction and economic downturn, we can often feel helpless. For many women, the strength of community helps lessen the burden and gives an arena to discuss solutions, but this gathering of women is also good for our health. According to a new study when women are under stress they release more oxytocin, which encourages us to care for children and hang out with other women, creating a “tend and befriend” notion developed by Drs. Laura Klein and Shelly Taylor.

Study after study has found that social ties reduce our risk of disease by lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol. “There’s no doubt,” says Dr. Klein, “that friends are helping us live.”

Want to make a difference in your community? Start a community women's group. Talk about the issues facing your neighborhood and your world. Be a source of strength for each other. A woman's traditional role in the society is the nurturer and our communities could use a bit more nourishment. By creating a space to have the talk that women have when they are together, you are being the change.

Court rules GE alfalfa can result in irreversible harm to crops

2009-06-24T15:20:00.000-07:00

In an exciting ruling to protect the environment from GE crops, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the planting of GE alfalfa can cause potentially irreversible harm to organic and conventional crops. Monsanto’s petition to Rehear was denied in full.

From the Center for Food Safety:

“This ruling affirms a major victory for consumers, ranchers, organicfarmers, and most conventional farmers across the country,” said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety. “Roundup Ready Alfalfa represents a very real threat to farmers’ livelihoods and the environment; the court rightly dismissed Monsanto’s claims that their bottom line should come before the rights of the public and America’s farmers. This ruling is a turning point in the regulation of biotech crops in this country.”

Today’s decision again upholds District Court Judge Charles Breyer’s earlier ruling of May 2007, in which he found that the USDA failed to address concerns that Roundup Ready alfalfa will contaminate conventional and organic alfalfa. The Ninth Circuit decision affirms that USDA violated national environmental laws by approving GE alfalfa without a full Environmental Impact Statement.

You can read the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals publication here.

Michelle Obama in the garden on health and nutrition

2009-06-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

First Lady Michelle Obama hosts an event focused on health and nutrition, including the harvesting of vegetables from the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn of the White House. She is joined by students from Bancroft Elementary who will also assist in the preparation of a meal. Bancroft Elementary students have also been involved in the gardens groundbreaking and planting events.

Processed food

2009-06-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Good thing we support honest/accurate labeling. As Jill Richardson pointed out, somebody on DailyKos suggested they save text on this label by just saying "Contains Globalization." Brilliant.

John Ikerd on cheap food

2009-06-12T21:34:00.000-07:00

I am doing research on the economic benefits of family farms. I have come across agriculture economist John Ikerd a bunch. He's my new favorite.

US dairy crisis, message from Willie Nelson & Farm Aid

2009-06-10T18:02:00.000-07:00

The drastic drop in milk prices paid to farmers over the past year has led to an unprecedented crisis for dairy farmers who, on average, are being paid less than half the cost of production. Low prices and high production costs threaten to push nearly one-third of dairy farmers off their land over the next couple of months, strengthening corporate control of the dairy industry and severely impacting the health of local and regional economies nationwide.

“Setting a fair price for milk won’t fix all the problems that led to the current crisis, but it may be the only way to keep thousands of dairy farmers on their farms this year,” said Farm Aid board member Willie Nelson. “Unless Secretary Vilsack takes immediate action, huge areas of the United States may be left without any local dairy farms at all.”

Dairy farmers have been hit with a catastrophic combination of factors beyond their control. Farmers are struggling to pay bills from record high feed and fuel costs; adequate credit is increasingly impossible to come by; and the price of milk paid to farmers by processors collapsed a record 30 percent in January alone, and is currently down 50 percent since July 2008. In the meantime, the top dairy processors have recently announced 2009 first quarter earnings that are up from the same period last year. The top processor, Dean Foods, reported their first quarter earnings are more than double that of last year thanks in part to the plunging price Dean pays to its milk producers.

Under Section 608c (18) of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, the Secretary of Agriculture is required to adjust the price of milk paid to farmers to “reflect the price of feeds, the available supplies of feeds, and other economic conditions which affect market supply and demand for milk and its products.” Farm Aid urges Secretary Vilsack to use this power to immediately institute a set price for milk that reflects the cost of production, keeping dairy farmers on their land.

“The U.S. has a tradition of local and regional milk distribution, making dairy farmers a base for strong local and regional economies. The loss of these farms will reduce spending in small businesses, investments in banks and shrink the community tax base. If we lose a third of our dairy farms in the next few months alone, imagine the impact on these economies by year’s end.” said Carolyn Mugar, executive director of Farm Aid. “As our independent family dairy farmers go out of business, our milk supply gets more consolidated by giant confinement dairies that do not contribute to our local economies or act of stewards of the land like our family farmers do.”

The petition can be accessed by going to this link.

I would like to disclose that I am (proud to be) interning at Farm Aid.

Vicotry Garden of Tomorrow- 2009 Collection

2009-06-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

I love this artist Joe Wirtheim and posted about his 2008 Collection of New Age Victory Garden posters back in February. Joe combines two things I love: art and propaganda to propel my favorite cause: independence through sustainability! His new 2009 Collection promotes planting and growing organic food, remembering that reducing and reusing come BEFORE curb recycling, and the importance of protecting and contributing to our forests and trees for the sinking of carbon.

I think they make awesome kitchen or office art. You can buy them at the ETSY store, an online artisan bizarre where you can support other people in their skills and sport on of a kind items.

Some news on GM crops

2009-06-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

One of the main concerns for advocates against Genetically Modified (GM) crops is the growing number of pesticide tolerant or resistant weeds and their affect on crop yield. According to an article published in Geoforum by Binimelis et al, in 2009 a glyphosate-resistant biotype of johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense (L.)) appeared in Argentina and now covers at least 10,000 ha. They explain that no preventive strategies are deployed against the invasion. The reactive measures are based on "gene-stacking" that allows the use of still more glyphosate or new combinations of herbicides. A new phenomenon called the "transgenic treadmill" is identified. A colleague of mine pointed out that since the EU is the largest importer of soybeans, European awareness of the local impacts of imported soybeans (as feedstuffs and/or agro-fuels) should not focus only on deforestation, but also consider the socio-environmental consequences apart from the loss of productivity.

Bonnie Azab Powell at the Ethicurean recently posted “The Failure of Science”: New paper makes a damning case against genetically modified food crops" where she mentions the new book “Intervention: Confronting the Real Risks of Genetic Engineering and Life on a Biotech Planet" by technology reporter Denise Caruso and recent articles published in the International Journal of Society of Agriculture and Food. The two part series Part 1: The Development of a Flawed Enterprise and Part 2: Academic Capitalism and the Loss of Scientific Integrity highlight the conflict between science and society through a historical perspective, tactics used, and regulatory flaws and failures.

This year's Global Food Security Act of 2009 introduced by Senator Richard Lugar, "would authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 to provide assistance to foreign countries to promote food security, to stimulate rural economies, and to improve emergency response to food crises, to amend the Foreign Assistance Act(FAA) of 1961." Sounds like a great bill for the US to help alleviate world hunger except that it creatively amends the FAA of 1961 by makinging the first sentence include "research on biotechnological advances appropriate to local ecological conditions, including genetically modified technology." Consequently, the bill specifies that the U.S. MUST fund GMOs and biotechnology, a change in policy up to this point.

The bill was nicknamed "the REAL Monsanto bill" by the Organic Consumers Association. According to Monsanto's first quarter lobbying reports, the company spent $2,094,000 in the first quarter 2009. Their specific lobbying issues were Biotechnology acceptance, S. 384- Global Food Security Act of 2009, Sustainable Yield Initiative, Crop insurance/Biotech yield endorsement and USDA Rulemaking - 7CFR Part 340. (thanks to La Vida Locavore who was contacted by Monsanto who denied involvement in the bill).

In the waning months of the Bush Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a proposal to completely overhaul its regulation of genetically engineered crops, significantly weakening its oversight. USDA also published the rules before publishing the full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as required by law, and in the absence of public review of the data needed to make regulatory recommendations. A comment period for USDA's Docket No. APHIS-2008-0023, Importation, Interstate Movement, and Release into the Environment of Certain Genetically Engineered Organisms has been extended until June 29th.

If you wish to submit a comment using the Internet, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal. Then click on “Add Comments.” This will also allow you to view public comments and related materials available electronically. Using the Federal eRulemaking portal is the best way to ensure that your comments will be associated with the right docket and reviewed by the right people. Consideration will be given to all comments received on or before June 29th.

Merrigan speaks on organics across USDA

2009-06-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

USDA Deputy Secretary Pledges Full Organic Integration Across Department

Attendees at the third annual Organic Summit in Stevenson, Wash. in early June heard USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan pledge that organic agriculture will be integrated across all agencies in the department. View Merrigan's full video statement. (Length 11:22)

Raw Foods Reviewed

2009-06-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

An interest in raw food diets is sprouting up across the country (pun intended). Raw milk and almonds have been the topic of debate for regulators on the basis of food safety and freedom of choice on the part of 'raw foodists'. My interest in raw foods began in college and is fueled by health conscious friends who have embraced the diet. My recent review of Dr. Colin Campbell's China Study has me reexamining cultural diets.

Raw food diets are based on the principle that the cooking process strips vital nutrients from natural foods and that eating your food raw not only retains all the minerals and nutrients of fresh foods, but it makes it easier to digest and can help detoxify your system.

According to Cathy Wong at AltMedicine, the diet typically consists of unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as: fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, legumes, dried fruit, seaweed, unprocessed organic or natural foods, freshly juiced fruit and vegetables, purified water, and young coconut milk. At least 75% of food consumed should not be heated over 116 degrees F.

Specific preparation techniques aimed at making food more digestible and to add variety are: sprouting seeds, grains, and beans, juicing fruit and vegetables, soaking nuts and dried fruit, blending, and dehydrating food. Raw foodists have kitchen equipment consisting of a food dehydrator in place the microwave, a juicer, a blender or food processor, and seed sprouting containers.

Critics of the diet warn of nutrient deficiencies, specifically in calcium, iron, B12, protein and calories. They also say that the body produces the enzymes it needs to digest foods. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham recently released his provocative new book, CATCHING FIRE: How Cooking Made Us Human, which was recently reviewed by the New York Times.

As an RD, I thought I'd hop over to eatright.org to see what the American Dietetic Association Public Relations Team had to say:

The premise of the raw food diet is to cook foods below 160 degrees Fahrenheit to keep food enzymes intact so that the body can better absorb nutrients in the food. The problem with this theory is that the body already makes the enzymes needed to digest and absorb foods.

The raw foods diet encourages you to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, which is a definite nutritional plus. But there are real food safety risks. The diet calls for eating a variety of sprouts, many of which grow in environments that can promote harmful bacterial growth. And cooking foods below 160 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to foodborne illness.

As with any diet, when evaluating the “raw foods” approach, ask questions. If you think “This sounds too good to be true,” it probably is.

The diet contains fewer trans fats and saturated fat than the typical Western diet. It is also low in sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber and health-promoting plant chemicals called phytochemicals.

These properties are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For example, a study by Koebnick et. al. published in the Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a raw food diet lowered plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations; however, they also found increased levels of homocysteine and lowered HDL cholesterol. An observational study by Donaldson et. al.. published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2001 found fibromyalgia syndrome improved using a mostly raw vegetarian diet. Since the literature is sparse, I recommend a some peer reviewed studies like this:

Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days is an independent documentary film that chronicles six Americans with 'incurable' diabetes switching their diet and getting off insulin.

Maybe a complete raw food diet isn't ideal, but neither is the Standard American Diet (SAD) where "everything fits." A recent trip to the first raw food restaurant in Portland, Maine furthered my interest in the cuisine. GRO (Grassroots Organic) Juicebar/Cafe/Chocolatier was a rewarding meal that left me awestruck. The food was moderately priced, packed with flavor, and left me with a strange food high. We feasted on:

Sea Veggie Shitake Collard Rolls- Wilde Main sea-veggies, marinated shitakes, sprouts and choice veggies wrapped in a live collard green with almond-lime sauce and served with sesame-ginger dipping sauce

Nori Dumplings- A creamy blend of cashew, pine nut, garlic and seasoning with shitake and spinach folded with love into a nori triangle and served with Tamari (glueten free) and Nama Shoyu (raw soy with gluten)

Sesame Spicy Cold Noodles- Fresh Zucchini noodles tossed with crunchy vegetables and an awesome almond lime sauce

Sin-Free Apple 3.14- A fresh and crisp apple pie with a cashew and brasil nut crust and topped with macademia sauce.

Our guide and owner Igor Rakuz fed us tons of raw chocolate made in house with raw cocao butter, coconut oil, maca, and agave nectar. We sipped on Kava tea, known for its ability to promote relaxation and talked about his vision for the restaurant, which has come to be a community epicenter based on food sovereignty and health. The days following city council members were meeting to discuss the removal of fluoride from the city's water.

The restaurant also impressed me in its sustainability methods. The back room was sprouting much of its own food and an in house humidifier where they grew their own mushrooms. They were also composting, recycling, reusing and reducing their impact in a variety of ways. The only use local spring water that the employees must fetch daily. The restaurant was donned with literature and books for customers to educate themselves on wondrous super foods as they waited for the friendly crew to loving prepare the meal. On the wall was the quote: "Food Sovereignty: the ability of any group of people to define, create and distribute their food and water independently."

Sugar Stacks

2009-05-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

As a Registered Dietitian, it is some times difficult to explain to people exactly what they are eating. I am a fan of visual models, having used tubes of fat, a 51b fat model and containers to show what exactly is a whole grain.

The Sugar Stacks site is helpful to see exactly how many sugar grams are in foods and beverages. There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate, so you can see how quickly the calories add up. There are 4 grams per cube (so 16 kilocalories per cube).

At the site you can check out the sugar in cookies, sauces, desserts, snacks, smoothies and more.

Pressing the reset button

2009-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Good Food Fighters and dear friend Andy Sarjahani has been making enormous steps for sustainability at Virginia Tech and nationwide. Andy knows the power of civil disobedience and the values, tradition, and principles of our agrarian past.

Andy's post "Pressing the 'reset' button" on the Farms and Fields Project at Virginia Tech is worth reposting here (he knows I have a secret crush on Ben & Tommy). Plus, the cartoon is priceless.

Pressing the "reset" button

Below this post are two quotes from two of our forefathers that speak volumes about the value we once placed on agriculture. Of course, this was a much different time in our nation and planet’s history but they do beg some critical thinking.

As a TIME magazine cover story recently suggested, perhaps it may be time for a “Reset” in American culture. Our economy relies on seemingly incessant expansion – or what Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson would refer to as an “extractive economy”. How do we restore our economy, ensure jobs, nourish eaters (this includes humans, plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, insects) all while attempting to avoid the excess and extraction that has landed us in our current predicament?

Following the lead of Woody Tasch and his concept of “Slow Money” , I would argue that we must shift our focus and begin investing as if “food, farms, and fertility mattered”. Of course, I am no economist and cannot provide specific examples but the goal of this post is to suggest that there may be a better way. Many minds that are much brighter, more experienced, and articulate than myself have been working tirelessly to pave the path for a new train of thought here in the 21st century. We must restore the dignity to agriculture and one way to begin this process is investment in a food system that is socially, economically, and ecologically sound.

How do you invest? The first step would be to ask questions about your food – where did it come from? How did it get here? How was it produced? As you ask these questions, think about what you are okay with and what you are not okay with. If you aren’t okay with it, ask yourself why and then start using your own two hands to make it better (of course only if you want to).

“Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independant, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to it’s liberty and interests by the most lasting bands”

- Thomas Jefferson

“Finally, there seem to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war as the Romans did in plundering their conquered neighbours. This is robbery. The second by commerce which is generally cheating. The third by agriculture the only honest way; wherein man receives a real increase of the seed thrown into the ground, in a kind of continual miracle wrought by the hand of God in his favour, as a reward for his innocent life, and virtuous industry.”

- Benjamin Franklin, Positions to be Examined, April 4, 1769

Urban Chickens

2009-05-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

I am doing a project on Urban Chickens. In particular ordinances, zoning laws and health impacts. Here is a fun video from Missoula regarding their chicken liberalization. It has been a year and a half since they passed their law, and there have been few complaints or problems. Many have said that it actually brought neighbors closer together by sharing eggs and bringing children by to see the hens. Imagine that.

Fresh the movie at Harvard

2009-05-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur's 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

You can watch the trailer

And find screening dates and ticket info here: http://www.freshthemovie.com/screenings/fresh-screenings/

Date: May 28th
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Harvard Northwest Building, 52 Oxford Street, Room B-103, Cambridge, MA 0213

Panel to follow screening:
Theresa McCulla (Moderator), Manager, Harvard’s Food Literacy Project
Joel Salatin, Founder, Polyface Farms
Will Allen, Founder, Growing Power
Henrietta Davis, Cambridge City Council
Michael Leviton, Chef, Lumiere Restaurant
Ana Joanes, Director & Producer of FRESH

Sustainable Agriculture Chat on Twitter Sunday night, 8-10pm ET

2009-05-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

From Paula at Civil Eats.

Sunday, there will be a new sustainable agriculture chat on Twitter. The focus of the two hour-long chat will be education and the messaging around sustainability. We will begin at 8pm ET and last until 10pm. All are welcome to join the chat, just please announce yourself at the beginning by telling everyone your name and affiliations, and use the #sustagchat tag on your tweets in order to create a searchable dialog. Nicole de Beaufort is this week’s moderator, and for the sake of transparency, no one had paid for her to perform this service. She comes by her own desire to discuss these issues. You are welcome to send questions to the moderator, @sustagchat. But here is how the chat will proceed, including questions to get you thinking about the topic written by Nicole:

INTROS

Q1. What are some of the things we do to feed people in this country that are “unacceptable but accepted”? This in relation to Michael Glantz talking about feeding starving kids in Haiti salted clay. He also said we don’t need technology to fix things. We need “a social invention.” An example: organic. or “looking at nature as a bank.” What ideas can we generate from this notion?

Q2. Why is aquaculture not a regular part of the public discussion of agriculture? Can aquaculture and agriculture co-exist in our minds under the sustainable agriculture heading? How can sustag and sustaqua work together to help each other succeed?

Q3. How can sustainable agriculture address access and social equity? At the Sustainable Seas Institute conference this week in Monterey, Thomas Keller said Americans “tend to want the very best, and spend the very least for it.” Does this hurt those who have the very least but also want the very best?

FREE FOR ALL: Q’s on your mind, requests, helpful links, people2follow

My questions:

How to connect the dots of a sustainable food system with economic, ecologic and human healthy questions?

How to make 'soil' 'worms' 'farms' glamorous, hip, trendy, cool?

Keeping the momentum of the movement focused on food democracy for all. Increased funding for sust ag/peer reviewed research?

Options for city dweller and arid regions that can't grow food to gain access and not be dependent on fast/convenience food?

Co-opting of 'local' and 'sustainable' by industry. The conglomeration of food industry and their power in policy. How to break?

VeggieTrader

2009-05-16T09:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Marisol Pierce-Quinonez for bringing this one to my attention. VeggieTrader is the new Craigslist for the sustainable foodie locavore. Tagged as "Your place to trade, buy or sell local homegrown produces" is the latest attempt to connect fresh, farm and garden produce with the community.

How it works:

1. Join the Community (it is free!)
2. Browse or post listings
3. Close the deal

It's not that easy. As always there are issues when buying and selling produce. Questions about licenses, taxes, crossing state lines, and pesticides are answered via the informative website. It is notable that posting meat, eggs, dairy products, or any illegal items is prohibited and a violation of the Terms of Use.

What a great revolution for home growers, new food markets and community endeavors. Unfortunately there were no postings in the Boston area. The site started in San Francisco. Hopefully it catches on, since I don't have space for a home garden yet! Happy trading!

Jeff Stier on Jon Stewart

2009-05-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

UPDATED June 5, 2009** The video was tagged due to Viacom's copyright. Thanks to Melinda for pointing that out. She also thinks it would be wise for me to clarify that the ACSH is a front group for the industry, if you couldn't tell from the video. Thus, my sarcasm.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Little Crop of Horrors

thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economic Crisis

Jeff Stier is the Associate Director of the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH). He is responsible for external affairs, including media and government relations, policy, legal affairs and development. ACSH is a not-for-profit, public health, consumer advocacy organization dedicated to promoting sound science in public health.

I think he deserves a round of applause.

Farmers Market season is back

2009-05-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness. I don't know if it's me, but produce in the grocery store seems scary. This is likely attributed to the information I receive in my classes. Is ignorance truly bliss? Neigh. Regardless, there is something endearing of purchasing vibrant colored produce at an outdoor market in the community. Getting to meet farmers, neighbors and artisans is a perk. Fresh produce that was picked fairly close by is the prize. Can't wait to pull out my Moosewood Cookbooks and start eating more seasonal foods from my favorite food group: VEGGIES!I love the Moosewood collection. Very simple instructions and ingredients and mostly vegetarian.

Here is the press release for the Massachusetts farmers market season kick-off:

Winter is over and Farmers Markets are back!

We know you’ve missed us, but don’t despair, the wait is over! The Federation of Mass Farmers Markets is pleased to announce the opening of our local farmers markets. In just a few days – on Tuesday, May 19th – the Copley Square market in Boston will open for the season. The Copley Square market is one of our largest and runs from 11:00am to 6:00pm every Tuesday and Friday from May 19th through November 24th. Buy your fresh veggies, local meats, artisan breads, jams, delicious sandwiches, and fruits of all kinds here. It’s so much more vibrant than the produce aisle at the supermarket.

If you don’t live near Back Bay you still have plenty of other options. Other markets run by Mass Farmers Markets include:

* City Hall market in Boston, which begins May 27th and runs on Mondays and Wednesdays
* Davis Square farmers market in Somerville, which begins May 27th and runs on Wednesdays
* Central Square market in Cambridge, which begins June 1st and runs on Mondays
* Framingham Village Green market, which begins June 11th and runs on Thursdays.

Visit www.massfarmersmarkets.org for a complete list of the 180-plus farmers markets opening across the state over the next few months.

Once the markets are open you can look forward to fresh produce local to your area. Great finds in May include arugula, mesclun mix, and chard. You’ll also see tender asparagus, tangy garlic scapes, fava beans, and maybe fiddleheads if you’re lucky. Radishes, rhubarb, strawberries, and peas will follow as May blends into June. And don’t forget: cheese, baked goods, preserves, locally raised meat, and other goodies are always available and locally made by our vendors.

So, stop by the market closest to you. You'll help support local farmers, learn about your community, and get a fantastic meal in the process.

About Mass Farmers Markets

Mass Farmers Markets is a non-profit organization that harnesses the power of farmers markets to create healthy communities across the state. MFM is the only organization working state-wide to facilitate relationships between farmers and consumers of all income levels in order to improve the livelihood of farmers and increase access to fresh, local food. For more information, visit www.massfarmersmarkets.org.

What's wrong with this picture?!

2009-05-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

My friend, Ryan McGillicuddy a Conservation Ecologist at Inland Fisheries brought this to my attention.

The following figure can be found on page 13 of Water in Texas By Andrew Sansom, Emily R Armitano, Tom Wassenich:

Meatless Monday

2009-05-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

Animal visuals

2009-04-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Rate of Slaughter of Chickens, Pigs, and Cows in the United States, 2008

Swine-flu, round two

2009-04-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

The Mexican newspaper La Marcha declared that Granjas Carroll (a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods) was the likely cause of the swine flu epidemic in La Gloria.

Residents of the community of La Gloria, in the municipality of Perote, asked the state government of Veracruz to intercede with federal authorities to inspect the installations of Granjas Carroll, whom they believe is responsible for the infection that has stricken 30% of its population.

According to one of the members of the community, Eli Ferrer Cortés, the organic and fecal waste that Granjas Carroll produces are not treated properly causing a contamination of the community's water and air.

Mr. Ferrer Cortés testified that in the community there are fetid odors in the air and a disagreeable smell in the water in addition to a large population of flies that resides on the refuse of the pig farm operation.

As result, the residents of the community ask the Government of Veracruz petition on their behalf the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and to the Attorney General for Environmental Protection (Profepa) so that the company face sanctions.

Much of the criticism of Tom Philpott's story is that the connection between swine flu and Granjas Carroll is not substantiated by any facts. That it is speculative hearsay from the people of La Gloria and as Enviroperk commented on Grist:

I am still looking for something stronger than "the residents believe" or stitching together a series of Google hits into a conclusion.

I think we all are, but I don't think it refutes the fact that something is not right in La Gloria and whether confirmed or not, the people of La Gloria are using the outbreak as a cry for help.

Enlace Veracruz212, noted as a 'periodic analysis and investigation' blog in Mexican, posted a story yesterday that paints the story of what happens when corporately owned factories move in to rural areas: environmental destruction and human rights violations in the name of job creation. The pictures are not for the light of heart. Loosely translated:

The waters of "Carroll" will cause pestilence gullies (that) seeps into the ground. We do not know if (for) 600 jobs created by the Americans (Smithfield), the government of Fidel Herrera Beltrán is willing to poison a 30 thousand of its citizens.

No longer content with having destroyed the chest of Perote, but until now the "dissidents" imprisoned in the Porfiriato.

Among the arrest warrants, which is identified as the main "harassment of the public" a Ms. María Verónica Hernández Arguello and other brave citizens of various communities of the Valley of Perote, also involving journalists who were to testify to their means of pollution on what causes "Carroll of Mexico." For this reason the governor promotes advocacy for journalists?

Will there be a divine right to ride roughshod over Americans on our soil with the help of Miramon?

En la laguna, un cerdo muerto en descomposición

From Stephen Foley at the Independent:

A team of UN veterinarians is arriving in Mexico to examine whether this new deadly strain of swine flu, mixed as it is with genetic material from avian and human strains, could be lurking in pig populations undetected. Smithfield says none of its pigs are sick but the company has sent samples for testing.
Victor Ochoa, the Xaltepec manager, ensured employees washed down cars coming into the plant yesterday and made journalists from the Associated Press shower and don protective clothing before entering. In common with his bosses back in the US, Mr Ochoa insisted that all 15,000 animals had been properly vaccinated, that the plant met all the required health standards, and that the vast swimming pool of faeces – industrial pig farming's toxic by-product – was covered with a lid to limit the exposure to the outside air. "What happened in La Gloria was an unfortunate coincidence with a big and serious problem that is happening now with this new flu virus," he said. La Gloria residents, though, have been protesting against the farm for months.
Starting in February, one in six of the 3,000 residents reported health problems. The government initially dismissed the spike as a late-season rise in ordinary flu, but by April, health officials sealed off the town and sprayed chemicals to kill the flies that residents said were swarming about their homes.

I have read many responses that this is not a food issue. Really? This is absolutely a food issue. The practices implemented to feed the appetites of the West (and growing world) are unsustainable and destructive at the expense of the developing world. Sure pork may be 'safe to eat,' but does that make it 'okay' to eat. Given the known (and now mounting) information of the destructive nature of CAFO's (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) to the water, soil, rural communities, and animals themselves at what point will we draw the line? This is THE food issue.

One of the best responses I have seen is "Why the Smithfield-H1N1 question matters" again from Paula at Peak Oil Entrepreneur.

I'll end with the quote of the day from Smithfield president and chief executive Larry Pope.
"We are very comfortable that our pork is safe. This is not a swine issue. This is a human-to-human issue."

Well said Larry.

Swine-flu outbreak, Smithfield link?

2009-04-26T21:05:00.001-07:00

I just got home from the opening of Food Inc., a documentary that pulls back the veil of the industrialized food system. Repeatedly mentioned is the danger in the consolidation of the meat industry. Could the recent outbreak of swine-flu be connected to industry practice?

The World Health Organization has declared the swine flu outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern."

From the CDC What's New on the Swine Flu (which has email, RSS and Twitter updates)

As of 9:00 AM on April 26, CDC has confirmed 20 human cases of swine flu in the U.S.: 7 in California, 2 in Kansas, 8 in New York City, 1 in Ohio, and 2 in Texas.

According to the CDC:

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly cause outbreaks of influenza among pigs. Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans, however, human infections with swine flu do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses has been documented.

Tom Phillpot, over at the Grist has revealed that the outbreak may be linked to Smithfield (Factory) Farms. He was crediting the tip to Paula Hay and her Smithfield coverage at Peak Oil Entrepreneur. The blogger investigative reporting can be linked back further to a Twitter "hat tip" from hyperlocavore.

David Kirby at the Huffington Post also picked up the story:

Large-scale swine producers in Mexico deny that their industry is the source of the deadly new influenza strain, saying the animals are all healthy, and that it is scientifically "not possible" for hogs to infect people with the illness. But lawmakers in the eastern state of Veracruz are now charging that large-scale hog and poultry operations are "breeding grounds" of infection that are making people sick and fueling the pandemic.

The nation's hog industry says it is not to blame for any human illness. "We deny completely that the influenza virus affecting Mexico originated in pigs, because it has been scientifically demonstrated that this is not possible," said a statement issued by the National Organization of Pig Production and Producers and its president, Mario Humberto Quintanilla González.

And the story will continue to unfold.

Squeez Bacon

2009-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

It's here! Squeez Bacon. What were they waiting for? I can't wait to squeeze bacon on my bacon so I can get all tripped out.
Thanks to ThinkGeek for making America's dreams come true and arteries more compacted, although this looks to be the work of the Swedish!
Product Features

Each tube contains 21oz (595g) of Squeez Bacon®.
16 servings - equivalent to 64 slices of bacon!
Bottled in Sweden, made from U.S. bred swine.
Shelf Life of 12 years.
No refrigeration needed.
Jätte gott!

Now get Squeeeeezing.

Disney's food follow up

2009-04-07T10:56:00.001-07:00

Following correspondence from my favorite Food Sleuth & Dietitian, Melinda Hemmelgarn, the Disney food story began unfolding. Melinda works on media literacy issues, so I knew she was the perfect person to go to to get the 'dig.'

From a PR Associate at Disney:

Disney Eggs were introduced in March 2009 in 2 test markets initially (Florida and New York), and will launch in Colorado in April. Disney Food, a division of Disney Consumer Products, wanted to offer a "better for you" egg that was fun for families with children. Having the quality endorsement of Eggland's Best, with their all natural, all-vegetarian patented hen feed seemed like a great fit. The eggs are high quality-stamped with Disney characters and the collections of characters will rotate every month, to refresh the product.

The Disney Eggs product line consists of Large, Extra Large, 18-pack Large, Disney Cage Free and Disney Organic eggs. All the different versions are currently being offered and were presented to retailers in the 2 markets where the product was launched (Florida and New York). The retailers decide which and how many options they want to offer to their customer base, and currently retailers are only selling the #1 variety, which is Large, and no additional varieties at this time.

Eggland's Best patented hen feed contains healthy grains, canola oil, and an all-natural supplement of rice bran, alfalfa, sea kelp and Vitamin E. The Eggland’s Best hen feed contains no animal fat, no animal by-products, and no recycled or processed food. Eggland’s Best never uses hormones, steroids, or antibiotics of any kind. Eggland’s Best eggs contain ten times more Vitamin E than ordinary eggs, 100 mg of Omega 3, shown to be beneficial to cardiac health, 25% less Saturated Fat, and 200 mcg of Lutein, shown to contribute to eye health.

Kids will love the eggs because of the Disney characters, but parents will appreciate their nutritional value as well so it appeals to the entire family. In 2006, The Walt Disney Company introduced nutritious food guidelines limiting the use of the Disney name and its characters to only those kid-focused products that meet specific limits on calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. Today, Disney’s extensive food portfolio offers nutritious options in key meal categories including fresh produce, bread, pasta, dairy and baked goods.

In response to the Eggs: I am unsure as to the point of feeding chickens vegetarian feed. Chickens are omnivores and eat insects, worms and vegetation. I guess if we are feeding cows corn we can feed chickens vegetarian feed. I'm just not sure of the marketing tactic. Who cares whether a chicken was a vegetarian or not, beside the ability of the industry to yield to specific product, as is the case with Eggland's Best. My next point is the marketing of "farm fresh." I hope consumers realize by now that this means nothing, much like "natural." However, "Naturally Raised," is a value adding marketing claim regulated by the Agriculture Marketing Service that

"applies to livestock used for meat and meat products that were raised entirely without growth promotants, antibiotics, and animal (mammalian, avian, and aquatic) by-products derived from the slaughter/harvest processes including meat and fat, animal waste materials (e.g., manure and litter), or aquatic byproducts (e.g., fishmeal and fish oil)."

One of the producers of Egglands Best eggs is Morning Fresh Farms which, by looks of their operations, is by no means a small family farm (although family owned). These types of tactics further the agrarian myth that people's food is coming from an idealistic farm with a red barn and roaming cattle. The egg industry is one that is very much industrialized no matter what certifications, claims and programs they put on the carton. Egglands Best does offer Organic and Cage Free Eggs, but I can't even find a picture of a chicken on their website. It reminds me of when I asked a student where hamburgers come from and he replied: "the grocery store." Do we want kids thinking eggs come from Mickey Mouse?

In response to Disney Food: Disney Consumer Products uses their classic Disney characters to market a full line of processed foods, including frozen and dried pastas, baked goods, snacks, novelties, dairy, confectionery, beverages and breakfast foods.

Disney Food, Health & Beauty takes an active role in the development and marketing of a diverse array of quality, innovative products that touch consumers' lives each day. Through new food licensing programs, product reformulations and relationships with leading manufacturers and retailers around the world, the Disney food group offers nutritious alternatives parents approve of and kids love.

Some of my favorites are Mickey Pizza's, Disney Campbell's Spaghetti O's, Disney's General Mills Cereals, and Disney Tummy Ticklers & Bellywashers (100% juice drinks).

While at first glance, it may seem that Disney is promoting healthier foods then the typical commercially processed and advertised foods, I side with Marion Nestle on the point that kids don't need special 'kid-friendly' foods to eat. Should we be inundating kids with more advertising? Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood would say no. I would argue that this contributes to more disconnect between people and food culture.

Disney Eggs?

2009-03-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Well, they aren't duck eggs, but I am sure that Donald would be saddened to see the way his relatives were treated in the "farm fresh" CAFO. Since when do we need Disney characters to sell food? Oh, since the industry realized it WORKS. Another reason why the food culture in this country is a mess. How confusing for children. I like what Marion Nestle says: Kid's food is suppose to be the same as adult food, with maybe smaller portions. Kids don't need special shapes, colors and cartoons to eat. They need to know their natural hunger cues.

FDA Approves Salmonella

2009-03-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Leave it to the Onion to make me spit my coffee out this morning.

"Rigorous testing has shown that salmonella is...fine," FDA director of
food safety Stephen Sundlof said. "In fact, our research indicates that there's
no need to pull any more foodstuffs from the market. Not raw chicken. Not
contaminated spinach. Not thousands of jars of harmful peanut butter. Not
anything."

Check out the whole article here.

Pesticide Guide

2009-03-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Environmental Working Group has release a new guide to 12 foods that contain the most and least pesticides. If you are going to buy organic, these are the ones. From there website:

What's the Difference?

An EWG simulation of thousands of consumers eating high and low pesticide diets shows that people can lower their pesticide exposure by almost 80 percent by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead. Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to about 10 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 15 least contaminated will expose a person to less than 2 pesticides per day. Less dramatic comparisons will produce less dramatic reductions, but without doubt using the Guide provides people with a way to make choices that lower pesticide exposure in the diet.

Most Contaminated: THE DIRTY DOZEN

Consistent with two previous EWG investigations, fruits topped the list of the consistently most contaminated fruits and vegetables, with seven of the 12 most contaminated foods. The seven were peaches leading the list, then apples, nectarines and strawberries, cherries, and imported grapes, and pears. Among these seven fruits:

Nectarines had the highest percentage of samples test positive for pesticides (97.3 percent), followed by peaches (96.7 percent) and apples (94.1 percent).
Peaches had the highest likelihood of multiple pesticides on a single sample - 87.0 percent had two or more pesticide residues — followed by nectarines (85.3 percent) and apples (82.3 percent).
Peaches and apples had the most pesticides detected on a single sample, with nine pesticides on a single sample, followed by strawberries and imported grapes where eight pesticides were found on a single sample of each fruit.
Peaches had the most pesticides overall, with some combination of up to 53 pesticides found on the samples tested, followed by apples with 50 pesticides and strawberries with 38.

Sweet bell peppers, celery, kale, lettuce, and carrots are the vegetables most likely to expose consumers to pesticides. Among these five vegetables:

Celery had the highest of percentage of samples test positive for pesticides (94.1 percent), followed by sweet bell peppers (81.5 percent) and carrots (82.3 percent).
Celery also had the highest likelihood of multiple pesticides on a single vegetable (79.8 percent of samples), followed by sweet bell peppers (62.2 percent) and kale (53.1 percent).
Sweet bell peppers had the most pesticides detected on a single sample (11 found on one sample), followed by kale (10 found on one sample), then lettuce and celery (both with nine).
Sweet bell peppers were the vegetable with the most pesticides overall, with 64, followed by lettuce with 57 and carrots with 40.

Blue Planet Film Festival

2009-03-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

The first annual Blue Planet Film Festival will be held at 6:00 PM on Friday March 27th, 2009 at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy in Boston, MA.

Co-hosted by the Friedman School and the interdisciplinary Water Science, Systems and Society Program of Tufts University, the festival will include a free viewing of a feature length film, short, and question and answer panel of experts. This should be an excellent networking opportunity.

The festival features the film Flow directed by Irena Salina and the short Drop of Life directed by Shalini Kantayya. Both works examine the threat of water shortages and the growing tension between water rights and the privatization of water. Water rights issues have widespread consequences. As Vice President Ismail Serageldin of the World Bank once famously stated, “The next world war will be over water.”

“The festival is an opportunity for students to learn about threats to ensuring water as a human right and positive action they can be a part of,” states organizer and Friedman student Ashley Colpaart.

Date: March 27th 2009
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Price: Free
Location: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy 150 Harrison Ave Boston, MA.

Light snacks will be served.

Dietitians working in food policy, the new frontier

2009-03-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

In conjunction with Registered Dietitian (RD) Day, U.S. Food Policy is participating in an RD Blog Fest on behalf of National Nutrition Month. Check back periodically as other dietitian’s blogs will be linked throughout the day.

As a RD mastering in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition, I see now more then ever as the time for RD’s to fully embrace the world of policy as an agent for change. A short trip down memory lane shows us the causal story of how our food system and societal health got where it is today, all through policy. As the ‘food and nutrition professionals,’ it is imperative that dietitians understand how food is grown, why certain foods are grown, and how these policies are contributing to the very disease we are attempting to rebuke.

In 1973, Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, encouraged farmers to "get big or get out," as he urged farmers to plant commodity crops like corn "from fencerow to fencerow." These policy shifts coincided with the rise of major agribusiness corporations, and the declining financial stability of the small family farm. Evidence shows that while the present capital and technology-intensive farming systems are productive and able to produce cheap food, they also bring a variety of economic, environmental, and social problems.

Industrial farms are subsidized by commodity payments (your tax money) and are contributing to environmental degradation through: bi-cropping (corn and soy), heavy use of pesticides, inefficient use of increasingly scarce water, depletion and erosion of soil, difficulty recycling nutrients and destruction of biodiversity. Recent research has also shown a decrease in nutrient values in fruits and vegetables over the last 30 years. This alone is great reason for RD’s to be the leading soil advocates.

What is infuriating is that the food that is being subsidized and grown throughout the Midwest is not really food at all, in that it is not fit for human consumption. It is an input and it must be processed, which leads us another problem: processed food. Almost every product you find in the center aisles of the grocery store is made from corn and soy. From steaks to chicken nuggets, condiments, juices, frozen entrees, pastries, etc., are ultimately derived from corn, either as high fructose corn syrup or from the corn-based animal feed that is being fed to animals. The animals confined to the industrial food system are also not supposed to eat this corn. Cows are ruminant animals and are suppose to eat grass. This is like trying to make a patient with Celiac’s Disease eat a diet of wheat gluten. The cows, like the patient would, get sick with a condition called acidosis which causes one of their four stomachs to inflate, ultimately causing suffocation. To combat this problem, the industrialized food system provides animals living in CAFO’s (Confined Animal Feeding Operations) with a low dose of antibiotics. Presently, 80% of the antibiotics in the US are used non-therapeutically in animals being grown for consumption.

Those working in the community and clinical dietetics and with at-risk populations see the ramifications of these policies every day. The American people, especially low-income populations, are sick. Both corn-fed beef and high-fructose corn syrup contribute to the obesity epidemic in the United States. Those working on obesity know that behavior change alone is not working. Patients are stricken by a federal policy that makes cheap food possible. While American’s spend a smaller fraction of their budget (about 11%) on food compared to any other industrialized nation, the cheap food is catching up to us on the other end: our health care costs, or what I call, “sick care.” Another issue for those working in the area of hunger and food security is our dependency on petroleum inputs to grow food.

With a new administration and a new secretary of agriculture, now is a great time for RD’s to join in the political process that is entrenched in our food. In order for your representatives to begin to change these archaic policies, they must first know that there is political will. Dietitian’s can be the story-tellers and the educators for their policy makers, communities and clients. As the nation's food and nutrition experts, registered dietitians are committed to improving the health of their patients and community. Registered Dietitian Day commemorates the dedication of RDs as advocates for advancing the nutritional status of Americans and people around the world. There is no better place to an RD to start, then in policy.

What could an RD do to learn more?

Join one of American Dietetic Association(ADA)’s fastest growing Dietetic Practice Groups: Hunger and Environmental Nutrition (HEN)
Read my personal blog Epicurean Ideal
Learn about the Farm Bill and how RD’s can help make it a “Food Bill"
Join a food policy council in your community
Participate in the 2009 Child Nutrition Reauthorization legislation
Watch the Food Lobby Goes to School (about school lunch and industry lobbyists)
Learn about the American Dietetic Association’s priority areas and encourage them to make an ecological, preventative sustainable approach to food systems and nutrition
Check out Angie Tagtow's “Good Food Guide for RD's”
Watch the movie King Corn

The Future of Food and Nutrition - Graduate Student Research Conference

2009-03-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

Register today to receive the $25 rate for the Tuft's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy's Future of Food and Nutrition Student Research Conference. The conference will be held Saturday, March 28, from 9am-5pm at the Jaharis Building in downtown Boston.

Click here to register. Registration includes admission to all conference sessions, breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks.

The conference will feature oral and poster presentations from 35 students – including several Tufts students - doing research in the fields of food policy, public health, agriculture, nutrition, and anthropology. Click here full event schedule.

In addition, the conference will culminate with an exciting expert panel discussion entitled "New Approaches to Feeding the World," moderated by our own Parke Wilde and featuring:

Mark Winne- Mark currently writes, speaks, and consults extensively on community food system topics including hunger and food insecurity, local and regional agriculture, community food assessment, and food policy. He also does policy communication and food policy council work for the Community Food Security Coalition. His first book "Closing the Food Gap — Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty", published by Beacon Press, will be available for purchase at the event.

Susan Roberts- As a consultant, writer and speaker on food systems Ms. Roberts takes scientific information and translates it into policy applications linking public health, food, agriculture and food security. Recently Ms. Roberts directed the WK Kellogg Foundation Food and Society Policy Fellows Program where national fellows used media to influence food systems, agriculture and health thinking and policy.

Robert Paarlberg- His latest book, titled "Starved for Science: How Biotechnology is Being Kept Out of Africa," was published by Harvard University Press in March 2008. He is currently senior consultant to a Chicago Council on Global Affairs bipartisan study group on the future of U.S. agricultural development assistance policy. He has published books on agricultural trade and U.S. foreign policy, on international agricultural trade negotiations, on environmentally sustainable farming in developing countries, on U.S. foreign economic policy, on the reform of U.S. agricultural policy, and on policies toward genetically modified crops in developing countries.

We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,
The Future of Food and Nutrition Steering Committee
http://studentconference.nutrition.tufts.edu

The aquaduct, a clean water solution

2009-03-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

"What have the Roman's ever done for us?" "The aquaduct." "Oh right" -Monty Python- Live of Brian

Here is a creative way to solve a very serious drinking water problem:

Revisiting The Lorax: a tribute to Dr. Seuss

2009-03-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Theodore Seuss Geisel, pen name 'Dr. Seuss,' was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield Massachusetts which would make today his 105th birthday. While I enjoyed many of his 60 published children's books as a child, (Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish), it was not until I was older that I truly appreciated the charm of Dr. Seuss.

In 1971, Dr. Seuss wrote the infamous children's classic The Lorax, that according to Wikipedia:

"chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax (a mossy, bossy man-like creature), who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler (industry)."

The tale is a major environmental fable that speaks of the destruction of the environment through the eyes of the Lorax, who is the protector of the Truffula trees. The Lorax watches on in sadness as his home and habitat get destroyed by an industrial business. As the business continues to pillage the environment, killing the plants and animals and leaving a polluted wasteland, the Once-ler comes to his senses, realizing his gaffe. Once-ler is now at the mercy of the Lorax to restore the beauty and sustainability to the land by replanting the last-ever Truffula seed.

This theme is ever so common in our world today as we are realizing the limitations of extracting limited resources with no consideration for the future or respect to the inner workings of the natural world. It was also a markable theme in the book Dust Bowl, The Southern Plains in the 1930s by Donald Worster, who argued that the enemy at work is rampant, unfettered capitalism. As industry has taken heed to the trend of sustainability, will they truly take environmental factors into consideration at the expense of their bottom line? Or will strong advertising and marketing campaigns be able to continue pull the wool over the eyes of the consumer in what is now termed 'green washing.'

Happy birthday to Dr. Seuss and admirable salute to your works. Maybe we can celebrate with a movie viewing and some green eggs and ham. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

“And the turtles, of course... All the turtles are free- As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.”

A Student's Perspective on Merrigan

2009-02-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Contagious glee filled the classroom Wednesday morning as we eagerly awaited the arrival of our Agriculture, Science and Policy class lecturer. A Reuters UK story hit the internet earlier Monday night and immediately went viral among the food world. A jubilation of Facebook status changes, GChats, text messages, emails, blog posts and phone calls carried the evening into the night. While any of the Friedman School students at Tufts were astute enough to know that something was coming, we were certainly astonished when we saw “No. 2 USDA post.” The class broke into applause as Kathleen, as her students call her, sheepishly entered the room. “Okay, so I’ve been holding a secret,” she claimed.

I met Kathleen my first semester at Tufts through two courses that she was instructing, both in the arena of policy and agriculture. Her approaches to teaching policy involved a mix of structural theory, ambiguous creativity, and story telling. One of the underlining themes, which she proposed the first day, was to “think big.” No idea was too ridiculous. While there may be a science to policy making, there is also a human element that keeps it imaginative and inspired. One of my favorite “big ideas” from class was the idea to build grocery stores in the shape of the food pyramid.

Kathleen holds an extraordinary appreciation for democracy and the role of government holding servitude to the people. She made it a point to show our classes how transparent the government really is, and the opportunity (and duty) that each of us has to participate in the rules that govern our land. Following a comment from a student on how struck they were at the “opportunities that exist for any citizen to try to influence policy by adding their voice, if they were just aware that they are out there,” Kathleen walked into the seats, requested the student stand and wrapped her arms around her in gratitude.

Kathleen’s classes were spent looking at many problems with solution based approaches, all the while peering through a historical window. Her background in the organic and sustainable agriculture, pesticides, animal and plant health, marketing, conservation and business, is impressive, but more importantly is her understanding of the processes of government and how to get things done by bringing all interests to the table.

So what can we expect from Kathleen? I think it is advantageous to note her use of Deborah Stone's Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making text that she utilizes in class. From this we can see that Kathleen appreciates and utilizes the theories of government and policy that are flexible, yet strategic, that uphold equity and focus on real root problems when developing solutions.

Any special interest group that believes their and only their agenda is going to be served by this nomination is undermining the process that makes this country great. While this news is in fact the most exciting news for those citizens who know we are overdue for a revamp in the country’s food system, I would argue that the work has only just begun. While Kathleen will help implement Obama and Vilsack’s agenda, it remains our duty to be imaginative and vigilant in solving the problems facing our own communities.

On a personal note, Kathleen has had an esteemed influence on me. Some of that endearment probably comes from her time spent earning her Masters in my hometown of Austin, but moreover, she has always had an open door and honest and realistic perspective. She is pragmatic and powerful, yet modest and civilized. I am honored to have had the opportunity to learn from ‘the best.’ I know I speak on behalf of all of her students when I say how truly proud I am of her and how excited I am to be in this field during this time. It is a bitter sweet loss for the Tufts community, but I think our “policy window” is wide open.

Pinocchio- Save us from obesity!

2009-02-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

Many of my friends know that I have been joking lately about naming my first son Pinocchio--Don't laugh, I wanted to bring it back. Alas, I don't have to! Tom Vilsack and the Ad Council are doing it for me. All in the name of obesity prevention. Nice. Now I need another name. Hmmm?

From PRNEWSWIRE:

The new television, radio, print, outdoor, and online PSAs, created by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, remind parents that healthier lifestyle habits are critical for a child's mind and body and illustrate how much fun it can be to "Eat Right. Be Active." and "Make it Balance." Parents and caregivers are encouraged to visit the campaign's website www.MyPyramid.gov and use the USDA's My Pyramid to assist them in making healthy choices for their families.

"I am delighted to continue our partnership with USDA and to work with Secretary Vilsack on this critical campaign to educate parents and children about My Pyramid. I hope these PSAs motivate parents to begin taking simple steps today with their child's nutrition and physical activity habits because a healthy lifestyle can lead to a bright future for our children," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO of The Advertising Council.

Worst Food Product Ever?

2009-02-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Fitz for sending on this one. From the Consumerist comes:

TADA! The Worst Food Product Ever! Pork Brains in Milk Gravy.

I feel nauseated. Yes, that does say 3550mg of Cholesterol. Hey man, brains are fat.

Tufts Merrigan -Deputy Secretary of Agriculture

2009-02-23T18:41:00.000-08:00

I can finally announce that my Agriculture Science and Policy professor has been officially chosen for Deputy Secretary of Agriculture under Tom Vilsack. Change is in the works. I am blessed to have had her for my policy classes. Obviously learning from the horse's mouth is the best. This is a very exciting time for Tufts faculty and students. Congratulations to Kathleen. From Reuters:

President Barack Obama chose Kathleen Merrigan, an assistant professor at Tufts University who helped develop U.S. organic food labeling rules, for the Agriculture Department's No 2 job, the White House said on Monday.

Merrigan, tapped for deputy secretary of Agriculture, was head of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service from 1999-2001 during the Clinton era and helped develop USDA's rules on what can be sold as organic food. As a Senate aide, she worked on the 1990 law that recognized organic farming.

"Sustainable and organic farmers are excited ... that someone who has been associated with these issues her whole career is going to be at that level in the department," said Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Hoefner encouraged the Senate to confirm Merrigan for the post.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was confirmed on Jan 20. The deputy agriculture secretary usually oversees day-to-day operations of USDA.

Merrigan, who went to work at Tufts in Boston after serving at USDA, has worked at the Wallace Institute for Alternative Agriculture and as a consultant for the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization from 1994-99. She worked on the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee from 1987-92. She has a doctoral degree in environmental planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Surviving a depression

2009-02-23T16:31:00.000-08:00

While the government wouldn't dare use the "D" word, most that understand the destiny of a fiat currency, know exactly where we are headed.

This post from the Consumerist called Cooking: Learn to Make Depression Era Recipes with 93-year-old Clara gives some advice on how eat in hard times. Even though Clara was born in 1915, she is helping people through her YouTube videos. I wonder what sort of rations we will get.

Saving the Planet

2009-02-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

As I continue to read article upon article of how the human species is destroying the soil, water, air, other species and ultimately ourselves, I can't help but feel a bit of relief for the plant at large. This is a funny sketch by George Carlin. While he is positioned to not do anything about our recklessness, I think a better approach is to try to live in harmony with nature, less it destroys us.

My friend Robert keyed me in on this book The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. This video tell the break down of what would happen to New York if humans "suddenly" disappeared.

You can hear an excerpt of the book here at Audible.com

The food lobby goes to school

2009-02-21T15:24:00.000-08:00

The Food Lobby Goes to School, a video created by The American News Project, gives some insight into the process of deciding standards for the National School Lunch Program. While some may think that the people deciding policy are Registered Dietitians, health professionals, school lunch workers and policy advocates, the fact of the matter is, like with most policy, lobbyists warm the seats. These are the same big names that grace the expo hall at the national and state American Dietetic Association meetings.

To a large degree, it is the Federal Government. Congress and the Department of Agriculture approve what foods can (and can't) be served to over 30 million American school children who get daily meals from the National School Lunch Program. The government gets a ton of pressure from a food and beverage industry frantic to keep kids hooked on a diet of sodas, snacks and hot dogs. The competition for a piece of this $10 billion market is particularly fierce right now because this year the School Lunch Program is being reviewed and revised.

Despite the enormous nutritional and financial stakes at play, ANP was the only media to cover a recent panel set up to discuss the school menu. While nutritionists outnumbered the press, corporate lobbyists outnumbered everyone.

This op-ed in the New York Times by Alice Waters and Katrina Heron, No Lunch Left Behind further discusses the issues and hurdles.

JBS has abandoned its bid to take over National Beef Packing Co.

2009-02-21T10:40:00.000-08:00

The world’s largest beef producer and packer, Brazilian-based JBS-Swift, announced it was abandoning its attempted takeover of the National Beef Packing Company. Last year JBS-Swift purchased Smithfield Foods’ beef business as well as majority shares in Italian and Australian beef companies. It had been in talks with the US Department of Justice trying to gain approval of its next takeover target, but now appears to be backing out. According to the Reuters article, JBS abandoned the takeover due to a “lack of satisfactory conditions.”

Since March 2008, the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM)has aggressively opposed the JBS/National Beef merger on the grounds that it would exacerbate the distortions already evidenced in the U.S. cattle market and would strengthen JBS’ ability to use packer-owned cattle and other forms of captive supplies to manipulate prices paid to hundreds of thousands of independent cattle producers.

My, July 14, 2008 post called "Meat conglomerates" showed my home-made graphic of the market hold that JBS would have had if the merger had taken place.

Industry Thwarting Research

2009-02-20T09:17:00.000-08:00

As the economy continues to slump, publicly funded research is also drying up. Are there risks associated with private industry funding research, and if so, how do we, as citizens, read research with a concerning eye? An article published in the New York Times yesterday by Andrew Pollack: Crop Scientist Say Biotechnology Seed Companies Are Thwarting Research addresses biased research in agriculture.

A statement made to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 26 scientists was posted to a non-rule making docket titled: Evaluation of the Resistance Risks from Using a Seed Mix Refuge with Pioneer's Optimum AcreMax 1 Corn Rootworm-Protected Corn. The statement says:

"Technology/stewardship agreements required for the purchase of genetically modified seed explicitly prohibit research. These agreements inhibit public scientists from pursuing their mandated role on behalf of the public good unless the research is approved by industry. As a result of restricted access, no truly independent research can be legally conducted on many critical questions regarding the technology, its performance, its management implications, IRM, and its interactions with insect biology. Consequently, data flowing to an EPA Scientific Advisory Panel from the public sector is unduly limited."

In other words, some scientists feel as if industry has a chokehold not only on the research that is being conducted, but on what is actually being disseminated to the public. This research problem is largely under-reported and under-addressed to a science illiterate public. An article by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry called Who's Getting It Right and Who's Getting in Wrong in the Debate About Science Literacy, dives deeper into this equally important issue. You can add science based blogs to your RSS here.

Research should be a public good and government should be conducting research to protect the wellbeing of its citizens from corporate strongholds. Another example of the system failing by Tom Phillpot of the Grist is in the issue of Why is the FDA unwilling to study evidence of mercury in high-fructose corn syrup? I would argue much has to do with skill. The Crème de la Crop of scientists and research are easily enticed by high paying jobs in industry, not in regulatory positions at FDA. The FDA lacks man power and funding. On the flip side, those who are working in for the public interest (i.e. the scientists who just published their statement to the EPA) are being manipulated as well.

A professor at Tufts, Sheldon Krimsky, has done extensive work on the effects of industry on research. He argues that a series of laws, federal policies and court decisions have enabled private interest "stakeholder science" to gain influence over university research. His book "Science in the Private Interest"sparked a website that continues to address these issues.

The key to change, Krimsky says, is separating the financial interests from the science. A daunting task indeed.

Organic Coke & 'retro-foods'

2009-02-19T00:10:00.000-08:00

(Fair trade and naturally produced health drink)

Thanks to Marion Nestle for her blog post: Today's Giggle.

Hopefully people see the humor in this. If we can get organic high-fructose corn syrup, organic artificial coloring & flavoring and organic phenylalanine, we have a problem.

These were made by Koert Van Mensvoort. From the site Next Nature:

Thus, while engineering might make food healthier, it also makes food more abstract. And abstraction is not something people generally appreciate, whether it is in language, music, painting, or food. No surprise that people, who can afford it, move away from engineered food, packed with abstract chemicals and meta-substances, towards the so-called organic food, which can be more or less classified as ‘food produced in the way your grandparents produced their food’.

Historically, the organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms — which is why the retro-food was once only available in small stores or farmers’ markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry. With the market share of organic food outpacing much of the food industry, many big corporations have moved into the market of retro-food production.

Van Mensvoort's concerned are not without warrant. The Cornucopia Institute has produced a white paper: Wal-Mart: The Nation’s Largest Grocer Rolls-out Organic Products — Market Expansion or Market Delusion, after their announcement to start offering more organic lines in the spring of 2006. You can read their letter to Walmart's CEO here.

In July 2007, Dr. Phil Howard, an Assistant Professor at Michigan State, created and updated the organic food business chart: Organic Industry Structure: Acquisitions by the Top 25 Food Processors in North America. There is also a new graphically animated version of consolidation occurring in the organic food sector between 1995 and 2007. Two other revealing presentations of organic business have also been prepared by Dr. Howard. There are also charts of major independent organic companies and a chart of private label organic brands, including supermarket chains, specialty chains and distributors.

What humans will eat

2009-02-17T12:55:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist this one.

Domino's scientists test the limits of what humans will eat- results not surprising.

Thanks for the Onion for making life worth laughing at.

Implicit subsidies to corn sweeteners & obesity

2009-02-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University has released a policy brief: Sweetening the Pot: Implicit Subsidies to Corn Sweeteners and the U.S. Obesity Epidemic.
Alicia Harvie, a Masters candidate in Agriculture, Food, and the Environment at the Friedman
School of Nutrition Science and Policy and a Research Assistant, along with Timothy A. Wise the Director of the Research and Policy Program at the GDEI produced the document.

They explore how much cheaper high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a critical ingredient in the American diet, was from 1997-2005 due to corn prices below corn’s cost of production and the possible connection to USDA subsidies.

"While this (corn subsidies) may not have reduced soda prices to an extent that would account for rising consumption, there is little doubt U.S. agricultural policies have indirectly subsidized a sector that may be contributing to health problems."

The research was mentioned in Farm Subsidies, Bitter and Sweet, by Grist blogger, Tom Philpott.

Organic agriculture: an approach to African food security

2009-02-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development released a policy brief stating that organic agriculture could boost African food security. The brief begins:

“the way the world grows its food will have to change radically to better serve the poor and hungry if the world is to cope with growing population and climate change while avoiding social breakdown and environmental collapse”.

It is often argued that Africa needs to follow the agro-industrial “Green Revolution” model implemented in many parts of Asia and Latin America in previous decades. Using strains of crops that required agrochemical fertilizer, pesticides and irrigation, these methods increased yields. But they also damaged the environment, caused dramatic loss of agrobiodiversity and associated traditional knowledge, favoured wealthier farmers and left some poorer ones deeper in debt.

This can not be sustainable in Africa, a continent that imports 90 per cent of its agrochemicals, which most of the smallscale farmers cannot afford. It will increase dependencies on foreign inputs (agrochemical and seeds of protected plant varieties) and foreign aid. Africa should build on its strengths – its land, local resources, indigenous plant varieties, indigenous knowledge, biologically diverse smallholder farms and limited use (to date) of agrochemicals. It is time for the African Sustainable Green Revolution – to increase agricultural productivity by using sustainable agricultural practices that minimize harm to the environment and build soil fertility.

The brief defines 'organic agriculture' as "a holistic production system based on active agroecosystem management rather than on external inputs. It builds on traditional agriculture and utilizes both traditional and scientific knowledge. It is a form of sustainable or ecological agriculture that involves production according to precise standards."

I know some big agro-companies that won't be too thrilled about this brief, especially to hear the research that has obviously not been funded by them:

"research shows that organic agriculture is a good option for food security in Africa – equal or better than most conventional systems and more likely to be sustainable in the longer term. The study’s analysis of 114 cases in Africa revealed that a conversion of farms to organic or near-organic production methods increased agricultural productivity of 116 per cent. Moreover, a shift towards organic production systems has enduring impact, as it builds up levels of natural, human, social, financial and physical capital in farming communities."

The brief does not avoid the challenges facing African agriculture. Building production capacities, market access (against a buy local movement), lack of government support for alternative methods, expensive certification processes, and lack of research and awareness are all major noted hurdles.

A few of their recommendations, according to the UNCTAD–UNEP Best Practices for Organic Policy: What Developing Country Governments Can Do to Promote the Organic Agriculture Sector include:

• Setting sustainable agriculture as a priority;
• Assessing current policies and programmes, and remove disincentives to sustainable/ecological/organic agriculture – for example, subsidies on agrochemicals;
• Training extension workers in sustainable agricultural practices;
• Encouraging farmer-to-farmer exchanges;
• Compiling and disseminating indigenous agricultural knowledge and varieties;
• Funding research on sustainable agriculture, building on indigenous knowledge in response and in partnership with farmers; and
• Promoting development of local and regional markets for organic products.

The international community should;
• Reverse the decline in development aid to African agriculture
• Increase support to African sustainable agriculture;
• Reduce organic market entry barriers, including by recognizing African standards such as the East African Organic Products Standard.
• Explore schemes to make payments to smallholder organic farmers in Africa for carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.

SNL Taco Town sketch drives home the point

2009-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to reader JulieMac for this one. It is relevant to the "this is why you're fat" webpage. I take it Saturday Night Live caught that wave too. Hilarious.

Victory is ours?

2009-02-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

I am a little in awe of the news coming out of Washington today. Vilsack is turning out to be a dream come true. I first read a few articles on Grist. One called Prepping the Soil by Tom Laskawy in which he says:

There was some curiosity as to what stance U.S. Department of Agriculture chief Tom Vilsack would take in his speech this week before the National Association of Wheat Growers. Surprisingly, he came as the bearer of bad tidings. According to this report:
Vilsack called on farmers to accept the political reality that U.S. farm program direct payments are under fire both at home and abroad and therefore farmers should develop other sources of income. In his remarks to the groups he said he intends to promote a far more diversified income base for the farm sector, saying that windmills and biofuels should definitely be part of the income mix and that organic agriculture will also play an increasing role.

Then, I read a couple other articles on Grist. One by Tom Philpot, called More to Vilsack than Meets the Eye and another by Tom Laskawy called Vilsack sets the table: It's official: Nutrition will play a big role in reform at the USDA. Both articles allude to the change in the air at USDA. Should I be rubbing my eyes? Apparently YES, because then I found this news release from USDA today:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2009 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today "broke pavement" on the inaugural USDA The People's Garden during a ceremony on the grounds of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) commemorating the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. The Secretary declared the stretch of pavement permanently closed and returned back to green, and encouraged other Administration officials and the general public to join in to protect the Chesapeake watershed.

"It is essential for the federal government to lead the way in enhancing and conserving our land and water resources," said Vilsack. "President Obama has expressed his commitment to responsible stewardship of our land, water and other natural resources, and one way of restoring the land to its natural condition is what we are doing here today - "breaking pavement" for The People's Garden."

The dedication comes on the 200th anniversary of the birth of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln founded the Department of Agriculture in 1862 and referred to it as "The People's Department" in his last annual message to Congress.

The commemoration of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial is only the first step in the Department of Agriculture's celebration of President Lincoln's life. During today's ceremony, Secretary Vilsack announced the goal of creating a community garden at each USDA facility worldwide. The USDA community garden project will include a wide variety of garden activities including Embassy window boxes, tree planting, and field office plots. The gardens will be designed to promote "going green" concepts, including landscaping and building design to retain water and reduce runoff; roof gardens for energy efficiency; utilizing native plantings and using sound conservation practices.

The USDA People's Garden announced today will eliminate 1,250 square feet of unnecessary paved surface at the USDA headquarters and return the landscape to grass. The changes signal a removal of impervious surfaces and improvement in water management that is needed throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

The new garden will add 612 square feet of planted space to an existing garden traditionally planted with ornamentals. The garden will showcase conservation practices that all Americans can implement in their own backyards and green spaces. As a component of the garden, pollinator-friendly plantings will not only provide important habitat for bees and butterflies, but can serve as an educational opportunity to help people understand the vital role pollinators play in our food, forage and all agriculture. The garden plot is adjacent to the site of the USDA Farmer's Market.

About 100,000 streams and rivers thread through the Chesapeake's 64,000-square-mile watershed, which is home to almost 17 million people in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, New York and the District of Columbia. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America, with a length of 200 miles and 11,684 miles of tidal shoreline, more than the entire U.S. West Coast. The Chesapeake Bay supports more than 3,600 species of plants, fish and animals.

USDA leads efforts on public and private lands to help reduce the impact of nutrient and sediment pollution on wildlife habitat, forest lands and water quality, as well as supporting community involvement in managing natural resources, urban green space and land stewardship. For more information about USDA, the People's Garden, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and other conservation and agriculture related programs available in local communities, visit a USDA Service Center or go to the USDA Web page at www.usda.gov.

Further research on the USDA website revealed this picture of Vilsack "breaking ground" on the garden.

(USDA Photo 09di1236-028)

I would have to agree that this is ground breaking. Cheers to Vilsack for making a bold statement and taking a stand to the status quo.

This is (partly) why you're fat

2009-02-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

So, yes, genetics and ethnicity play a role.

And, yes, sedentary life style due to evolving technology and poorly designed urban areas that keep people inside plays a role.

And, Endocrine disruptors in some foods that may alter fats in the body can play a role.

There are many other theories.

But could we please call a spade a spade and admit that we have a SERIOUS problem. I know this is "touchy" topic for some, and that some people may get "offended," but the health of the nation is at stake and we are facing not a problem, but an EPIDEMIC. The Center for Disease Control has obesity in its top 10 (although last on its homepage) and if you haven't seen the frightening animated map of the nation, changing from light blues (<10%>30%) in 2007, you should take a gander. Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee are leading the pack with 32%, 30.3% and 30.1% respectively.

But what else is playing a role? FOOD! And not just food, but the kinds of food and the amount of food. You gain weight by eating more calories then you expel, seems like common knowledge. You would think.

So the actual reason for this post is: I just left my first class at MIT called Food Systems and the Environment where we were discussing the history of our food system and how we got to where we are today. And what is more obvious than ever, is that our system, as much as we feel comfortable in it, IT IS NOT WORKING. There is more food then ever before being produced and much of the problem lies in the distribution of that food and the knowledge transfer that is not occurring for one reason or another, to millions of people. So while most of the impoverished world is living on less then a dollar a day, we have websites popping up that infuriate me, and thus the reason for my post.

So here is the coup de grâce:

Brought to you by: This is Why You're Fat which received 1,520,464 hits since it was released on Monday and was sent to my by my friend Emily. This site collects photos of exhibitionist food endeavors. While many find this really humorous, I would argue that it is definitely a societal problem to act this way, while much of the world is going hungry. Call me the party pooper if you want, but I doubt many of these people have ever experienced actual hunger. So here are my "favorites"

Turbaconucken - A chicken inside a duck inside a turkey, all wrapped in bacon. (via nycfoodguy)

Giant Breakfast Burrito - A seven pound breakfast burrito stuffed with potatoes, eggs, onions, and ham bits, lots of cheese on top and smothered in red chile. (via dogsarefunyes)

The Meat Ship- Made from bacon, sausages, pastry, franks and pork mince. (via supersizedmeals)

Brick Of Cheese (via laist)

The fact of the matter is we have made this "okay," "cool" and even "funny." I would argue that this is not okay, global warming is not cool and hunger is not funny. And if you think the way we consume food in this country doesn't have a rippling effect through the world, then we are failing to educate people on the severity of the issues we face as the resources run out. I challenge people to change the cultural "norm" and challenge the "status quo."

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. " ~Author unknown, commonly misattributed to Charles Darwin

Green Patriot Posters

2009-02-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Reader Mari, fellow Friedman student and author of the cool blog Projects to Finish Someday , brought a cool site to my attention.

It seems the old propaganda posters are gaining traction as a mechanism for rallying people to help fight global warming and create energy independence. You can see people's new poster submissions at Green Patriot Posters or get inspired by some of the old WW2 posters on their site. It is interesting to me that many of the same themes of decreasing consumption, self reliance, and sustainability are the same issues we are facing today.

My favorites so far are:

Mellow Your Yellow by pocktlynnt -Conserve at home by reducing water wastage on unnecessary flushes.

Change by BPaulR -Human contribution to global climate change now appears irrefutable. We now know that humans can affect global climate for ill, but we can affect it for good too. We have changed the climate before, we can do it again. Make better change now.

And this one, which really encompasses the theme of a propaganda poster:

Use Less by iheartjavelinas -Uncle Sam reminds us we've tightened our belts before and we can do it again.

I would encourage any creative foodies out there to create some food and agriculture related posters. I collected some interesting facts from Sustainable Table and the Take a Bite out of Climate Change page( a project of the Small Planet Institute) that may help get your creative advocacy juices flowing:

If 10,000 medium-sized U.S. farms converted to organic production, they would store so much carbon in the soil that it would be the carbon-saving equivalent to taking one million cars off the road. -Rodale Institute

With one-third of the world's cereal harvest and 90 percent of the world's soy harvest being raised for animal feed, the energy required to grow those crops are a major factor in these on-farm emissions. -Dr Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Speech at Compassion in World Farming, London, September 8, 2008.

The sheer number of animals being raised for meat on the planet is another reason livestock production accounts for nearly one-fifth of all the globe's greenhouse gas emissions. In 1965, 8 billion livestock animals were alive at any given moment; 10 billion were slaughtered every year. Today, thanks in part to confined feeding operations that have spurred faster growth and shorter lives, 20 billion livestock animals are alive at any given moment, but nearly five times that many—55 billion—are slaughtered annually. -United Nations FAO- The Global Food Economy: The Battle for the Future of Farming Tony Wies.

To see more or vote on your favorites, visit Green Patriot Posters.

Victory Garden of Tomorrow

2009-02-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting for this! Those of you who know me know my affinity for the WW2 Victory garden propaganda posters. I have been in contact with Joseph Wirtheim, a graphic designer, artist, and student living and working in Portland, Oregon. He is creating new-age Victory Garden posters that are amazing. I just picked up part of his collection at ETSY. If you have never heard of ETSY it is the greatest online flea market where you can buy handmade artisan gifts, clothes, trinkets and other goodies directly from the artist.

Check these babies out:

"I do a lot of thinking about my generation's place in history and its contribution to the American story - that's what my art generally concerns."

VGoT is an art project posing as a propaganda campaign for new, American homefront values. The message style draws from American mid-century homefront propaganda, and the messages essentially draws from 21st century needs as found in the current environmental sustainability movement.

The resulting artwork is a series of propaganda-style poster images, that are either hand screenprinted, painted, or offset printed.

Learn More about Joe here and the Victory Garden of Tomorrow collection. I would encourage you too support artists, especially this one. They would look good in an office, great room or barn yard wall.

High fructose corn syrup contaminated with mercury and other food safety news

2009-01-27T12:15:00.000-08:00

I can't wait to see the new ad-campaign to try to wiggle out of this one. The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy has issued a report, Not So Sweet: Missing Mercury and High Fructose Corn Syrup, revealing that mercury was found in nearly 50 percent of tested samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). The research article was published January 26th in the scientific journal, Environmental Health by Renee Dufault et al. From the IATP report:

What she found was that possible mercury contamination of these food chemicals was not common knowledge within the food industry despite the availability of product specification sheets for mercury-grade caustic soda that clearly indicate the presence of mercury (as well as lead, arsenic and other metals). Upon further investigation, she found mercury contamination in some commercial HFCS, which can be made from mercury-grade caustic soda.

Through this public scientist’s initiative, the FDA learned that commercial HFCS was contaminated with mercury. The agency has apparently done nothing to inform consumers of this fact, however, or to help change industry practice.Consumers likely aren’t the only ones in the dark. While HFCS manufacturers certainly should have been wary of buying “mercury- grade” caustic soda in the first place, the food companies that buy finished HFCS and incorporate it into their processed food products may be equally unaware of how their HFCS is made, i.e., whether or not it is made from chemicals produced by a chlorine plant still using mercury cells.

The HFCS isn’t labeled “Made with mercury,” just like contaminated pet foods, chocolates and other products have not been labeled “Made with melamine.” Under current regulations, that information is not made available to either consumers or to companies further down the food supply chain.

When we learned of this gap in information, we set out to do the FDA’s work for it. We went to supermarkets and identified brand-name products—mainly soft drinks, snack foods and other items mostly marketed to children—where HFCS was the first or second ingredient on the label.

We sent several dozen products to a commercial laboratory, using the latest in mercury detection technology. And guess what? We found mercury. In fact, we detected mercury in nearly one in three of the 55 HFCS-containing food products we tested. They include some of the most recognizable brands on supermarket shelves: Quaker, Hunt’s, Manwich, Hershey’s, Smucker’s, Kraft, Nutri-Grain and Yoplait.

No mercury was detected in the majority of beverages tested. That may be important since sweetened beverages are one of the biggest sources of HFCS in our diets. On the other hand, mercury was found at levels several times higher than the lowest detectable limits in some snack bars, barbecue sauce, sloppy joe mix, yogurt and chocolate syrup. Although closer to the detection limit, elevated mercury levels were also found in some soda pop, strawberry jelly, catsup and chocolate milk. The top mercury detections are summarized in Table 3, on page 14 of the report.

Environmental mercury from chlorine plants, coal-fired power plants, dental offices and other sources have helped contaminate albacore tuna, swordfish and many of our favorite fish with mercury. Eating these fish has long been thought to be the most important mercury exposure for most people.

However, HFCS now appears to be a significant additional source of mercury, one never before considered. When regulators set safe fish consumption recommendations based on an understanding of existing mercury exposure, for example, they never built mercury contaminated HFCS into their calculations. HFCS as a mercury source is a completely avoidable problem. HFCS manufacturers don’t need to buy mercury-grade caustic soda. And the chlorine industry doesn’t need to use mercury cell technology. In fact, most chlorine plants in the U.S. don’t use it anymore, as it is antiquated and inefficient.

While we wait for the FDA to do its job and eliminate this unnecessary and completely preventable mercury contamination, we have a few suggestions for what you as consumers and voters can do.

Currently, food manufacturers don’t list on their products the source of HFCS and whether or not it is made from mercury-grade caustic soda. So call them. Make use of the toll-free numbers or Web sites on many packages, and let companies know you’re not comfortable eating their product until you know exactly what is in it. As voters, call your elected officials and ask them for hearings to find out why the FDA is not protecting us from mercury in HFCS.

Also, ask these officials to reintroduce legislation originally proposed by then-Senator Barack Obama a few years ago that will force the remaining chlorine plants to transition to cleaner technologies. Because even if they stop providing the caustic soda used for HFCS, their mercury pollution is still contaminating our food system as it falls on farm fields and waterways.

Tom Philpot at the Grist also covers this topic in Some heavy metal with that sweet roll? Seems to me the house of cards is falling with food safety. In the FDA's spotlight is salmonella in peanut butter from mildew in peanut butter plants, melamine in dry milk from China, and the myriad of meat contamination, with its sights probably on the newest report of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) being found in swine and swine farmers in the Netherlands and Canada. The more of these reports that continue to surface, the more people will be looking towards alternative food systems. A blessing in disguise?